Thread: What does this mean?

Hey all,
I posted the the razor thread about a "new" razor that I got. I inherited her from my grandad. I used newspaper to strop it up a little and it shaved. Not well mind you, but it did get rid of most of the hair on my face. Well today I went and bought a 4K/8K Norton stone from a local shop. I had already watched/read a lot about it- so I rewatched lynn's video on honing then went to work. I used a 5/5, 3/3, 3/5, 1/5 pyramid on it, since it was already in decent shape (just needed a little work.) I certainly feels MUCH sharper, but it still does not pass the hanging hair test.
I have read on these forums that the only test that matters is the "shave test", but I am sort of a perfectionist and I want my blade to be perfect too.
I know I am new to honing, but I followed the steps and I think I did a pretty decent job.
Anyone have any ideas why it shouldn't pass the test?

Sounds like the bevel isn't set . Try honing on the 4k until your blade will cut arm hair above the skin (HAHT) . You should feel some suction between the hone and the blade , when it is ready . Then do your pyramids .

for your razor to pass the HHT you first need to learn the test properly
and to do that you need a razor or two that yoy are happy shaving with first
unless you got that you got no way to know how the edge should react to your hair

ok...its been a while for me here and i havent honed much lately well actually did some when visiting a friend at the weekend.

Anyways dont get hung up on the hanging hair test...as a poor edge can give a result there...
Discovering in my experience is the way forward, a 4/8k norton will give you good results when used properly, lynns video is great too...i actually learned on skype with another member and it took a while, i still am getting into difficulty now and then and ask for help...
I digress.....if there is someone close to you who hones then get help from them a person there may point out things you miss or need help with.

Take your time no need for rushing and it will come, i purchased a 4 sided strop first before my hones so i did it that way initially..persevere and dont get crazy as there are other issues to look out for...the pyramid works fine too i personally go by feel but thats me, youll discover what works but keep trying.

Good luck and look forward to hearing about your razors edge.

Simon

I suggest that you spring for a pack of safety razor blades ( ie for a doube edge safety razor)to practice your HHT on, 'cause they are certainly shave ready, so you will have a point of comparison. I agree with earlier comments that you may not have a bevel where both sides meet at a sharp edge. if not you can polish and polish for a looonng time with 8K and still get nowhere. If you have ever done auto body work, its sorta like going to a fine grit paper too soon... you'll never wind up with a smooth surface.

Make sure you hold the hair strand from the outer end. Do not hold from the root end.

Uggh, not another HHT thread...

First off forget the hanging hair test and enjoy your shaves! If you are looking to perfect your honing to cut hanging hairs you should purchase a second razor to practice honing with. While honing looks simple and there is lots you can learn for reading and vids the proof is in the results. There are many little things in honing you can only learn by doing it and obtaining a perfect edge will take a lot of practice and maybe even a finishing hone like a coticule, Escher or something in the 10/12k range. As a newbie to shaving or just honing the HHT should not be on your list of things to accomplish. Focus on a good smooth shave.

The temptation is to think that because the razor does not pass the HHT, you cant shave with it, or its not as sharp as you can get it and this just isnt the case.

To give an example, I have a Boker Edelweisse. I got it from SRD and it was honed by Lynn, so I KNOW the edge is truly shaving sharp. For me, this razor passes the HHT about 60% of the time, for my dad it works everytime and a mate of mine cant get it to work at all with his hair. Its such a variable test with so many things that can make the difference between "pass" and "fail".

The only real test is the shave test, and if you can get a close and comfortable shave then you have a good edge. If you sit there blasting the razor on the hone trying to reach a certain level of sharpness all you're doing is wearing the razor down and risking overhoning or damaging the edge.

As dgstr8 says, get a pack of DE blades and use those as a comparison to the edge you have put on your razor. For me, I cant get a DE blade to pass the HHT every time either, maybe 50-60% of the time, same as the Edelweisse. And I get a close and comfortable shave with both a DE and the Edelweisse..!

Good luck!

yeah, the HHT is all-sorts-of tricky to figure out, no matter how many explanations you read. my advice is to send your razor out to get properly honed, or buy a new razor (which could easily be an entry-level vintage off the classifieds for $30 - heck I'll sell you one myself if you want) and get that properly honed, to have as a reference. when I was getting started it was abs. *essential* that I get my hands on a properly honed razor, feel what it shaves like, what it feels like on your thumb pad, what it does to the HHT as *I* manage it, etc, as a reference. otherwise there's no way of knowing what you're missing. and even if you DID do the honing right, chances are you could improve it a lot, both with improved technique and improved tool-set. good luck.