Setting the bevel "thumb nail test"

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03-18-2012, 01:24 PM
Martin103

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Setting the bevel "thumb nail test"

I found the wiki on the thumb nail test to be a little confusing to me about gliding the entire razor on your thumb nail.
That said here how i test the razor for bevel setting. Like the picture i hold my thumb out and the razor horizontal and let
it rest on the thumb nail, and give a slight forward motion,if it bites and wont move its good but if it glides on your thumb nail forward it needs more honing, i check the entire blade from one side to the others, and when you have a good bite on the entire blade lets say in 6 or more different postition on the blade you have a good start to your bevel. Now i do more honing without checking the thumb nail test untill it shaves arm hair very easily. Hope that works for you as well.This test is only aplicable at the beginning of bevel setting, not after as it will damage the edge!!
Attachment 92854
03-18-2012, 01:29 PM
ace

I think that is functionally equivalent to the TNT, except that you didn't mention wetting your thumbnail.
03-18-2012, 01:42 PM
Martin103

Your so right Ace i forgot to mention to moistened the thumb nail!!
03-18-2012, 01:58 PM
pinklather

I'm good w/ the description. One detail I talk about to guys learning the test is not to keep the edge is the same place on the thumb nail, but for each section tested, move the edge to a fresh section of thumbnail. Otherwise, a failing section will feel like its sharp because the flanks of the bevel are giving drag from an incision made by a sharp section.
I've not found a foolproof method for bevel checking. Or perhaps I'm just really good at foolishness :) Great TNT, TPT, arm hair. I have blades pass all w/ flying colors and still give strange/erratic behavior that shows up at the 8k level. 'Don't have much of an answer to it, but am jumping through my navel to find minute flaws at the bevel setting level. When I think a bevel is set, I'm painting the edge w/ magic marker and doing a couple no pressure strokes on a c12k to see if there's any section not contacting the stone w/out pressure. It has helped a few times, but still no silver bullet.
03-18-2012, 06:29 PM
jeness

IMO it is much easier to do if you make one long stroke from heel to toe. This way you will feel if the whole blade feels the same. If you test in a lot of spots, than the pressure can vary, the nail spot too, and it is much harder to compare 4-5-6 short feelings to a long one. Sometimes there is only a very little spot in the edge where it doesn't feel right, and you can miss that if you test only portions of the edge.
03-18-2012, 06:53 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeness

IMO it is much easier to do if you make one long stroke from heel to toe. This way you will feel if the whole blade feels the same. If you test in a lot of spots, than the pressure can vary, the nail spot too, and it is much harder to compare 4-5-6 short feelings to a long one. Sometimes there is only a very little spot in the edge where it doesn't feel right, and you can miss that if you test only portions of the edge.

What we are looking for in a good bevel is a perfect V, therefore if you have \_/ and make a thumb nail test it will all feel the same. The way im showing if you test with the edge \_/ the razor with glide on your nail without any bite, with a V it wont move forward.
03-18-2012, 07:03 PM
jeness

Sure, but the whole length of the bevel isn't improving at the same pace. It can happen that the whole blade is ready, but there is one tiny spot where it isn't perfect. I am just saying that you can miss that spot if you try in different places, instead of gliding the razor in one go along its whole edge, and it is faster too.
03-18-2012, 07:10 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeness

Sure, but the whole length of the bevel isn't improving at the same pace. It can happen that the whole blade is ready, but there is one tiny spot where it isn't perfect. I am just saying that you can miss that spot if you try in different places, instead of gliding the razor in one go along its whole edge, and it is faster too.

I understand what your saying but i tried with gliding the razor and it just didnt work for me, if it does work for you great!
as far as being faster perhaps but when i hone razors if i dont have time i just wont do it, speed is never a factor in my personal honing.
03-18-2012, 07:14 PM
jeness

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin103

I understand what your saying but i tried with gliding the razor and it just didnt work for me, if it does work for you great!
as far as being faster perhaps but when i hone razors if i dont have time i just wont do it, speed is never a factor in my personale honing.

