Thread: The shave test.....

Originally Posted by pcb01

I alone can judge whether a blade is capable of shaving me to my standards. This is why I hone my own razors (and no one else's), and do not send my razors out to others.

Many people find though that people who hone professionally have standards which are comparable to their own. You may even yourself someday find someone who hones razors exactly the way you like them - and even though they are not judging whether the blade can shave you, they don't have to because both of you share such similar standards. Shaving is personal, but it's not like everyone has such different DNA that nobody can comfortably shave with a razor honed by someone else.

As to the original question, I have always wondered this about everyone who hones a lot. Unlike you, I also know why I wonder about it - it doesn't make sense to me how they can do it! But I also haven't honed a billion razors so I don't know what I don't know. Though I am still curious, it is not a question into whether they can perform all these shave tests, but rather how they do it - which really is just a trivial curiosity for my part. Because as long as it shaves me well, I'm happy

edit: of course, if it doesn't shave me well I'll either try another honer or pick up the skill myself (which I have) as pcb01 has done. I can't really make someone hone & test the way I necessarily want them to, I just have to try what they can do and decide whether I am happy with it

Originally Posted by pcb01

In brief, I alone can judge whether a blade is capable of shaving me to my standards. This is why I hone my own razors (and no one else's), and do not send my razors out to others.

+1. I might hone one for someone once in a great while, and I might hone one that I sell, but by and large I only hone for myself. I know that I can get a good shave out of a razor that won't pass HHT because before I could consistently get HHT on razors I honed I got good shaves out of the percentage that didn't pass HHT. I suppose the shaves were better for the ones that would pass, and I've gotten to the point in my honing where I can consistently achieve a positive HHT so I do. IOW, if it won't pass I hone until it will. I don't calibrate it in degrees of HHT BTW. If it passes it passes. I don't think it is necessary for everyone to insist that the pro honed razor they receive will pass HHT ......before they find out how it shaves for them. YMMV.

As for the shave test, since I don't normally hone for others, my test is my whole shaving area with WTG and ATG , or a modified ATG in some areas. For me, like pcb01 the jawline/chin is where the rubber meets the road. Matter of fact, I can get by handsomely with one WTG on my cheeks to the jawline and have an acceptably smooth face. The neck and jawline/chin are a different kettle of fish and I need at least two passes to smooth those areas out. If a razor isn't truly shave ready, it may shave me adequately on the WTG on the cheeks, but it will not deliver the goods on the jawline/chin areas on my particular face.

The good news is that any pro honer will stand behind his work. The hell with the HHT. If the razor shaves well it is shave ready. If it doesn't don't start worrying about whether it will or won't cut hanging hair. Let the honer know and he will hone it again for you. I like to hone razors the same way I like to go shoot at the target range or ride a mountain bike on a single track off road trail. When I want to. If I had a gang of razors that belonged to other people waiting to get them back I would soon not like to hone anymore. YMMV.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

....CUT...

As to the original question, I have always wondered this about everyone who hones a lot. Unlike you, I also know why I wonder about it - it doesn't make sense to me how they can do it! But I also haven't honed a billion razors so I don't know what I don't know. Though I am still curious, it is not a question into whether they can perform all these shave tests, but rather how they do it - which really is just a trivial curiosity for my part. Because as long as it shaves me well, I'm happy ...CUT...

you my friend are the WINNER!!! this was really as you stated a trivial curiosity of mine! The 3 member I have hone my razors (Lynn, Glen and Max) have put FABULOUS edges on the razors that shave great and I'm pretty sure if I had had an issue they would have taken care of it! In the way of re-taking a look at it or pointing out that I should be using the thin NOT the thick side of the razor!

It's amusing and enjoyable to me that a seemingly simple "how in the H**L does one shave test 8-20 razors in a day??" turned into a microscopic observation of HHT (I've never used it) and Shave test!! The passion of the members here is what I truly love and enjoy about SRP!!!

Well for me, I don't hone nearly as much as the big boys, but my shave tests involve two different patches.

I test a patch on my cheek and a patch on my neck, with every razor. I'll shave test 4 razors at a time, so each razor is covering a quarter of my face in total. Some guys can test more razors per shave, but this is my comfort zone.

As Glen mentioned, before you even lather you know that the razor is essentially shave ready. It may need a minor tweaking after the shave, but it's 99 percent dialed in. You can tell this from about a 2" square patch on your skin. That enough space to test the toe, middle, heel, and do a scything stroke.