Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
Not necessarily. The HHT is a guide, not an end result. Some people can't pass the HHT and yet get good shaves, while others pass the HHT and get bad shaves.

There's actually been a tonne of threads on the HHT - unfortunately a seach on HHT won't work because searches require a minimum of 4 letters - try a search on "Hanging hair test" or something like that.

I'm not sure the thumb pad test (TPT) should feel smooth - did you moisten your thumb?

Xman wrote a blog on the various tests here.

Bottom line is that the tests can be useful, but the ultimate test is the shave. Try a shave and see how it goes.

James.
Hi James, Thank you for the pointers on the search. It turns out there are quite a few HHT threads from varying points of view. Tonnes of reading

With the thumb pad test my thumb isn't deliberately wet but I am wetting the DMT hones every 5 strokes or so to wash away debris and keep it lubricated so my thumb isn't bone dry either.

What I do is move the thumb pad across the length of the blade trying to assess the smoothness making sure there aren't any rough spots. I also watch for 'catchiness' and after stropping for example I can see the blade cutting painlessly into the keratin epidermis on my thumb pad with ease and I back off or risk slicing my thumb. I move it across carefully checking for this along the blade.


I'm going to try my first full shave tomorrow morning after breakfast... wish me luck