Thread: HHT better off 12k than crox

I was wondering why I get a better HHT after my 12k than after crox. I have yet to shave off the 12k. Naniwa 12 and the crox strop is on balsa. Any ideas gents? Thanks.

I'd shave off the Naniwa 12K and leather stropping and see how that works. That's all I ever use anyway. If you get a better shave, then you've answered your own question. I've used CrOx one time, couldn't tell much use and discontinued its usage.

Probably the CrOx is smoothing out the edge,, But I would not put much faith into what the HHT tells you until you do much more testing.. Be careful though sometimes you can fool yourself also..

The shapton 16k glass stone is around 0.9 micron and the 30k shapton glass stone is around 0.4 micron, which is pretty close to good green chrome oxide - around 0.5 micron. So what you are really saying is that your 12k gives the same results as a 30k hone.

While I'm not disputing your findings given certain parameters, I can feel the difference myself.

Your cromox is on balsa so I'm assuming a pretty rigid paddle or block of balsa, which is good and which gets the most out of the cromox.

One of the variables is that at this type of fineness the differences are subtle and I would imagine that one shave or stropping could make them very hard to tell apart. Another variable would be the actual grade of cromox you are using and whether it is finely graded or not - some, although containing 0.5 micron grains, are pretty coarsely graded so the effect of the finer grains is undone by the coarser ones. Another variable would be the sensitivity of the individuals skin - an analogy might be found in wine tasting where some people have such sensitive senses that they can name the type, year and where the wine came from, while the rest of us are just content to glance at the label and quaff the bottle!

Regards,
Neil

The strop was purchased as a .5 micron. HHT I know can be irrelevant. But when I recently honed a blade, I checked after the 12k and HHT was good. After the crox the HHT was not cutting. I tried both sides as I know about root in and out. After stropping it came in line with what I usually get. I will try next time right after the 12k and the leather. Im trying to settle on what I find is the best finisher and touchup. I have dia film to .1 micron(edge leading which gives a super sharp edge but it fails after 2 shaves) .25 dia slurry on felt, .5 dia paste on leather paddle and the crox. Ive gotten 7 shaves out of the felt. and usually 5 on crox and dia paste. I purchased some crox powder(.5 micron) to use on the linen side of my hanger.

Originally Posted by bill3152

I was wondering why I get a better HHT after my 12k than after crox. I have yet to shave off the 12k. Naniwa 12 and the crox strop is on balsa. Any ideas gents? Thanks.

There are too much peculiarities besides of the grain size: the steel and it's condition, technique of how the CrOх is applied, pressure, type of strokes and so on...

Anyway the pressure is very important. I think it is the most important thing when you are honing and finishing such a delicate thing as a razor blade edge.

My best HHT result have been achieved after stropping on clean horse hide paddle with honing on hard jnat before.
I don't like the synthetic stones and compounds for honing. I'd prefer natural stones and clean strop.

I find that the crox works better for me off of a flexible strop. You may want to try it off a hanging cloth strop.

The HHT? The Horse Hooey Test? I prefer the shave test as the means to deciding which edge works for me.

Bill - did you apply the cromox to the balsa with oil or any other medium? If so, that might be the answer right there.

I strop on a lot of different materials and view the edge under magnification after stropping. If there is any residue - like oil, tallow, etc, smeared, however lightly on the bevel then the HHT just doesn't work as well as an indicator. Even with a good shell cordovan you can (depending on the leather itself and how richly it has been tanned) see smears along the bevel after stropping - under magnification. A drier leather, like regular cowhide, doesn't have such a negative effect on HHT.

Regards,
Neil

i dont get a HHT passed off of anything ...lol.. but i get good shaves ..

before i had my nani12k i was going from 8k norton to .5 micron on leather , the .5 felt like it improved my edge but since the 12k came into my life i havent touched the pasted strop ..