Thread: Question About Finishing with Coticule and Taping

Jimmy, did you ever try anything else but hair? I have been using "hairs" off a synthetic brush. Rationale: They are machine made, and will provide exactly the same resistance to cutting each time, no matter which way I hold the "hair". Granted, synthetic fibres are not quite as close to human bristles as badger hairs, but the idea is to get a benchmark. And synthetic fibres, being pretty much completely uniform, offer that.

That is what Dovo claims to do in thier razor manufacturing infomercial. Hmm how about those dovo factory edges. Oh no I didnt .

Let me put it this way... Dovo churns out 10,000 razors per month. 1% are off. Big drama on the interwebs, and shaving fora in particular.

Hart Steel churns out, what? 100 razors per month? I don't know. I tested 10. 9 were not shave ready. Even by Dovo standards.

Robert Williams churns out... whatever. I tested one. It was an interesting experience.

Lesson learned: Margin of error is stretchable. Especially on the interwebs. And, more importantly, shaving fora.

Ok Robin carry on. Your right. I have a cousin that works for Audi he used to tell me never buy a car made on Monday or Friday. So yes factories have their moments.

Originally Posted by RobinK

Jimmy, did you ever try anything else but hair? I have been using "hairs" off a synthetic brush. Rationale: They are machine made, and will provide exactly the same resistance to cutting each time, no matter which way I hold the "hair". Granted, synthetic fibres are not quite as close to human bristles as badger hairs, but the idea is to get a benchmark. And synthetic fibres, being pretty much completely uniform, offer that.

Years ago Randydance was talking about exactly that. The possibility of finding a Monofilament fishing line in a gauge that 'everyone' could agree on. Getting as close to the thickness of a natural hair as possible, and then having a universal HHT test material.

I don't recall whether it was that there is no line made that fine, or what, but the idea never went beyond the discussion stage. I went to a 'beauty supply' that sold human hair wigs, figuring that one of those would give me a lifetime supply of HHT , but they wanted $150 USD and I decided that pulling my own out of my hairbrush would do. So forgive the verbosity, but no, I've not tried synthetic hair. If the edge works for my own hair, I know it will shave ........ shave me anyway, if no one else.

Truer words were never spoken. I hone for myself, only, too.

But for argument's sake, natural hair comes with a problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair#Texture. Synthetic fibre could do away with that problem. I'm more than willing to sacrifice a US$ .99 synthetic brush in the name of science.

Originally Posted by RobinK

Truer words were never spoken. I hone for myself, only, too.

But for argument's sake, natural hair comes with a problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair#Texture. Synthetic fibre could do away with that problem. I'm more than willing to sacrifice a US$ .99 synthetic brush in the name of science.

Yes it does. OTOH, I'm not testing varieties of hair beyond my own. So once I know how my particular hair reacts to an edge, I have a reliable system. Back when I was still struggling with consistency in achieving HHT a former member from Belgium, who was a proponent of HHT and coticules, suggested that the hair should be clean, freshly washed. He had a girl friend, or wife, who he said, furnished him with plenty of long freshly washed hair which he kept in a box.

I did not have that luxury then or now, and have always pulled oily hairs out of my old hairbrush. No clean freshly washed here. I assume this would make achieving the HHT even more challenging. Another interesting point (no pun) relative to the Wiki article, is that I have different types of hair on my own head. Most are straight, but some are wavy. Some are as fine as gossamer, others quite stiff, and some in between. Sort of a buffet of HHT material.

I think it was Bart's younger daughter. And his reasoning was sound. If you use hair from the same source, hold it in the same direction of growth, and do not mess with it otherwise, it will be a good indicator. Because it will be reasonably uniform. Probably more so than your whiskers. That one lock provided hundreds of hairs of similar texture (and, therefore, cutting resistance). I received more than a few razors that had passed nothing but the HHT with these hairs used for edge assessment. They worked like a charm.

Now, we can, of course, turn the whole affair into rocket science. You can argue the uniformity of the hairs tested, for example. But it would not make any sense at all. The basic idea was to get one uniform sample, not the uniform sample. Apparently, this subtle difference is something with which Glen is still struggling. Fair enough.

If you believe that you will need high grit synthetic hones (or naturals, apologies, but I do not follow the "hone hype of the month" threads) to achieve a serviceable edge, that's fine. Seriously. I am not here to proselytise. All hail Shapton!!!!

If, however, all you need is a serviceable edge, a Coticule will do the job, once you have learned the (very simple) basics. Unless you hone for money, in which case speed plays a crucial, financial role.

Originally Posted by Razorfaust

We all have our little indicators to gauge a shaving edge. This of course is calibrated to our own experience with razor, hone and hair of choice. Your findings are unique to yourself and should not be considered universal. But as far as I am concerned that is all that matters. I hone for myself and have no interest in quantifying shaveability of someone else's gear.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

And [B]somebody else says it once again [/B]


Sooner or later it will resonate with the HHT people

Originally Posted by RobinK

.

Now, we can, of course, turn the whole affair into rocket science. You can argue the uniformity of the hairs tested, for example. But it would not make any sense at all. The basic idea was to get one uniform sample, not the uniform sample. Apparently, this subtle difference is something with which Glen is still struggling. Fair enough.

Now I know that English isn't your first language so perhaps that is where you are missing it

Or perhaps you just are not reading what is posted

That is EXACTLY what most all of us have been saying,,


Or did you just switch your stance ???

Once again "Horse meet Water" you just repeated what we have been saying unless there is a Uniform sample then your test results have nothing to do with anyone else's

The same old tired argument about the same old HHT..

(or any other sharpness test)



ps: Let's argue Tape next ok ??? or maybe Sharpness vs Smoothness

Just a hint for many that are typing here


PLEASE go to a meet, sit down across the table from a group of newbs and teach them to hone after they have read some of this "stuff" on all the Fora..

It will give you a very different perspective of what you say as to what is understood...