Thread: My hone wont pass the hanging hair test

Originally Posted by Bruno

Not all of us have chest hair
Btw, it is very hard to get a hone to pass the HHT.
How do you get the sides sharp enough? It's not like they have an edge.

It's easier to get DMT hones to pass HHT - you can grind the edges at a taper.

Originally Posted by Mikael

Well, I kind of find it (the HHT test) useful, _for me_ and the hair I use. 1 = you have to drag the hair on the edge before it cuts and 5 = deadly silent cut, it just falls off the edge as soon as it hits it. So I think it's strong to call it nonsense, but as a newbie tool it leaves _a lot_ of room for errors. But I guess it's a WWFM (What Works For Me) thing

Yes, but depending on your type of hair, you may never be able to achieve 4 or 5, while the same edge (say a 3 for you) would be a 5 for someone else.

The HHT is only useful in comparison with your own hair, and calibrated to shavereadiness. If we both agree on what shaveready means, and you can get a HHT3 for that edge, and I get a 5, would you feel bad about being 'stuck' at 3? Even though that would be an excellent edge?

that is why I think the HHT levels by themselves are nonsense. they are only good to make a correlation with your own face, but the level by itself says absolutely nothing in terms of shaveability or how your edge compares to mine.

Originally Posted by Bruno

The main problem I have with the HHT 1-5 nonsense is that there so much variation in human hair between people doing the test, that the actual numbers mean absolutely nothing in terms of being able to compare your HHT with someone else. A person can only compare results which are done by the same person using the same hair. Any other comparison is by definition completely meaningless.

I've found the variation in human and even canine hairs valuable in using the HHT. Different hairs can be used to refine HHT results and improve edge calibration. While the results ultimately are shown in the shave itself, it is useful to have a way to check edges without having to shave while doing it, especially during honing. As Glen points out, calibration is the key, and this takes time and effort. It took me a month to get the test calibrated to my use in honing, but now I can use it starting at 8K and get an idea of how the edge is doing. With practice, I've now gotten to the point where I can reliably predict shaving results with the HHT. The value is that I can now determine whether a blade is shave ready without shaving with it. It's worth working on because it can be such a reliable test, but you can't expect to just give it a try with some random hair and learn anything from it. It takes work.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yes, but depending on your type of hair, you may never be able to achieve 4 or 5, while the same edge (say a 3 for you) would be a 5 for someone else.

The HHT is only useful in comparison with your own hair, and calibrated to shavereadiness. If we both agree on what shaveready means, and you can get a HHT3 for that edge, and I get a 5, would you feel bad about being 'stuck' at 3? Even though that would be an excellent edge?

that is why I think the HHT levels by themselves are nonsense. they are only good to make a correlation with your own face, but the level by itself says absolutely nothing in terms of shaveability or how your edge compares to mine.

True (not the nonsense part though ), if we where to compare HHT yes, but the HHT test I do is for me and an indication (or more a validation) of my edge and where it is.

If I get one of my hairs (which I gathered when I cut it) to be consistent at least at HHT 4 along the entire edge, then gives me a smooth shave, I dare to call it shave-ready. This indeed does not mean that it is an HHT4 for the next person. It might drop off silently, it might need a slight drag, whatever. But if it shaves me comfortably that is all I can rely on to make sure it will at least shave someone else.

The point is that it is a useful tool in indicating when I am done honing, which areas need special attention, etc. If it won't pass at least a HHT3 (my HHT3 with my specific hair and specific method) I know it won't shave well enough for me. With an HHT4 (all after stropping) I know it is keen enough to shave with. Whether it is a smooth, comfortable shave, I do not know but I am confident enough to try that out.

If I don't get a reading at all, I won't even bother with a shave. I will give it another good stropping, another HHT, and take it from there. Plus I usually test with at least two different hairs (from the same bunch).

I never tried to perform my HHT on an edge honed by someone else but then again no one has honed a razor for me apart from my two first ones which I don't use anymore and messed up anyway. I probably would check it, just to see. But really, if someone dares to call an edge honed by them shave-ready, I trust he/she knows what they're talking about and would shave with it first before even considering putting it to any hone. Or stropping.

All in all it is a very personal and relatively subjective honing tool.

You may find this a interesting video as part of it shows an alternative to the HHT!:
http://youtu.be/GVSyeXQsP9w

Originally Posted by robwolfgang

G'day guys first time poster here. I have a 4000 and 10000 grit waterstone( both japenese).My razor honed recently wont pass the hanging hair test but passes the shave test

Perhaps if you "HHT 1-5" and "HHT works for me" people would actually read the OP it might show the true nonsense of what you are saying He has a shaving edge, he now needs to Learn and Calibrate his HHT with his hair and see if it is even a viable test for him...

I've read all about seven of the OP's postings on SRP. There is a fair bit of nonsense going on, but it may not be all on the respondents. I'd guess he needs to a do a bit more than calibrate his HHT. Such as, learn to hone, learn to research, learn to shave, learn how to use sharpness tests, learn to be patient, learn to accept advice, learn what shave ready is, etc.

Many apologies if these seems antagonistic. Not my intention. Just adding a bit of perspective.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Perhaps if you "HHT 1-5" and "HHT works for me" people would actually read the OP it might show the true nonsense of what you are saying He has a shaving edge, he now needs to Learn and Calibrate his HHT with his hair and see if it is even a viable test for him...

Well, sounds to be me then . I did answer the OP question, I believe, it was after a couple of _general_ remarks about the HHT I added some _general_ and personal remarks about the HHT

Originally Posted by regularjoe

I've read all about seven of the OP's postings on SRP. There is a fair bit of nonsense going on, but it may not be all on the respondents. I'd guess he needs to a do a bit more than calibrate his HHT. Such as, learn to hone, learn to research, learn to shave, learn how to use sharpness tests, learn to be patient, learn to accept advice, learn what shave ready is, etc.

Many apologies if these seems antagonistic. Not my intention. Just adding a bit of perspective.

You are probably more right to the point with your post then I am about just the HHT