Than I just misunderstood your post! Everyone uses what works for him the best, and it seems like its not the same for everyone regarding the TNT :) I learned it this way, and I like it a lot, for others this may be not the best solution.
03-18-2012, 07:19 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeness

Than I just misunderstood your post! Everyone uses what works for him the best, and it seems like its not the same for everyone regarding the TNT :) I learned it this way, and I like it a lot, for others this may be not the best solution.

You didnt misunderstand my post at all i was just sharing a different way, hopefully it might help a newbie or somebody that doesnt get the feel for the traditional method.
03-18-2012, 07:52 PM
gssixgun

If you Bump along it doesn't tell you what you need to know..

You also dull the edge un-evenly it also can't find rough spots evenly..

The TNT tells and does much more than just showing a sharp bevel in spots, that is why one long evenly drawn stroke across the wet thumb nail is in the description..

Your bump method will work, but it lacks all the info and effects of a true TNT

The TNT can find and smooth rough edges pretty effectively too, bumping or spot checking looses that..

Something to consider.. If it works for you that is what counts though, but I would learn the traditional method to glean the most info and benifits from it. I think that is what Jeness was also pointing out

Edit: here is another explanation of what we mean from last week

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...tml#post936476
03-18-2012, 08:11 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

If you Bump along it doesn't tell you what you need to know..

You also dull the edge un-evenly it also can't find rough spots evenly..

The TNT tells and does much more than just showing a sharp bevel in spots, that is why one long evenly drawn stroke across the wet thumb nail is in the description..

Your bump method will work, but it lacks all the info and effects of a true TNT

The TNT can find and smooth rough edges pretty effectively too, bumping or spot checking looses that..

Something to consider.. If it works for you that is what counts though, but I would learn the traditional method to glean the most info and benifits from it. I think that is what Jeness was also pointing out

Using the traditional method doesnt work for me, if the blade is really dull and you glide it on your nail it feels the same to me.
But using the method i describe i fell the sharpness and once it even across the whole blade i keep honing till it shaves arm hair easily wich is the real bevel test IMO.
Im not trying to re-write the book by any means im just sharing a different approach!
03-18-2012, 11:20 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Edit: here is another explanation of what we mean from last week

http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...tml#post936476

In response to your edit i did read that thread and my test is pretty much the same once you get a good bite along the entire edge, then you just hone till you shave arm hairs easily and your really close!
My question is did you and Jeness actualy tried my method?
03-18-2012, 11:24 PM
gssixgun

I think yer missing what we are saying Martin, we never said yours couldn't work, we said there is more to the TNT and that is why it is described a certain way, not only in the Wiki but in all the old barber's manuals too...
If you change the test you change it's valid uses also..
03-18-2012, 11:52 PM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think yer missing what we are saying Martin, we never said yours couldn't work, we said there is more to the TNT and that is why it is described a certain way, not only in the Wiki but in all the old barber's manuals too...
If you change the test you change it's valid uses also..

I truly understand the traditional TNT test and its uses as you described, but the reality is it doesnt work for me, so i found a way that works for me, and i get great results that what its all about!!
03-19-2012, 12:06 AM
ace

I tend to rely more on visual testing. When I can no longer see the edge, when it no longer reflects light, then I know I am getting close.
03-19-2012, 12:32 AM
gssixgun

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin103

I found the wiki on the thumb nail test to be a little confusing to me about gliding the entire razor on your thumb nail.

Then I guess I was wrong, you said it was confusing, to you, myself I was trying to explain why it was the way it is written and the reasons for it... Now you say you understand it so I guess there was no need for an explanation after all...
03-19-2012, 12:36 AM
Martin103

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Then I guess I was wrong, you said it was confusing, to you, myself I was trying to explain why it was the way it is written and the reasons for it... Now you say you understand it so I guess there was no need for an explanation after all...

I understand how it works for you and others but not for me i just dont have the feel for it!!