Thread: The HHT test

Originally Posted by Jimbo

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

James.

I shall take a for myself ---my American to Aussie training is nearly complete. Set me up a few salties and a shark or two --I'm gonna beat them buggers down --Oh apples, she'll be. Piece of piss.. Let's sink some piss. I feel like getting stonkered.

Justin

Let me know when to stop!

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

I shall take a for myself ---my American to Aussie training is nearly complete. ....

That it is, grasshopper. Just one minor thing, the expression is "She'll be apples". I think it might be a bit confusing on John's list (trying to alphabeticalize, I guess). But your way works well too, it's just a bit yoda, that's all.

But all in all, I think you could pass for an Aussie. I can't even hear your accent.

James.

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

I shall take a for myself ---my American to Aussie training is nearly complete. Set me up a few salties and a shark or two --I'm gonna beat them buggers down --Oh apples, she'll be. Piece of piss.. Let's sink some piss. I feel like getting stonkered.

Justin

Let me know when to stop!

Can't you just hear the Darth Vader quote coming? "When I left you I was but a learner, now I am the master"

I mentioned it before but here it is again. The monofilament that I used after trying several is Dai-Riki 4X (0.007" diameter) Made in Japan (of course). You can buy it on line or at a fly shop for about $4.00 for a 30 meter spool. The stripping comes about because it is a different material and if it is heavy enough for a sharp razor to cut then many razors will cut it. But the 4X is light enough that only a properly honed razor (I believe that razors recently honed by Lynn Abrams can be described as properly honed) will strip it. Try it and see if it works for you, I like the test and it appears to be reproducible.

RG:

I just re-read the thread to see how you "stripped" the line. I think I understand it so my only question is how available is the Dai-Riki? Is it generally in Wal-Mart or should I convince my wife we need to go back to Springfield, MO to the world headquarters for Bass Pro Shops? I have a sneaking suspicion that I need to take a road trip, don't I?

Seriously, I'm getting frustrated with so many tests but for some reason this one is starting to intrigue me a little. Enough that if I can find the stuf locally, I might just have a go at it.

One other question, if this is to test a properly honed razor, will you repeat the test at various points along the edge or do you just settle on the middle? (sorry if you've answered that but I didn't find it when I looked)

In the past Ive used my hair from all parts of my body, my wife's hair when she's sleeping (she now wears a wig) Ive taken my kid's hair and both dog's hair they are basically hairless now and run from me when I come in the room with a scissors...Im a new uncle ...maybe at the baby naming Ill get me some more hair to test!!!and every nite I am searching ebay for hair to purchase for this test...fishing line? lets try dental floss or some other material...and lets not forget how taunt to you hold the hair? from what angle to you cut it ? across? sideways ? flat? this so called test is silly and a waste of time...I stopped using it when first learning to hone my razors passed the hht and shaved like crap...an old barber friend at trumpers in london said spend the time cutting hair on learning better honeing techniques...the hht ranks up there with the newbie who posted the thread about how he was mixing preshave oil and shavecreme together to get a great lather and some guys on this forum chimed in that it sounded like a great idea!

Steve, I highly recommend a road trip, in the interests of science, of course . And yes, clarman, the HHT is frustrating, I can only say that I hold the razor at about 30 degrees to the filament and pull it across very briskly. The Dai-Riki 4X works fine but if it is difficult for you to obtain, try any monofilament of 0.007" diameter and I'd say it would probably work. Happy stripping!!!

What about getting a cheap boar's hair brush ($6 at my grocery) and using the hairs for a standardized HHT?

Dylandog, that is where I started from only I was suggesting black badger hair instead of boar bristle. Howard pointed out correctly that there would still be a wide variation and so there wouldn't be any standardization. The only reason for using, say, Dai-Riki 4X monofilament is that the filament would be 0.007" in diameter with a very narrow tolerance.

Originally Posted by rgdominguez

Dylandog, that is where I started from only I was suggesting black badger hair instead of boar bristle. Howard pointed out correctly that there would still be a wide variation and so there wouldn't be any standardization. The only reason for using, say, Dai-Riki 4X monofilament is that the filament would be 0.007" in diameter with a very narrow tolerance.

Oh I see, sorry to have missed that. But boar's hair seems pretty regular to me, more regular than badger in all its graded variety. At least a single knot of it will be pretty regular, and then you can develop your test from that, no? And cheap. And guilt-free as far as I'm concerned, since boar's hair seems to come mainly from Italy where the animal is eaten with gusto and every part of it used for something. Different with badgers, that are killed just for their pelts...