Thread: How Do You HHT?

Does the HHT use Chuck Norris to test if a razor is sharp

I personally have found it useful as a "no-go" gauge only. I use it after 1k to see if it's ready to move on, among the other common tests, and then not again usually until the finisher.
So far, I have found that if it does not perform the HHT well here (this is where personal calibration probably comes in to play), then no sense waiting till morning to test it, it's not going to shave well. But on the flipside, it doesn't guarantee it's going to shave well if it DOES pass.
So no pass, I go back to the hone. If it does pass, just have to shave test to see.
Obviously if I get a new hone I have to recheck this, since I hear some will/will not perform the same with HHT but may be just as shave ready.
Anyway, those are my learnings as a novice honer.

I don't....I test on arm or leg hair while honing, but like others said, the real test is the shave.

I have tried hht, with my hair and my wife's, but did not have success at it so I moved on.

Originally Posted by Crackers

Does the HHT use Chuck Norris to test if a razor is sharp

Chuck Norris doesn't shave, his beard grows to the perfect length and stops. (from the Chuck Norris facts website)

I have never been able to get a HHT for my hair. I did have a very soft and fine boar brush that i used hairs from a little bit but never really felt like it was an accurate test. I'd like to know more also. I just went and tried it again with my hair on my benchmark razor but nope. The hair needs to be super close and I'm out of my comfort zone there.

Originally Posted by RezDog

I have never been able to get a HHT for my hair. I did have a very soft and fine boar brush that i used hairs from a little bit but never really felt like it was an accurate test. I'd like to know more also. I just went and tried it again with my hair on my benchmark razor but nope. The hair needs to be super close and I'm out of my comfort zone there.

Yeah I've read that many times here, that it just doesn't work for a lot of people. Thus the caution to not rely on it unless you've calibrated to what works for you.
So far it's only worked for the no-go portion for me

I have found that the tops of the arm hair test or "tree topping" is a very similar test. I find that if I am able to take the tops off my arm hair that I can usually pass the HHT at some level.

When honing and refreshing off high grit stones, I may evaluate the edge by tree topping my chest or arm hair. However, I use only bevel observation and the TPT for the lower grit stones. How well the razor coming off high grit stones cuts chest or arm hair gives me a rough idea as to whether the razor is about ready for shaving. Nothing really matters except the shave and this is determined only by shaving. Even the shave test can be deceptive, if the beard is not well prepped before the test as it would be for an actual shave.

HTH

When a blade is already cutting leg hair halfway up from the skin (my arm hair doesn't work worth a damn), I sometimes use the HHT to narrow my focus to very specific areas of the edge. Mostly, though, I don't use it, since results vary with whatever product/shampoo my wife is using.

I don't use the conventional HHT, I use AHT (Arm Hair Test), but not during the honing progression, only after.
I've tuned in the test so I know how my hair will cut when the edge is ready for shaving.