Thread: question of the HH test.

Originally Posted by mainaman

What is SEM? and why would you need one to be able to tell if the razor is shave ready or you need to hone it more?
You do not need to see the edge to know when you are ready to move to the next grit. All it takes is to hone a decent amount of razors and observe scratch patterns and color characteristics of the bevels and close to the edge. With time one can develop a correlation of what the bevel looks like and how the shave will feel.

SEM = Scanning Electron Microscope...

For me the ultimate test is whether or not a razor can tree top my arm hair. I have very fine arm hair and if a razor can tree top my hair I know it's as sharp as it will get.

I think the point is that sharpness does not always equate to shave ready - a razor may not pass various objective tests and still shave great.

-john

Originally Posted by ocelot27

...
I think the point is that sharpness does not always equate to shave ready - a razor may not pass various objective tests and still shave great.

-john

Additionally, it may pass tests and still scrape your face off. This discussion comes up once in a while and most people agree in different terms that tests are just tests and shaves are shaves and they're not the same.

Originally Posted by ocelot27

For me the ultimate test is whether or not a razor can tree top my arm hair. I have very fine arm hair and if a razor can tree top my hair I know it's as sharp as it will get.

I think the point is that sharpness does not always equate to shave ready - a razor may not pass various objective tests and still shave great.

Sharpness is easilly obtained in the early stages of honing, same for tree topping hairs. The combination of sharpness and smoothness is what we all strive for. Im not against the hht, if it works for you great,but ultimately the real test for sharpness and smoothness will always be the shave test.

Originally Posted by Martin103

Sharpness is easilly obtained in the early stages of honing, same for tree topping hairs. The combination of sharpness and smoothness is what we all strive for. Im not against the hht, if it works for you great,but ultimately the real test for sharpness and smoothness will always be the shave test.

+1 on that!

Originally Posted by ocelot27

I think the point is that sharpness does not always equate to shave ready - a razor may not pass various objective tests and still shave great.

-john

Exactly right.
While HHT tells you sharpness it does not tell you how well the shave will be.
Looking at the bevels and close to the edge for certain indicators, with experience, tells if the razor will shave well or not. For that to work one has to have experience honing, know what to look for and know their stone progression very well. Even then a shave test is necessary because there can always be a surprise coming from faulty HT of the razor or edge not stable enough etc.
A lot of variables but with time all comes in place very nicely.

Originally Posted by Laurens

Additionally, it may pass tests and still scrape your face off. This discussion comes up once in a while and most people agree in different terms that tests are just tests and shaves are shaves and they're not the same.

I had one razor score very well on my HHT and wouldn't last through one pass shaving - turned out the bevel was not set well and a rehone fixed the problem...

-john

The bevel was the problem with a razor I had. it would pass the hanging hair test and scrape and cut me every time it used it. sent it to a friend and he had the same problem. he found it with a jewelers loop. the bad thing is when I got the razor in the 70's I was told it was new and never honed. my friend found a double bevel. since then I have acquired a clip on the glasses mag. 10X at any rate I hope the razor serves him well for that blade will never get me again.