Thumb testing

I've read a little about thumb testing but the more I want to stop overhoning and the more I want to improve my honing I realize I need to learn what it feels like when you guys do a good thumb test. I understand the basics but, for example after reading the barbers manuals again last night (I love those things) I want to ask a question or two.

One, my edges stick to my thumb nail and "dig" no matter what. When I touch the blade to my thumb (the skin at the ball) it feels sharp. More honing it feels sharp, less honing it feels sharp. I know I'm supposed to wet my thumb for 20 seconds, but what am I supposed to feel? How does a blade feel sharp, or sharper, or less sharp? The only sensation I have is the edge of the blade moving in between the ridges of my fingerprint. Do I need to feel the blades sides somehow too? I mean if I gently touch a kitchen knife I can get the same sensation, so what am I missing? Can anyone describe the feeling of sharp?

Since you were reading the barber's manuals, you must noticed that it says the feeling comes with experience, and it is dificult for a beginer to test the razor with these tests... I find the piramid honing method excelent for preventing overhoning. Since shaving test is the best one for evaluating your edges, stick to that one, and when razor starts to pull a little, do a simple 8K light honning, or the Lynn's method for bringing the slightly dull edge to life a couple of 1/3 rotations on the Norton 4/8K stone. That way you dont have to worry about overhoning the edge...

Nenad

The hard thing about this test is: the differences are _very_ subtle and one has to develop the feel for it. I'm still far from perfect with this test, but often checking between hair tests (at least I know how to use these ;) ) and thumb test has me learning each time I hone.

One thing that made/makes a major difference for me: I do the test not with the front-part of my ball of thumb, as there seems to be too much callus and its feels way to rough. So I went to check more on the inner parts of the ball of thumb, which offers quite a bit more of feedback.

Aside from that the feeling is really like the blade sticking to skin and tending to move instead of just slipping across. Oh, and btw. I do the test with my thumb being dry - with wet skin every blade feels dull :)

Hope this helps,
-Axel-

By VERY gently bringing the thumb pad across the edge, you can feel the little cutting teeth gripping the thumb as it goes by. It's the cutting action of the fins you're feeling for.

X

I am beginning to tell the difference between sharp and almost sharp with my thumb, but I still do not use it as the final indicator. Rather it is one of the indicators. After I believe the razor is sharp with my thumb, I confirm its true sharpness with the hanging hair test. If it does not pass the HHT then it is only part way there and I keep honing. Just my two cents worth.

jmsbcknr

This is the one test that I do not have a feel for. For me the real test is the syf test. :D Other than that it's all fun and games.

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've read a little about thumb testing but the more I want to stop overhoning and the more I want to improve my honing I realize I need to learn what it feels like when you guys do a good thumb test. I understand the basics but, for example after reading the barbers manuals again last night (I love those things) I want to ask a question or two.

One, my edges stick to my thumb nail and "dig" no matter what. When I touch the blade to my thumb (the skin at the ball) it feels sharp. More honing it feels sharp, less honing it feels sharp. I know I'm supposed to wet my thumb for 20 seconds, but what am I supposed to feel? How does a blade feel sharp, or sharper, or less sharp? The only sensation I have is the edge of the blade moving in between the ridges of my fingerprint. Do I need to feel the blades sides somehow too? I mean if I gently touch a kitchen knife I can get the same sensation, so what am I missing? Can anyone describe the feeling of sharp?

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I didn't start having success with honing until I learned the thumb and thumbnail test. As far as I could tell, the various pyramids and so forth were a brute force approach that would eventually get you there with a lot of work and unnecessary wear on the blade. i 'm still pussled when I see a recommendation to do hundreds of strokes when I know with proper testing you could probably do it in 20. It's OK when you're first starting out, but at some point you should have a sense of what you're doing and not just be taking a shotgun approach. The thumbnail and thumb test let you do that.

Just remember not to go back to the nail after you're on the thumb.

The quickest way to calibrate your thumb is to practice with a fresh single sided razor blade... i rub the thumb very lightly across the blade and I'm looking for the edge to grab my thumb and move with it. At the same time, if you use the test as you're honing you can actually feel a sharp edge forming. The blade is ready when you feel a sharp edge and when it rings when you move the thumb across.