can't be sharp enough right?

Dont worry about HHT. HHT is a test used when honing and only after you have honed enough razors to "calibrate" the test.

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Originally Posted by razormonkey

as i said, it was a BIG improvement today over yesterday and i'll strop it a load more tomorrow and see if that helps improve it again, the sharpness tests you posted are great, thanks for that, certainly not sharp enough for the HHT though so guess i've got some way to go before i'm truly shave ready.

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I would avoid this. From what I can tell you are novice to Straights. It is very hard to hone a razor when you dont have a good baseline to go off or a good understanding of shave ready.

I would not bother with honing until you have mastered stropping and shaving. And then i would purchase a second straight, that way you have a "Known Good" to compare too.

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i do have a norton combo stone 4000/8000 which i could (sharp intake of breath from everyone :)) give it a quick go on the 8000 using the new info i have at my disposal.

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The good thing is at least you know you're not rolling the edge since as you say, you have improved the edge with stropping :).

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

You can, however, dull an edge quickly and efficiently by using inappropriate sharpness tests. The TPT is one such test.

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Gotta disagree with this one.

Testing with the thumb pad after stropping is very appropriate. It is taught as a way to judge stropping progress in every barber manual I've read, and has never dulled one of my blades.