Thread: Getting my Bismarck to pass the Hanging Hair Test

Originally Posted by WadePatton

maybe that's one of them knife sharper tricks? too much utoob? i wouldn't. nosiree. I have a sharp (carbon) deba for that porpoise.

Actually, besides actually having someone right with me in person as I learn, YouTube and these forums are all I have right now. How did you learn what you know about honing? Did you watch YouTube? I fail to see how two slices on a tomato followed by a rinse in water is harmful.

Most of what I learned is from Lynn Abrams and he has many videos on YouTube.

Frank

Originally Posted by Lakebound

Some follow certain others who also hone. According this chap, he tests his razors with it so I have tried it as a test. Maybe it's just as useless as the HHT.

I'm here to learn.

Frank

At least the HHT won't rust your edge.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

At least the HHT won't rust your edge.

No, but cutting a hair that has not been properly saturated with water to penetrate the keratin protein can also prematurely dull your newly honed edges as well. So it seems that anything anyone suggests here is open to scrutiny by a few others. Ultimately, how my razors feel on my beard is the ultimate test.

Frank

Ahh, a thread about the HHT. Here are my two cents on calibrating your own HHT for your own use. I'm sure I've posted them before, but it's been a while. The link goes into the Wiki, so I don't waste a bunch of bandwidth here. Like almost everything written about the HHT, what I have to say is opinion.

Best wishes to all

Originally Posted by Lakebound

Ultimately, how my razors feel on my beard is the ultimate test.

No other test matters.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

No other test matters.

Agreed. It's just (for me) when a person comes into this honing arena truly wanting to learn and has no one but YouTube and these forum discussions to help it makes it difficult to parse what really matters. Many here call upon the HHT and other tests from bevel to finish to assist them as signposts along the way to the shave.

I've seen pissing matches start over the simplest of things and for me, I'll just go about my way and lurch along until I get it right. All I can do is try the things that other folks with more experience suggest to me since I am new to this. To be honest, I only own 6 straights (4 restores/2 new) and all of them will pass a HHT of some degree. But, there are a few that are not as smooth as the others and that's where I want to go with this exercise. Smooth.

Sharp I got. Smooth? Not yet.

Frank

Originally Posted by Lakebound

... How did you learn what you know about honing? Did you watch YouTube? ...

Most of what I learned is from Lynn Abrams...

Certainly, videos there by Glen and Lynn are my favorite. I learned by watching and doing and then watching again and doing some more and sometimes i watch some more. Did Lynn slice fruit? (I don't think i've seen every Lynn Abrams vid) I know Glen doesn't. That was my point, that there are great video collections BUT then there are greater (larger number) amounts of "hey look what i can do!" videos out there. Sometimes it's not clear where a fellow is getting his info. I find that video instructionals can be very good and present solid, sound information from professionals in the field. OR they can be total junk/stunt/entertainment type stuff. And even there is some middle ground where some guy or "magazine" makes a "DIY" video that really isn't created by top-level craftsmen but by Joe Average who is doing regular stuff with generally acceptable results...enter mediocrity.

One has to study a bit to make sense of all that and to find the top-notch instruction for the highest level results and understanding of the process.

capiche?

Besides tomatoes are out of season on my continent (and i won't even look at commercial things that resemble tomatoes), but still i'll never touch one with my razors, even when i have a bushel.

As John Belushi taught me via SNL videos, you want a Samurai sword for tomato slicing


wrong video, right character/scene

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Certainly, videos there by Glen and Lynn are my favorite. I learned by watching and doing and then watching again and doing some more and sometimes i watch some more. Did Lynn slice fruit? (I don't think i've seen every Lynn Abrams vid) I know Glen doesn't. That was my point, that there are great video collections BUT then there are greater (larger number) amounts of "hey look what i can do!" videos out there. Sometimes it's not clear where a fellow is getting his info. I find that video instructionals can be very good and present solid, sound information from professionals in the field. OR they can be total junk/stunt/entertainment type stuff. And even there is some middle ground where some guy or "magazine" makes a "DIY" video that really isn't created by top-level craftsmen but by Joe Average who is doing regular stuff with generally acceptable results...enter mediocrity.

One has to study a bit to make sense of all that and to find the top-notch instruction for the highest level results and understanding of the process.

capiche?

Besides tomatoes are out of season on my continent (and i won't even look at commercial things that resemble tomatoes), but still i'll never touch one with my razors, even when i have a bushel.

As John Belushi taught me via SNL videos, you want a Samurai sword for tomato slicing


wrong video, right character/scene

In my reference to Mr. Abrams, "Most", not all of what I learned is what I wrote ..... "most." That doesn't mean that others here and there have nothing else to offer. As for slicing a tomato, that is something that was shown to me from another gentleman who can hone razors quite well. Just because you won't do it or haven't done it, doesn't mean that others shouldn't. I fail to see what the big deal is.

As for comment "capiche?" Loud and clear Wade, loud an clear. I think I'll move on now, I've learned plenty here.

Frank

Originally Posted by Lakebound

Actually, besides actually having someone right with me in person as I learn, YouTube and these forums are all I have right now. How did you learn what you know about honing? Did you watch YouTube? I fail to see how two slices on a tomato followed by a rinse in water is harmful.

Most of what I learned is from Lynn Abrams and he has many videos on YouTube.

Frank

Hey, Frank. Welcome. It's for this precise reason that SRP has a whole host of mentors around the world and around the states or in states such as Michigan. I have heard that meeting with one can *drastically* change your skill level.

For me, though, it was trial and error and practice, practice, practice. One addiction feeds another. More razors, more honing, more shaving

Many mistakes can be mentored out of you, though, drastically increasing learning curve.

hey what happened to OP?