Thread: Possible To Pass Hanging Hair Test off of Norton 8k

The one thing i might say is different about AHT is that it's much easier to keep your hair grain/twist, and root orientation sorted.

I've seen Lynn do his sorta opposite of how I do mine. But then sometimes i use "his" method too. Sure you can find a correlation, i gots mine. But all it really tells us is that the razor is ready to be shave tested.


happy testing.

I've often read about the hanging hair test as well as other test that are so often turned into alienating abbreviations that appear to a newbie's eyes to be a wave of straight shaving dyslexia.

I get a mirror bevel and a great shave from my honed razors but I've never been able to pass the hanging hair test and have so far been unable convince my better half to donate some of her hair-which is finer than my own thick mop-to test it on hers. In fairness, the next time I'm fishing her super fine hair out of the plughole i could dry it and test on that but my life hasn't reached such desperate and tragic depths.

I wonder whether it's necessary to pass the hanging hair test? Of course it's possible that what I consider to be a great shave is a very blasphemy to the shave gods and passing the hanging hair test would allow me to reach shaving nirvana... One never knows.

Originally Posted by spacex

Has anyone been able to have a razor pass the HHT-4 (pops right off) or HHT-5 (silent slice) when the razor comes off directly from a Norton 8k or a Naniwa 8k or a Shapton 8k without going further to a finishing stone or stropping with paste or spray?

I have not personally been able to do this without a finishing stone at least..

OP, i realize i helped move the thread to a side topic, but I don't even try the HHT until i've stropped, which is never during a honing session.

but are your shaves off the 8000 poor? are they good? are they fantastic?

I get the implication you able to have the hair catch/pop at least.. or does it not even get there?

are you honing a hollow razor or wedge when attempting this test?

Originally Posted by WadePatton

The one thing i might say is different about AHT is that it's much easier to keep your hair grain/twist, and root orientation sorted.

I've seen Lynn do his sorta opposite of how I do mine. But then sometimes i use "his" method too. Sure you can find a correlation, i gots mine. But all it really tells us is that the razor is ready to be shave tested.


happy testing.

i can see that being a consideration.. thanks for the follow-up..

Originally Posted by Christel

I've often read about the hanging hair test as well as other test that are so often turned into alienating abbreviations that appear to a newbie's eyes to be a wave of straight shaving dyslexia.

I get a mirror bevel and a great shave from my honed razors but I've never been able to pass the hanging hair test and have so far been unable convince my better half to donate some of her hair-which is finer than my own thick mop-to test it on hers. In fairness, the next time I'm fishing her super fine hair out of the plughole i could dry it and test on that but my life hasn't reached such desperate and tragic depths.

I wonder whether it's necessary to pass the hanging hair test? Of course it's possible that what I consider to be a great shave is a very blasphemy to the shave gods and passing the hanging hair test would allow me to reach shaving nirvana... One never knows.

a mirror bevel doesn't always mean the edge is polished.. it does mean that the bevel is highly polished (whether it's set or not)..

I hope there isn't going to be a test on all this later :<0)
I shaved off the 8k for a year before I moved up any more. During that time I learned to stop testing except for thumb pad and once in awhile an arm hair. That left me confident enough in my skills and thumb to go all the way to finishing on a ZG now. So if I do have to back up because something went wrong,,, it ain't far. Of all the tests in the beginning I prefer the looking glass at bevel set.

Oh and when your talking about hanging hair (just to add to the confusion) don't forget to mention if your going from root to tip or the other way around.

Before I had a pasted paddle and finishing stones I shaved many times off of an 8k edge, I always stropped 40 laps on linen and 100 laps on the leather after honing, after the 1st shave off the 8k I would strop as normal (20 linen, 60 leather). Now with pasted paddles and 10k+ finishing hones I strop as normal after honing.

Originally Posted by globaldev

OP, i realize i helped move the thread to a side topic, but I don't even try the HHT until i've stropped, which is never during a honing session.

but are your shaves off the 8000 poor? are they good? are they fantastic?

I get the implication you able to have the hair catch/pop at least.. or does it not even get there?

are you honing a hollow razor or wedge when attempting this test?

I have come to consider the 8k stone to be my best friend. Strop and shave. Either you are there or you are not there.

Working with the Norton set 220/1K/4K/8K and shaving off the 8K (red and green paste as a finisher) for the past 10 months. The 8K edge is a bit harsh straight off the stone and finished with the paste produces an alright shave. Recently I have been using the Welsh slate from AJ and they seem to finish nicely (no paste) but do not pass the HHT with the same success that my 8K edge used to. When learning a smart person who is well respected commented that their edge has to be pushed when doing the tree top hair test, this comment now makes a lot more sense with the slates. I believe that the edge of the 8K is a little toothy and the jaggedness makes the HHT more easy as it catches the hair, my edge has now mellowed out on the finer grits. Where I had a lot of irritation doing an against the grain pass on 8K, the Welsh hones now give a smooth finish. HHT was good to start with but my honing has progressed a bit since then on the Welsh slates. Get good shaves at 8K level and see what the edge feels like straigh off the hone, this way you will have a way to judge finishing on the lower grits later. The HHT is a good starting indicator but will most probably fade in popularity the further down your honing journey you are.

Originally Posted by globaldev

a mirror bevel doesn't always mean the edge is polished.. it does mean that the bevel is highly polished (whether it's set or not)..

Good call. I was honing on coticule and hadn't thought to get rid of the slurry and switch to pure water for the final polishing - hanging hair test consistently achieved now. 😊

Not a massive difference in the shave itself but it is a little smoother which is never a bad thing.

Many thanks!