TNT after stropping

Has anyone done the TNT after stropping and found that it does not pass?

I hone my blade up. Passes the TNT. I give it 10 more passes at Norton 4k and maybe 20 at 8k. Then I give it maybe 5 very soft strokes on Diamond sprayed hard felt. Following that I strop 25 times. At this point the razor no longer passes TNT.

Am I dulling my razor with the strops or is there another reason why the blade might not pass TNT? I'm thinking maybe I'm getting rid of the teeth on the very edge of the blade that help it dig in.

The blade does give a decent shave after my routine, just doesnt pass TNT.

Dont use TNT after your bevel setting Stone. When i use it at, i usually go back and do another 10 strokes before progressing.

Robert, the only time to use the thumb nail test if after setting the bevel on a hone. Once the bevel is set rely on the thumb pad test. The TNT will not do a sharp edge any good once it is passed. To get the hang of the TPT practice on a new DE blade.

It does sound as if you are stropping incorrectly and possibly rolling the edge. See the last couple of pages of this 1961 barber manual in the SRP Wiki help files here to review your stropping technique.

As Ben & Jimmy say, that's no time to be using the TNT. The edge is delicate, & by performing it at this stage you're undoing your honing work.
The TNT is used to assess whether you have formed a good bevel. You can twin it with the marker test to check whether you are ready to move up the progression.
After honing & stropping, the shave test is the best option!

Really the only true test is a shave test. If it shaves good, it is good..!

Dont worry too much about passing these tests as they are just guidance. As the other guys say, dont do the TNT after the bevel set as you may dull the edge.

I know not to use the TNT after a 4k Norton or equivalent...if you are going to shave with it. I'm just not good at the TPT. I've been having some issues with sharpness so I figured if its not passing TNT after stropping its really not shave ready. I just needed something besides the shave test to determine if I'm even getting close.

After stropping and doing TNT I would take the razor back to the hones before shaving with it again.

robert

The TNT is totally counterproductive when used at polishing levels.
The TNT indicates, if the two faces of the bevel meet to a sharp edge.
You should feel a grabby sensation because of the burr a coarse stone produces
if it has been used right.

This burr should not be there anymore, when a polishing stage is arrived.
So it is absolutely natural the TNT will not feel grabby at this time.
Instead, you will ruin the very fine and sensitive edge!

So use the TNT for bevel setting only

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Originally Posted by straightrobert

I know not to use the TNT after a 4k Norton or equivalent...if you are going to shave with it. I'm just not good at the TPT. I've been having some issues with sharpness so I figured if its not passing TNT after stropping its really not shave ready. I just needed something besides the shave test to determine if I'm even getting close.

After stropping and doing TNT I would take the razor back to the hones before shaving with it again.

robert

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If you want to test it once you get past the 4k Norton, wet a patch of hair on your arm or leg, and once you let the hair absorb the water a for a little bit, try shaving hair with it all along the edge. If it doesn't shave hair easily, you can tell which part of the edge you have missed and where to concentrate your work. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

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Originally Posted by avatar1999

If you want to test it once you get past the 4k Norton, wet a patch of hair on your arm or leg, and once you let the hair absorbe the water a for a little bit, try shaving hair with it all along the edge. If it doesn't shave hair easily, you can tell which part of the edge you have missed and where to concentrate your work. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

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That is a good way to test. I do that on the leg as I got tired of people looking at my left forearm and thinking I had mange. :) I do that hair shaving at the bevel setting level. Extra time spent in assuring a proper bevel set pays off in the sharpening and polishing IME.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

That is a good way to test. I do that on the leg as I got tired of people looking at my left forearm and thinking I had mange. :) I do that hair shaving at the bevel setting level. Extra time spent in assuring a proper bevel set pays off in the sharpening and polishing IME.

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Ditto, as soon as I feel a bevel, I just use the hair shaving test. I don't really use the TPT anymore I have to say...