Thread: The HHT test

I think that there is another way to progress, get a test protocol ironed out and then see if it correlates with a "good shave" in the minds of the concensus. My Feather and two razors honed by Lynn, but not my selected NOS razors, will strip Dai-Riki 4X monofilament tippet material (0.007 inch diameter) but not 5X. These three razors and my selected NOS razors will strip 3X monofilament. So there's a starting point, anyone interested get some 4X tippet monofilament and start stripping, boys! And if a razor strips the 4X monofilament, rate the resulting shave and see what we come up with. We'll collect all the observations and see if the idea is of any value.

Maybe.... I've got a serious professional issue with meta-analyses based on observational studies, and the subjective nature of each shaver's rating is still a concern, but this aint a statistics forum, so...

If you do it this way, you'll need a *lot* of data. And you'll need to make sure either that the experimenters are as consistent with each other as possible or that they send you precise information as to what they did, what they used etc., and preferably both.

And the results of any analysis of these data, even if it's good data, will still only be "on average" with associated standard error. Useful for the new straight user...maybe ('maybe' because if you look at honing questions in newbies corner or wherever, they are universally person - specific, with usually person-specific solutions).

James.

Jimbo, all true if this were a simulation of neurosurgery or nuclear weaponry but it's just shaving, man! Where is all this data and hypothesis testing for the present HHT? Golly, we're just trying to improve the test by standardizing one element, the filament! I don't see where anyone proposed that this turn into an MIT dissertation.

Originally Posted by rgdominguez

Jimbo, all true if this were a simulation of neurosurgery or nuclear weaponry but it's just shaving, man! Where is all this data and hypothesis testing for the present HHT? Golly, we're just trying to improve the test by standardizing one element, the filament! I don't see where anyone proposed that this turn into an MIT dissertation.

He's Australian mate! If you've ever had the misfortune of playing sport against them you'll know they analyse everything to the nth degree and use their findings ruthlessly with a bloody big grin on their faces!

They also apply the methodology to 'sledging'. They hold the world championship for that too!

See also;
Cricket; England v Aus (Ashes series) 0-5
Rugby League; Great Britain V The Kangaroos (cringe...) Daren't repeat this woeful record in my beloved sport!
Soccer; England 0 - 5 Australia (even though I believe it's still regarded as a 'bit of a poofs game' - Jimbo?)

In fact every game we have every tried to beat them at! Just hearing 'Advance Australia Fair' reduces me to tears...

Originally Posted by Bradford Si

He's Australian mate! If you've ever had the misfortune of playing sport against them you'll know they analyse everything to the nth degree and use their findings ruthlessly with a bloody big grin on their faces!

They also apply the methodology to 'sledging'. They hold the world championship for that too!

See also;
Cricket; England v Aus (Ashes series) 0-5
Rugby League; Great Britain V The Kangaroos (cringe...) Daren't repeat this woeful record in my beloved sport!
Soccer; England 0 - 5 Australia (even though I believe it's still regarded as a 'bit of a poofs game' - Jimbo?)

In fact every game we have every tried to beat them at! Just hearing 'Advance Australia Fair' reduces me to tears...

LOL! Well, there might be some smidgin of truth in that ... Glad to hear you're a league fan. But also, you guys just won the one day series over here, so...

Soccer's taken a bigger profile over here post world cup and our (very) moderate success in it - Just between you and me, I suspect Aussies consider anything they can't do well at a bit poofy (but I'm a cynic).

Anyway, rgdominguez you're right, I know it's no thesis we're talking about (although, if there's anyone out there interested in doing a PhD in this area ... ) and I think I said as much a few posts back. But I'm sorry, I know I harp on when these things come up (and I'm trying to improve, honest!) - so no more experimental design lectures from me...

However, I just don't think you'll gain much over the current HHT. I'd argue that any variability of any note that currently exists in the test is between individuals. The HHT is an individually calibrated test, and that calibration takes the form of mitigating variables like test material (hair).

But that's just my opinion.

James.

Man does this thread have legs!

It is nice to be reminded of the paper towel test. I had meant to give it a fair test but for some reason it had slipped my mind. But at my age thats to be expected!

The monofiliment test wil be simply be another test that each individual can utilize if it works for them. I seriously doubt that it can be a universal standard due to the variations in the edge profiles and steel used in our razors.

It will can only be, like all the other tests, an indicator of when a razor is ready for a shave test.

Randydance, that's exactly right, but newbies like me can have a bit more confidence since now we will be armed with the filament that the experts use and there would be no confusion about arm hair, head hair, wife hair or hair from unmentionable areas! We would be on equal footing with the shaving gods which reminds me, I need to get up the nerve to ask Lynn Abrams to send me a baggie of his hair for the HHT!!

Originally Posted by rgdominguez

Randydance, that's exactly right, but newbies like me can have a bit more confidence since now we will be armed with the filament that the experts use and there would be no confusion about arm hair, head hair, wife hair or hair from unmentionable areas! We would be on equal footing with the shaving gods which reminds me, I need to get up the nerve to ask Lynn Abrams to send me a baggie of his hair for the HHT!!

Please let me clarify my thinking. I like this idea! But we would all need to use the same filament, size and mfg, before we could even begin to standardize. What will most likely happen is that each of us will pick up some from a local store and go from there. Frankly, I think that this is a good start but we really need to find a synthetic "hair" that more closely approximates natural hair.
I really do not want to judge sharpness based upon how well an edge "strips" a filament. Frankly, I can strip my own hair now with my razors if I do it just right. So stripping does not appeal to me, I want to cut the "hair".
I think the effort is in the right direction but we need a better "hair" substitute.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, I stand corrected. Clearly the "average shaver" would fit me to a tee. But I can't speak for others...

James.

Ah. Another chance to use an Aussie colloq. May I say James, that if this is true and you resemble the scrapyard ape then you have a head like a sucked mango. Man-o-man, my first real Aussie burn.


Justin

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

Ah. Another chance to use an Aussie colloq. May I say James, that if this is true and you resemble the scrapyard ape then you have a head like a sucked mango. Man-o-man, my first real Aussie burn.


Justin

Mate, I walked straight into that one That's good work ... very good work.

James.