How not to do a HHT - suffer the agony!

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09-28-2010, 03:16 PM
leadingedge

How not to do a HHT - suffer the agony!

Well, the controversial hanging hair test (HHT) tamed me a few days ago when I was trying to get a Stainelss Steel razor of mine shave ready...

I was really struggling to get this razor to a comfortable shave ready state, and went too far to make it pass the unnecessary old HHT.

I'm sure most of the old hands know what is coming, but here's what happened:

I honed, stropped, tested, honed, stropped, tested endlessly, and slowly got the razor better and better, with it passing a HHT on parts of the blade, so I tried to convince myself that the razor is really nice and sharp, but I still wanted to see it slice that HHT very easily. First mistake.

Grabbed one of my wife's hairs from her brush and continued chopping it up on parts of the blade, but there was one spot that simply did not want to play the HHT game, so I went faster and faster with the hair onto the blade, and came closer and closer with my fingertips to the blade until I got it to cut the hair about 1mm from my fingertips.... Yea, close. Then I thought "that looks nice, let me try again"

Second mistake, re-try: Now I really wanted to show myself that HHT on the bad spot on the blade, so I did it really fast, and verrrrry close to the blade:tameshigiri:. You guessed it, I mis-judged and chopped off about a 4mm X 4mm patch of my fingertip, and just watched as it started to bleed profusely. Styptic pencil was not going to solve this one! LOL.

Guess I discovered a new sharpness test, I will call it the HHFFTST. (Hanging Hair Failed Finger Tip Slice Test) And no, this does not give a good indication of a shave-ready razor, but feel free to try it out! Don't say I did not warn you from my mistake!

Only good thing is, I finally DID get the razor shave-ready sharp, and it shaves very comfortably now, even though my finger grip on the tang is slightly off-set now!
09-28-2010, 03:49 PM
thebigspendur

Sorry about your misfortune.

I've never used the HHT. I have no use for it. I go by armhair shaving. It tells me everything I need to know short of actually shaving.
09-28-2010, 03:50 PM
nun2sharp

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Sorry about your misfortune.

I've never used the HHT. I have no use for it. I go by armhair shaving. It tells me everything I need to know short of actually shaving.

Just so you know, the HHT is unnecessary to say the least, it means nothing, it is fun, but it still means nothing.
09-28-2010, 03:53 PM
Stubear

Ouch! Hope you heal up fast!

I agree with Nelson. All you need to find out if your razor is shave ready are the arm hair shaving tests. They'll tell you all you need to know about how an edge is progressing.
09-28-2010, 03:54 PM
leadingedge

Yep, I realize the HHT is not the be-all and end-all, and is very controvertial. Just thought I'd share my funny near-missing digit story! LOL
09-28-2010, 03:54 PM
JimmyHAD

Henceforth that will be known as the FTPT. :rock: Sorry to hear about your accident.
09-28-2010, 03:56 PM
leadingedge

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Henceforth that will be known as the FTPT. :rock: Sorry to hear about your accident.

LOL! It's all part of the learning curve!
09-28-2010, 04:03 PM
Utopian

If it's any consolation, several others have posted similar stories.
09-28-2010, 07:03 PM
flyman

I happen to use the HHT and rely on it to give me valuable feedback even after the hairs on my arm are getting mowed like butter. The way I do it is:

1.) Take a good, long hair from my wife's hairbrush.
2.) Determine the root end by carefully sliding my fingertips along the hair to feel the "grain" of the hair.
3.) Place the hair, root end overhanging the upright edge of the blade by about 1.5 inches.
4.) Gently pull the standing end of the hair straight down.

The results usually fall into the following categories:

1.) The hair slides smoothly along the edge= dull edge
2.) The hair wiggles as it slides across the edge= dullish edge
3.) The hair pops off the edge, sometimes audibly= kind of sharp
4.) The hair falls silently at the first tug= good and sharp

IME, I won't even try to test shave a razor that tests 1 or 2 all along the edge. If a razor tests 3 or higher all along the edge, it almost always shaves at least very good.

IME, the arm hair test doesn't give me that much feedback. Maybe I'm just not experienced enough.
09-28-2010, 07:41 PM
northpaw

Next time, try tossing the razor up in the air, flipping it end over end. That should cut the hair! :D
09-28-2010, 07:42 PM
Jeltz

Ouch, many yeas ago I did similar with a craft knife while cutting card.

Typing was less than fun for a while, hope you heal quickly.
09-29-2010, 02:01 AM
LawsonStone

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Sorry about your misfortune.

I've never used the HHT. I have no use for it. I go by armhair shaving. It tells me everything I need to know short of actually shaving.

This is such a relief to me. I can't make the HHT work for love or money, on a razor honed by anybody. But my razors all shave nicely!
09-29-2010, 02:05 AM
BKratchmer

Quote:

Originally Posted by LawsonStone

This is such a relief to me. I can't make the HHT work for love or money, on a razor honed by anybody. But my razors all shave nicely!

It gets talked up a lot, especially (against all reason... it puzzles me) by newbies, but the HHT really isn't good for much. You will be hard pressed to find an experienced member promoting it.
09-29-2010, 02:37 AM
leadingedge

Quote:

Originally Posted by northpaw

Next time, try tossing the razor up in the air, flipping it end over end. That should cut the hair! :D

LOLOLOL! I might just try that, I'll make sure I'm not naked after a shower when I do that, or I will be posting about more important things being sliced off! :jedi:
09-29-2010, 02:39 AM
leadingedge

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

It gets talked up a lot, especially (against all reason... it puzzles me) by newbies, but the HHT really isn't good for much. You will be hard pressed to find an experienced member promoting it.

Very true, but still fun to see the hair fall silently as it contacts the blade. But I agree, this test is not the be-all and end-all.
09-29-2010, 02:39 AM
BKratchmer

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadingedge

LOLOLOL! I might just try that, I'll make sure I'm not naked after a shower when I do that, or I will be posting about more important things being sliced off! :jedi:

Might be a great kick-start to your career as a moyl! :chop:
09-29-2010, 02:42 AM
leadingedge

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

Might be a great kick-start to your career as a moyl! :chop:

LOL, or it will be the start of my career as a Eunuch!
09-30-2010, 02:53 AM
thorxes

Patience is a virtue.
09-30-2010, 03:00 AM
nessmuck

FTST finger tip slice test,should go in the Wiki. Hope your not on any blood thinners,get well soon .We all have fff uped at some point!!
09-30-2010, 03:03 AM
leadingedge

FTST, me thinks it is worth the wiki! Nope, luckily I normally heal quite fast, so it's not really a major issue. My finger is ready for another FTST again! LOL.
09-30-2010, 03:22 AM
onimaru55

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyman

IME, the arm hair test doesn't give me that much feedback. Maybe I'm just not experienced enough.

Try the AHT slowly at close to skin level, noticing if the hair lifts up before cutting. That will usually tell you the blade will tug on the shave.
10-01-2010, 02:44 AM
jeffegg2

Another lesson learned: Respect the blade!!! No joke, you can lose body parts! If you disrespect the blade, you will get hurt.

All hair is different. Even the hair on my arm is light in color, so it is difficult to see.

If you want to get good at the HHT, get the right hair. Otherwise it is pretty meaningless other than to impress your friends.

The shave test is final. It either shaves well, or it does not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Try the AHT slowly at close to skin level, noticing if the hair lifts up before cutting. That will usually tell you the blade will tug on the shave.