Printable View
Hey Gents,
I finally got my honing setup where I want it and the results are indeed improving. However, Ive been curious what tests to use and when. As of this minute, for example, Ill do a marker test and TNT when setting a bevel, and the arm shave test at the 4k and 8k levels with a shave test after the Nakayama.
BTW: I use Shaptons in the 1k,4k,8k and 16K with a Nakayama Kiita from Telly as a finisher. Quite happy with my stones, but not happy with my skill.
Here's the Wiki article. It's fairly comprehensive. Should get you started!
I do TPT and arm shave off the 1k. After that, I do arm hair tests and TPT (working to develop my TPT, so it alone is not viable for me). No test for my Aoto yet, other than popping arm hair more cleanly. Off an my DT/BBW I should be able to cut leg hair with the blade off my leg (and I can pop arm hair more easily), and off my Asagi I should be able to cut arm hair with the blade off my arm (and hair goes flying off my arm). The shave is the ulitmate test.
Besides shaving arm hair face shaving is what I usually use. Depending on how easily those arm hairs are mowed down I can pretty well figure how close I am to shave readyness.
I'm a Sham disciple so I use the methods I picked up from him. As far as tests, I look for the ability to pop a hair before I move from the 4K stone and to need to make a hair silently fall over before I'll leave the 8K. After that it's simply very light honing and polishing with minimal laps on the Escher, CrOx, felt, and leather. Sometimes after the 8K I add a few laps on a 12K but that's an individual thing based on the blade. But as far as hair tests, after making a hair silently fall over after the 8K, I just look for more of that after all other stones or strops. I guess once the hair runs away, I'm just looking to make the shave (and edge) as smooth and polished as I can.
A long time ago I was talking about the TNT and the TPT and a long time member (I forget who it was) posted that as I gained experience I would use tests less and less. At the time that statement gave me a junior attitude but it turned out to be what has happened.
Once I get a good TNT off the bevel setter I do a TPT once in awhile but not often. When I get to where I think it ought to pop hair I try that. I don't even pop much hair. I can feel the edge against the hair and know it is 'there' or not. After the stropping I also check out HHT once in awhile but not always. The ultimate test is the shave.
+1 to JimmyHAD.
I used the marker test a little bit at first, just to make sure I was honing the whole edge, but I don't really use it anymore.
I use the (and this is my own made up name for this...) Reflected Light Test (henceforth referred to as RLT) while setting a bevel to keep an eye on when the two sides of the bevel "come together" at the cutting edge. After that I'll check with the TNT, and work on any areas of the bevel that don't pass (i.e. glide across my nail.)
Other than that, I might use the TPT once in a while, but I also just check how each part of the edge cuts arm hair as I go. Once it's where I think it should be, I'll try cutting hair ABOVE my arm. I can feel when the edge is grabbing hairs that way. I suppose it's similar to the HHT in a way, but I don't have a loose hair.
Beyond that, shave test. That's about it.
This... I got to the point where I don't worry about tests much after 4K. Once, I'm popping arm hairs on 1K, and passing TPT at 4K, I just rock on until I feel it's time to try a dry shave right off the stones (8K). Once I'm satisfied, I'll either do a full wetshave or use finishers to smooth it out a bit. Which one depends on my mood. I enjoy natural stones though.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
I will hone on coticule with slurry or 1k stone untill i'm shaving arm hair i use tnt also. if its my nortons 4k i normaly do 50 laps then 20 8k then coti 50 laps water , strop and shave this normaly gives a very good shave if its just my coti i will hone diluting my slurry down untill i can pop a thicker hair and then strop and i find i'm poping finer hair then the shave is also very good. i use tnt test arm hair and tpt near the end also hht especialy after stropping.
I do the HHT on occasion still... though I'm starting to dislike it because it seems to work better on worse edges due to imperfections being more likely to snag the hair and start the cutting.
I mostly am on pause from TPT because my thumb looks like, well like I've been running it up and down razorblades.
I have quite a variety of tests for different occasions.
On the 1k hone, I stay until I get even stickiness on the TPT
and a straight even bevel under a 10x loupe.
Arm hairs have to be shaved off easily without pressure.
On the 2k or 3k I donīt test much, I just check if my previous tests still apply
or get slightly better.
On the 5k I stay until I can see the bevel is straight and completely polished
under the loupe. I then check with TPT. I look for less grab and stickiness.
But I almost always feel a slight stickiness.
I then recheck on my armhairs, wich at this time should pop with total ease.
On the 8k I do the armhairs again, they should either pop *slightly* or just fall silently during the test.
I check with tpt for an absolutely even sensation along the entire edge.
There should not be any spot thats more sticky than another.
For the GS 16k I recommend you to stay on it for a short time only!
Itīs not too hard to produce imperfections on it, I guess.
Thatīs what sham said once and exactly what caused a problem with my GS.
So stay on the 8k till everything is perfect. You might even want to testshave at this time,
as you can shave off the 8k.
If the shave is allright, without pulling or grabbing you can move along to the finishers.
Give the razor not more than 20 strokes on the GS16k
and move on to your Nakayama.
If you want to check if youre ready,
try an armhairtest. But this time, you donīt just shave them.
Touch the hairs above the skin with the edge. It should grab and eventually shave them right off -above the skin!
Do this with the grain as well as against. The latter ist a bit harder to do, I think.
I sometimes do a TPT on this stage. I wet my finger for this and use absolute caution.
The TPT along the edge should not feel sticky, if you use no pressure at all.
It should just cut the upper layer of skin without you knowing it.
You than can perform a HHT.
I do it this way:
I get a hair, hold it between two fingers with itīs root pointing away from me. I hold the hair upright, so itīs rather standing, than hanging.
I then slightly tilt the razor to about 40° and gentliy,
without force put it to the hair at about 0.5 to 1.5cm from my finger.
The hair should not fly away with a *zing* and it should not be dancing around.
The edge should immideately grab into the hair and slice it bit by bit.
There should be no sound or grabbing sensation.
Just silently it shall fall.
Afterwards I do another 10 laps on the finisher,
to get rid of any minor damag I may have done testing.
For the final check I go to my microscope and check the edge for imperfections
at 40x-100x magnification. I look for microchips and uneven wear.
If there is none, I almost always am ready to go for a nice shave!