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

So, asking a rhetorical question, how can I know when my sharpened razor is actually shave ready? In the few months I've been shaving with straights, the lack of a quantitative test or tests by which I can KNOW my blades are ready has proven frustrating.

Recently, I purchased a shave ready razor from Lynn, and now can compare my edges to a standard if you will. This has given my valuable feedback. And, I think I have a quantitative set of tests... pass them, and your blade is shave ready.

Test #1... Hanging Hair Test

Does your blade consistently and easily pass the hanging hair test up and down the blade?

Test #2... Blade Evenness

When the blade is looked at from the side with a microscope, ($12 at Radio Shack), is the edge even and free from burrs and knicks?

Test #3... Blade Smoothness

Are the two honed and polished sides of the blade immediately next to the edge smooth and free of striations?


So, is it reasonable to say that...

* pass the hanging hair test, and
* with an edge that is even with no defects, and
* with the honed and polished sides of the blade being
smooth and free of scratches and striations

you have a shave ready razor?

The test is very deeply complicated.

Step one: Shave with razor.

Shave Test!

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

So, is it reasonable to say that...

* pass the hanging hair test, and
* with an edge that is even with no defects, and
* with the honed and polished sides of the blade being
smooth and free of scratches and striations

you have a shave ready razor?

Almost....

The Final test is the biggie.... How's it shave?

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.