A surgical instrument, comprising: an anvil ; a staple cartridge , wherein at least one of the anvil and the staple cartridge is movable relative to the other one of the anvil and the staple cartridge between an open configuration and an approximated configuration to capture tissue therebetween; and a cutting member including a cutting surface at a distal portion of the cutting member, wherein the cutting member is movable relative to the staple cartridge to cut the tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge in the approximated configuration; and characterized by : a cutting surface sharpness testing module , comprising: a cutting surface sharpness testing member , wherein the cutting surface is movable along a path, wherein the cutting surface sharpness testing member is configured to interrupt the path of the cutting surface; a processor ; and a memory coupled to the processor to store program instructions, which when executed from the memory cause the processor to evaluate sharpness of the cutting surface based upon at least one measurement received by the processor, the at least one measurement detectable while the cutting surface is in contact with the cutting surface sharpness testing member. an anvil ; a staple cartridge , wherein at least one of the anvil and the staple cartridge is movable relative to the other one of the anvil and the staple cartridge between an open configuration and an approximated configuration to capture tissue therebetween; and a cutting member including a cutting surface at a distal portion of the cutting member, wherein the cutting member is movable relative to the staple cartridge to cut the tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge in the approximated configuration; and characterized by : a cutting surface sharpness testing module , comprising: a cutting surface sharpness testing member , wherein the cutting surface is movable along a path, wherein the cutting surface sharpness testing member is configured to interrupt the path of the cutting surface; a processor ; and a memory coupled to the processor to store program instructions, which when executed from the memory cause the processor to evaluate sharpness of the cutting surface based upon at least one measurement received by the processor, the at least one measurement detectable while the cutting surface is in contact with the cutting surface sharpness testing member. a cutting surface sharpness testing module , comprising: a cutting surface sharpness testing member , wherein the cutting surface is movable along a path, wherein the cutting surface sharpness testing member is configured to interrupt the path of the cutting surface; a processor ; and a memory coupled to the processor to store program instructions, which when executed from the memory cause the processor to evaluate sharpness of the cutting surface based upon at least one measurement received by the processor, the at least one measurement detectable while the cutting surface is in contact with the cutting surface sharpness testing member. a cutting surface sharpness testing member , wherein the cutting surface is movable along a path, wherein the cutting surface sharpness testing member is configured to interrupt the path of the cutting surface; a processor ; and a memory coupled to the processor to store program instructions, which when executed from the memory cause the processor to evaluate sharpness of the cutting surface based upon at least one measurement received by the processor, the at least one measurement detectable while the cutting surface is in contact with the cutting surface sharpness testing member. <EOS>