Thread: Thoughts on HHT...

I like and use the HHT, you need to calibrate your results of the test with the shave.

I have never gotten a good shave from a blade that failed my HHT, not even close.

Here is my best HHT ever

Never could get the HHT to work so don't use it and manage to shave anyway. OTH if it works for you why not use it.

Bob

I also use the HHT; and the TPT and TNT for that matter; all works perfect when knowing what to look for.

When I first started honing I was dumbfounded, but experience and knowing what things should feel like is key.

Root in or out matters and changes the variables. Root hanging outwards is easier to cut and vice versa.

If I feel really good about my honing and stropping I like to find the thinnest and lightest hair possible in the brushes in our house and it will pass the HHT with the root in hand, end hanging out.

I use my the thumbnail test, thumb-pad test, arm shaving test and hanging hair test in my honing routines when starting from scratch.

It's not that hard, it just takes some practice.

I've calibrated it for my use and before stropping I get an excellent HHT result already coming right off of my finishing stone.

On the other end if experience is lacking or you're not paying close attention, a good HHT doesn't mean the shave will be good; it just means it passes the HHT.

I've also had many razors do well on the HHT but give a shave I don't like; at least you know your bevel is truly set if it passes

@Doc226
That HHT is very impressive!
Ive never gotten those kind of results. Most the time the hair flexes and the edge grips the hair before it pops off. Looks like I have a long way to go.

Anyone else have a vid on there HHT? The hair used would make a big difference. Im going to blame the hair for now.

Spent what seemed like endless amounts of time trying to get any razor to pass a HHT when first starting out.. Just gave up and with that my mental frustration was also gone. Moved on

to a quick thumb pad to an actual stroke on my face. Honing/finishing became so much easier and enjoyable... Now once i have set the bevel rarely use any test until i actually shave with the blade.. On a rare occasion i have had to take the blade back to a stone but very, very rare... I think we as newbies tend to read and think there is a strict code of progression that we forget that it is just steel against stone, natural or otherwise.. It isnt rocket science... Get the bevel set right and every test beyond that to application on face is subvective... Peace!

Hi all,

have taken a video of HHT on my Filarmonica 14 with Trans-Arkie finish on it for another Forum but would also like to share it here:
https://youtu.be/wjp_Ht3sVzU

Regards

Philipp

Very nice. Guessing that is an HHT5

HHT 5 like that isn’t that difficult depending on the hair of course, but everything has to be right. The bevel has to be perfectly set and developed to finish, your technique, the finisher, and the razor all need to be good. If any one of these get off a little, it’s difficult if not impossible. For example, if you have everything perfect but the razor is not so great, you might get HHT 5 with a better-than-good stone. That’s why a Gold Dollar is in my stone testing routine. If I can get Alfredo’s HHT 5 on a Gold Dollar, that usually means that the stone is going to be very good. If more than one of those traits is off, you probably won’t get HHT 5 like that.

As usual BobH made the comment I would have made. Personally, I gave up on all edge tests except shaving a few years ago. I use the same test for my SRs that I use for DE blades: when I can't get a good comfortable shave I work on my SR edge or change my DE blade.

This thread made me wonder what our grandfathers or great grandfathers who shaved with SRs every day would think of it. They probably had one or two razors, probably a Barber's Hone and a strop. Do you think they discussed stria or other esoterica that we do? And they shaved almost every day. Just a little something to think about.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

As usual BobH made the comment I would have made. Personally, I gave up on all edge tests except shaving a few years ago. I use the same test for my SRs that I use for DE blades: when I can't get a good comfortable shave I work on my SR edge or change my DE blade.

This thread made me wonder what our grandfathers or great grandfathers who shaved with SRs every day would think of it. They probably had one or two razors, probably a Barber's Hone and a strop. Do you think they discussed stria or other esoterica that we do? And they shaved almost every day. Just a little something to think about.

I actually have thought about it, but I came to a somewhat different conclusion about my/our ancestors, so here’s a different opinion. Just because they shaved doesn’t mean they shaved well, or were even interested in shaving well. My dad exited the bathroom many times with a face that looked like hamburger for a while.

SRP and other wet shaving forums are enthusiast forums. Most people who wet shave are not on forums. We are because (I hope) we are interested in how things work and how good we can be. There’s nothing wrong with that and we are a small minority.

My uncle was a machinist and ‘good enough’ was not good enough for him. I look at the Wolfman DE razors and they’re gorgeous, and I’ve never had one in hand. The maker doesn't need to be that good to make shaving tools. In spite of their price, I know that he isn’t getting rich. He does it because he likes to do it and wants to do the best that he can. Like us.