Thread: Ironclad Shave Ready Tests... or Not!

God you could see that answer coming a mile off...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

God you could see that answer coming a mile off...

alley oop!

Bloody cavemen. There is an article in the Wiki (am on BlackBerry and cannot properly quote) which deals with the HHT in great detail. Yes, the shave test is alll that matters, but the article is well worth a read.

I certainly agree with the usefulness of the "does it shave" test. But, this is a somewhat poor answer for newcomers I believe. When shaving, we make all kinds of mistakes... blade angle, improper stretching of the skin, and more. Me might have a bad shave experience with a shave ready blade but poor technique. We might have a bad shave experience with a dull blade, even though our technique is fine. Summarized, if we have a bad shave experience, we newcomers still don't have a clue as to cause. Besides, we don't even know what a good "does it shave" experience feels like.

If the shave goes well, then maybe the shave test is useful. If it doesn't, for the newbie, the "does it shave" question is of limited value!

(The other drawback to using the quality of the shave as a test is that the shave test can only be used once daily.)

So, how to tell when the edge is shave ready? Reread the tons of responses on this site, and many basically boil down to "once you know how to sharpen your blades, you will know it is shave ready." That's of NO help!

This post is a serious attempt to define a method to determine whether a blade is shave ready. Something that newcomers can apply to determine when they are close to or have achieved a shave ready edge.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

This post is a serious attempt to define a method to determine whether a blade is shave ready. Something that newcomers can apply to determine when they are close to or have achieved a shave ready edge.

I thought you might bring that up. Fortunately, you have a shave ready razor from Lynn as a standard

I don't think there is any way for a newcomer to know a razor is shave ready unless they have a standard in hand to compare to

I see where your coming from i think, to me in reading your post your stating that you have a SR from lynn to use as a benchmark for "shave ready".. so im taking it that the answere that i would give to your post would be "shave test" as well,using the results from the shave that you have had from the benchmark SR.

I have to agree that having a standard to compare to is the only way to go. I was disappointed in my shaving results at first, thinking I had to be doing something wrong. Then I sent off one of my razors to a honemeister and found out what it should really be like. Buying from Lynn was a good choice.

Long time ago there was a thread on the HHT. A couple of members who haven't been around for ages were always posting in the honing forums and gave me the impression that they were honemiesters posted that if a razor wouldn't pass HHT it wouldn't shave worth a darn.

At that time on SRP there were debates on taping the spine or not, x stroke on a 3" hone or straight across and on whether the HHT was a prerequisite to a good shave. Each of these controversies had their advocates on either side.

So you acquire razors and you hone them and discover which side of the fence you're on with these things. I have found that I don't need to have a razor pass HHT for me to get a bbs irritation free two pass shave. YMMV. If it was the other way around I would say so. For another individual it may well be the other way around.

Based on my experience I think the x pattern is the only way to go and I am playing around with not taping some razors to decide whether I prefer tape or no tape. Since starting out honing on a regular basis I've been taping all spines but I'm rethinking that issue. The jury is still out on that one. Whatever tests we use if we are getting consistent results .... and a close and smooth shave as a result it is working.

Stating the question another way, and posing the question to you...

You own a razor sharpening business, and give a pile of straights to a new employee to sharpen. (They don't even use straight razors.) You tell them how to sharpen the blades, and also tell them how to check the acceptability of the edge.

So, what did you tell them when you told them how to check the acceptability of the edge?

(I think the above thought experiment is a good one, for it aptly recreates the situation experienced by new users.)

Hoglahoo...

I do have a shave ready blade from Lynn, and that has been invaluable. But, not everyone has a shave ready blade. Even if they did, after it gets dull and they go back to self-sharpening, how to know the resharpened blade is up to "Lynn standards"?

You also said...

I don't think there is any way for a newcomer to know
a razor is shave ready unless they have a standard
in hand to compare to.

And, if that is the way it is, I can certainly accept that. But, hopefully, there are ways to test a blade in a way that is applicable by all, and especially newcomers.

Again...

(1) HHT, (2) Edge straight, and (3) sides of edge smooth. If these three tests, which are fairly straightforward (with a microscope for #2 & #3), are passed can we state that we have or are quite close to having a shave ready edge?