Thread: can a razor pass the HHTwith just the norton?

my honing seems to be getting better. Honed four flea market razors tonight, stroped them on plain leather and was able to barely pass the HHT after about 40 rounds on the strop. The razors are still nto as sharp as I think they ought to be for a great shave.

is it possible to get a razor to pass the HHT after the 8000 norton stone and before stroping?

For me, some razors barely pass the HHT after the 8k Norton but after stropping they all pass the HHT without hesitation.

It is not quite there yet but you are getting close.

I have been able to get it to pass the HHT after just the Norton then I used a 12k and screwed it up . Oh well. Live and learn.

You can actually get a really nice shave with some razors right off the Norton 4K/8K. Enjoy. Lynn

I had some pass off the 8K but not all. Often it takes stropping too.

I guess it is just habit for me, but I have never tried the HHT after honing. I always strop first then test.

Glen

Well I am still relatively new to this but what I have learned through my little experience is that a pasted strop has taken my razors edges to the next level in sharpness. I can go all along the blade and effortlessly "chop-chop-chop-chop" with a hanging hair... But I have also learned that the HHT is not the end-all-to-be-all of an edge to be shave ready. When all that I had was a plain leather strop and my Norton 4K/8K I got great shaves.

So if it is a hair that you want to chop up, you may struggle with just a hone.
There is some good discussion on this in this forum.

Emil

I use the Norton 4000/8000 until the razor passes the HHT. Then and only then do I move on to the next finer grit.

Please note that stropping can make a dull razor pass the HHT. It is still a dull razor and shaves poorly.

Just my two cents,

How can a razor be dull and properly pass the HHT?

What would the "grit" in relative comparison to the Norton 4/8 be for diamond pastes of .25 and .50 microns? Can there even be a comparison?

Jeff