Thread: To HHT or to not HHT? That is the poll...

Hey all,

With all this talk about HHT (Hanging Hair Test) lately, I'm just curious as to how many members actually use it as a measure of sharpness/shave-readiness. Personally it does seem that when my razors are ready for a shave they do perform well on the HHT on MY hair, but I know that this test isn't at all definitive. So I just want to see how many here actually use it as a reliable test.

So you can either choose:

Yes, it is a reliable measure.
No, I do not believe it's a reliable measure.
Not sure. Sometimes works and sometimes not.

Hope to hear some feedback from you guys! Thanks,

Dave

Sometimes my razors pass and sometiimes not. Sometimes only half of the blade will. I find that when my razor is at it's smoothest shave it will not even make a sound when the hair runs on the edge.

I think it is somewhat reliable, but only if you know how the hair you are using normally reacts. The TPT is what I use more often and with greater confidence.

Originally Posted by Sticky

I think it is somewhat reliable, but only if you know how the hair you are using normally reacts. The TPT is what I use more often and with greater confidence.

I agree. As I said, I find the test to be reliable, but only from the hair on the top of MY head. Any other hair and the test doesn't react so nicely, or isn't reliable. I personally feel that that's the primary reason for this test inconsistency, too many variables.

Dave

I shaved for years without even knowing about the HHT without problems.

It's kinda fun to mess around with.

But I don't think anything but maybe the TPT and definitely a good shave will tell me the blade needs attention.

Besides, I have to beg, borrow or steal hairs to do it anyway...

OK guys, 'fess up. Who here has bought a spare shaving brush just to use "standardised" bristles for the HHT?


(I admit I did try using a crappy old brush but it was synthetic and if it ain't hair it ain't gonna work.)

I'm a huge proponent of the HHT and use it daily. I think it was Bart that documented his degrees of HHT and how they indicate levels of sharpness on his edges. Funny, that I found my degrees of HHT to be EXACTLY like Bart's.

+1 on my best shaving edges being the ones that don't grab the hair before ripping or "tinging" it into. Or have the hairs yield/bend before being severed. I too find that a completely silent and effortless HHT consistently indicates a NICE edge. I keep stropping until I get that performance before each shave. I think I need to clarify that. IME an edge that grabs and rips a hair apart and on hollow grinds has an audible "ting" is a rough edge. With coarser hairs my 1k stones will make an edge pass the HHT. I'd wouldn't want to shave off a 1k stone. Taking any hair and using any grit stone and having a hair pass the HHT certainly does not prove shavability. I'm totally an HHT geek in that I do believe there are the degrees of HHT; although, I have very fine head hair. Maybe that's the difference. I have NEVER been able to have any edge pass the HHT using my head hair on any stone coarser than 8K IIRC. But, when I get an edge to where it needs to be to give me a comfortable and irritation free great shave with letting the blade do the work of the shave (very lightly passing it over my face) my head hair falls silently and instantly in two.



Chris L

I use my dog's fur. He leaves it all over the place. I just use the HHT for grins and a test shave for edge quality.

Originally Posted by hults

I shaved for years without even knowing about the HHT without problems.

It's kinda fun to mess around with.

But I don't think anything but maybe the TPT and definitely a good shave will tell me the blade needs attention.

Besides, I have to beg, borrow or steal hairs to do it anyway...

+1 That makes 2 of us.

I voted no. Its a decent indicator of sharpness, shave-readiness, no way.