Thread: Synthetic HHT Material ?

I am pretty new to straight razors, and just starting out honing.

I wondered is there a synthetic material people use for a Hanging Hair Test ?

The hair on your beard is unique to you. Thus, ideally the hair you use should be as close to your own beard hair as possible. The next time you go to the barbershop, you can try to collect some of your head hair, but chances are it is less coarse than your beard. Likewise, if you have a spouse, daughter, sister, or friend with long hair, ask them to donate some locks to the cause.

Rather than doing a hanging hair test I do an arm hair test, but I have hairy forearms with the hair pprotruding about 1/2-3/4" abopve skin level. If I can pop arm hair passing the blade about 3/8" above skin level the blade will be sharp enough to shave my tough beard. Since arm hair is not as tough as beard hair, shaving arm hair at skin level is a good test for a sharp knife, but not sufficient for a shave ready razor.

Hobby shops sell synthetic hair for use in making dolls. I have not tried it, so I do not know.

Likewise, you can purchase synthetic shaving brush knots for less than $10. I would think that fiber would be suitable.

You can buy real hair extensions on amazon and other places. Just look for undyed or not treated. A pack will last you a lifetime. Still, its not synthetic, but ...

I use hair from my wife's hair brush. It is very fine. I cut towards root end for the test.

If you have a friend with long fine hair ask them for hair from their hair brush.

You can buy horse mane hair very cheap. Craft stores have it or you can order it online. It is on the fine end of the spectrum.

HHT is/can be a rabbit hole, many consider it a parlor trick. It depends on how you use and calibrate it, the type of hair, ethnicity, color, pulled or cut, washed, shampoo, conditioner, direction of cut, it is endless.

A not so keen razor will cut hair, so then, what does HHT mean? And if it does cut hair, it does not mean the whole razor is equally keen or dull.

So, calibrate it and use as a guidepost of direction, or as a parlor trick if you wish. Just know the goal is the shave.

The type of hair is not as important as the calibration, most of us use arm hair as a quick test of edge improvement and not as a definitive test.

Additionally, folks use fruit, grapes and tomatoes, paper and other items and if it helps or if that is your goal, enjoy.

Yep... Gust a guide.
I have used a variety of different hairs, wife, kids, grand kids, even my cats, deer and squirrel tails.

For me...its how it reacts to the partucular hair, in comparison to the shave. Pick a material and stick with it. Once you find the balance , you'll be able to repeat it each time you hone.

I only test, after stropping a freshly honed razor.

Yes!
Both of these last posts are spot on!
Its something you need to do over and over with the same hair types. To learn what is really what you looking for. Just cutting or popping the hairs is one thing. But how much flex before the hair cuts. Do you hear that pop or was it silent? Did it grip and pull to cut or just slice thru with no resistance. But even with all of this, it's still the shave that matters. Extremely sharp and going thru hair like it's not even their is nice, but I find it too much for some people's skin types.
Like the difference between a synthetic edge or a natural edge. It's going to act and feel different.

My thought with looking for some thing synthetic is natural hair is inconsistent, so one hair seems to cut better than another on the same razor.

I have a very hairy chest, the hair on my chest is very coarse like my beard, so it's pretty easy to acquire for HHT harvesting.