Honing without the TPT/ Am I doing it wrong?

For the life of me I cannot get the Thumb Pad Test to work. I have tried wetting my thumb with saliva, I have tried with water. I've done it on blades I know shave fine, and even ones I know won't shave at all. I even tried on new and old double edge blades, granted they were the walmart variety.

I try just pressing my thumb to the edge and I try moving the pad along the edge with differing amounts of pressure making sure not to press hard enough to cut myself. I still don't feel anything. Am I not pressing hard enough?

So my question is, are there people out there that just cannot feel the sensation of the TPT or is it something I am doing wrong?

Thus far I rely on every other test to hone my razors and I am pleased with the results though I feel getting the hang of the TPT will save me from doing extra laps to make up for it and will also allow me to better judge the progression of my edge.

Randydance suggested to me that I take a new DE blade and practice the TPT with it to get the feel of a sharp blade. That worked for me. :gl:

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Originally Posted by JCitron

I even tried on new and old double edge blades, granted they were the walmart variety.

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Tried it, how hard are you pressing? Should I be feeling it with a light touch or does it take a bit of pressure? Also, are you soaking your thumb or just wetting it?

I should also point out that I'm not in any line of work that may cause me to have callouses on my thumb so I don't think my skin it too thick.

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Originally Posted by JCitron

Tried it, how hard are you pressing? Should I be feeling it with a light touch or does it take a bit of pressure? Also, are you soaking your thumb or just wetting it?

I should also point out that I'm not in any line of work that may cause me to have callouses on my thumb so I don't think my skin it too thick.

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I slide my thumb pad along the edge from heel to point gently. On a sharp blade it grabs my skin while on a dull one my TP slides along like it was on ice. I moisten it with water from the hone or sometimes saliva. I try to avoid the saliva as I don't want acids to start some sort of micro corrosion.

I just sat in front of the computer with a razor in hand to see just how I actually do a TPT..
I hold the razor so that the spine is resting across the first inside crease of my forefinger, and gently bounce the actual corner edge of my thumb pad along the blade edge, and check for that sticky feel to grab at the skin...
I do not slide the razor across my thumb, or slide my thumb across the razor, it just kinda bounces along the edge... A sharp edge will grab at it, a dull blade will not...

I wouldn't sweat that test, I do it once in a while. You have the TNT which I do and is, for me, a great indicator, and the HHT which is also great. If you can slice a little hanging hair, your razor is good to go....Go Gators!

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I do not slide the razor across my thumb, or slide my thumb across the razor, it just kinda bounces along the edge... A sharp edge will grab at it, a dull blade will not...

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+1, I just tried it too and Glenn put it a lot batter then I did. I bounce too. :)

I haven't tried that Glen, sounds like I have some testing to do when I get home. I'm also thinking maybe in my fear of cutting myself I am not using enough pressure. We'll see.

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Originally Posted by zib

I wouldn't sweat that test, I do it once in a while. You have the TNT which I do and is, for me, a great indicator, and the HHT which is also great. If you can slice a little hanging hair, your razor is good to go....Go Gators!

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Another tip from Randydance, once the edge passes the TNT do not continue to use it. The TNT can dull an edge that passes TPT. :shrug:

First, GO GATORS!

Second, yeah, I dont touch the edge to my nail once I leave the 1200 DMT. Actually, that is usually my main indicator to move up.

Now I just have to wait to get home and try this out. Thanks guys!

I don't TPT, nor do I TNT test either.

I simply look for cleaving the hair 2-3mm above the skin on the back of my hand at each stage of honing. It gets smoother and smoother as the honing progresses.

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Originally Posted by Seraphim

I don't TPT, nor do I TNT test either.

I simply look for cleaving the hair 2-3mm above the skin on the back of my hand at each stage of honing. It gets smoother and smoother as the honing progresses.

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I have to agree here, I hardly use tests anymore either, but we are not learning to hone, and for people learning the ins and out of honing the tests when used properly give very good indicators of where the edge is going....

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I have to agree here, I hardly use tests anymore either, but we are not learning to hone, and for people learning the ins and out of honing the tests when used properly give very good indicators of where the edge is going....

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Interesting. I noticed that Lynn doesn't rely on tests but says the shave is the test. When I watched the video with Harrelson using his chisel honing method on a straight razor he never did any of the tests. He also lapped frequently and never used a pencil grid. No substitute for experience I guess.

