Thread: The HHT test

Richard,
You've brought up a point which is nothing short of brilliant. You're absolutely right about the variation encountered with the HHT. We need a "standard" hair. You invent it and I'll carry it on my website. Any science which can be injected into this discussion is welcome by me as there are way too many variables for my liking. You're absolutely right about the variation in hair explaining the variable results people have been getting.

To answer your question directly, you cut a hair from your head over the razor blade. I wouldn't recommend dry shaving.

Take a look at randydance's signature graphic, which contains an illustration of how to do the HHT. His post is a couple above this one.

Josh

Originally Posted by rgdominguez

FELLAS, WHICH IS IT? DO YOU DRY SHAVE YOUR FACE OR TRY TO SPLIT A HAIR OVER THE RAZOR? PLEASE TELL ME!

I guess I'm just odd. Once the razor passes the armhair tests then I'll take a test swipe on my dry face. The reasoning is that this is generally how I use the feather nowadays (after shaving I walk the dog, so by the time I get back my face is dry - the feather is the best bet for cleanup duties in this situation) so this is my "how does it compare to a feather" test.

Ok, so you don't pass the hht but your sure it's bloody sharp, like really close, what then??

To the hone, the strop, paste, the bat cave?

I hone till I pass the HHT, sometimes better than others, but I don't see the point in finishing with the stones if it's not gonna cut.

X

Originally Posted by pea

Ok, so you don't pass the hht but your sure it's bloody sharp, like really close, what then??

To the hone, the strop, paste, the bat cave?

First to the strop and a test shave

not god enough? then

paste, strop and test shave again

not good enough? then

hone, paste, strop and test shave

The philosophy is to use the least aggressive method necessary.

Or in my case:

Originally Posted by randydance062449

not go[o]d enough? then

Ponder the error of your ways, then...

Originally Posted by randydance062449

paste, strop and test shave again

not good enough? then

Contemplate the error of your ways a little more...

Originally Posted by randydance062449

hone, paste, strop and test shave

Well folks, human ingenuity comes to the fore once again in one young and very sharp ex-Rabbinical student named Howard Schechter. I called Howard and he was very taken by the standardization of our beloved HHT. I said that maybe badger hair, the dark kind would be good, thinking that I heard hair "scrape" when pulled over the razor. I thought that the filament needs "spurs" to catch on the razor in order to get cut or split. Howard kept driving for consistancy in the material, particularly when it came to diameter. Well the idea of using monofilament fishing line came out. I was dubious but Howard insisted that I try it since I am the fly-fisher. After trying several thickness leader material, a very excellent leader material known for its small diameter emerged as the clear winner. Only my Feather, which has a new blade in it, and the two razors that Lynn Abrams honed for me could handle the challenge. These razors STRIP the fine (0.007 inch) leader material. A thin piece either clings to the razor or falls to the floor. The technique is to hold the razor at about 30 degrees relative to the line and drag it very quickly over the edge. I got to the point where I could shread the monofilament a length of 4 - 6 inches! A brand new Merkur that was billed as shave ready couldn't do it however it did cut the next size up. Not bad, if we appoint a panel and work on this we should develop a pretty nice protocol that anyone could use with not too much work.

Dude, this is really cool. If this works out it will be a great step forward--a standardized sharpness test.

Now, it probably won't be foolproof. One of the problems is that a wire edge is really, really sharp, but it won't shave worth anything.

But this test could help take some of the guesswork out of things for guys who are starting out.

Nice going!

Josh

Now if we only had standardized beards!