Thread: What tests do you use and when?

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.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

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.

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.

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.