I am still using the TNT, TPT , hair popping and HHT. I find checking my progress using those tests beneficial to know where I am. I also use the magnification and highly recommend that. To a certain extent I am beginning to be able to feel the progress by how the blade is on the stone but I am not at the point where I don't need the tests. Something to look forward to though. :tu

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Interesting. I noticed that Lynn doesn't rely on tests but says the shave is the test. When I watched the video with Harrelson using his chisel honing method on a straight razor he never did any of the tests. He also lapped frequently and never used a pencil grid. No substitute for experience I guess.

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:OT sorry
I don't know if I agree there, especially on the Shaptons, I still lap approximately every 10 razors.... using a grid, and very rarely does it ever take more than 20 seconds per stone to erase the grid.... I sorta believe that more lapping than that is a waste of very expensive Shapton stone.... Now I guess if you were more used to sharpening tools the wear pattern on the stone might be slightly more uneven than the nice light X patterns that we do for razors...JMHO

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I am still using the TNT, TPT , hair popping and HHT. I find checking my progress using those tests beneficial to know where I am. I also use the magnification and highly recommend that. To a certain extent I am beginning to be able to feel the progress by how the blade is on the stone but I am not at the point where I don't need the tests. Something to look forward to though.

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Jimmy,

I don't know how noisy it is where you do most of your honing. I get into a zen when I hone and everything gets acute. I still use some of the tests to see where the edge is, especially along the full length, but I am moving away form it. Now it's mostly the award for completing the step.

While you are honing watch the way the water moves at the edge during each stroke and how it changes. Also listen to the sounds the blade makes as you move it across the hone. The sound changes. The feel of the blade as it moves across the hone also changes as the edge is refined. When flipping the blade for the reverse stroke the sound and feel also changes. Note where any or all of these are when you perform your tests. When you think you have it down don't perform the tests until you think the signals say it's time. In time you won't need the TNT and TPT or HHT, but they will always be fun.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

:OT sorry
I don't know if I agree there, especially on the Shaptons, I still lap approximately every 10 razors.... using a grid, and very rarely does it ever take more than 20 seconds per stone to erase the grid.... I sorta believe that more lapping than that is a waste of very expensive Shapton stone.... Now I guess if you were more used to sharpening tools the wear pattern on the stone might be slightly more uneven than the nice light X patterns that we do for razors...JMHO

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I am a firm believer in the pencil grid method of lapping and always use it. I just went back to Shapton's site and re-read what little they have in the way of instruction on lapping. Nowhere do they mention a pencil grid. The sheet I got with my GDLP doesn't mention it either.

I can't find it now and I don't recall where I read it but it may have been on the Shapton forum. I read that they went by the color of the top of the stone to determine if it was flat or not. Maybe Chris L might have seen that too. Not a very effective way of judging it IMO. The pencil grid is for sure the way to go.

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Originally Posted by Joed

Jimmy,

I don't know how noisy it is where you do most of your honing. I get into a zen when I hone and everything gets acute. I still use some of the tests to see where the edge is, especially along the full length, but I am moving away form it. Now it's mostly the award for completing the step.

While you are honing watch the way the water moves at the edge during each stroke and how it changes. Also listen to the sounds the blade makes as you move it across the hone. The sound changes. The feel of the blade as it moves across the hone also changes as the edge is refined. When flipping the blade for the reverse stroke the sound and feel also changes. Note where any or all of these are when you perform your tests. When you think you have it down don't perform the tests until you think the signals say it's time. In time you won't need the TNT and TPT or HHT, but they will always be fun.

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I usually listen to archived editions of the Diane Rehm show or To the Point while I am honing. The ones I didn't get a chance to hear real time. I have tinnitus and I couldn't hear the sound of the razor on the hone if I had my ear next to it. The birds are chirping too loudly. :)

I have also noticed the similarity of honing to Zen meditation and I do sometimes get into that mode. I think the counting is what does it for me. When I fooled around with meditation I used to count exhalations. I do watch the water and the way it flows up the blade. I have found that for me it is an indication of progress but for now I still like the tests. :shrug:

I'm just after starting with straights, but TPT should feel like theres a cling, you should never feel like your skin is being cut. Pretend that theres rib of hair on the blade that you wanted to roll along the blade without cutting it. :D