Why HHT is important or is not?

Jimbo,

I echo what you said and if you read my first statement, I`m using razors that has not passed any HHT but I have really good shave. I understood blade pressure when shaving, prep work, after shave and maintaining practice for razor.
When I said challenging myself, I mean to challenge what I know now, find out what more capacity I have. As you mention Lynn and Glenn they "live with straight razors" on daily bases. I`m hoping to gain this knowledge with time (time base lets say no more that 45 years from now:-). To make this more simple… I`m very satisfy whit what I have now, but it is mine nature to perform and discover new land as I`m feeling very comfortable doing that. When I fail or I`m defeated I start again and challenge myself. This is only reason I want to check if I can push my self farther. From other side… maybe some of my razor will pass HHT but I don`t have any idea how to(as Glen said) calibrate and prepare to test. Me neeeewwwbieee is:-)

I have trouble getting a razor to pass any kind of HHT without some serious stropping. I don't even try anymore before doing at least 75/100 on linen/leather. At that point, they'll usually catch and pop a hair if I hold them root out. Another 75/100 and it'll pop either way. Once it gets to that point, I test shave.... And more often than not I usually wind up using my finisher for another 30 x strokes and another 40/60 linen/leather before the second shave.

I wanted to put all that down so you'd see what kind of part the HHT plays in my honing regimen. It plays a small part near the end; the work before the test is where everything happens and even then a positive test doesn't mean a perfect shave.

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Originally Posted by myersn024

I have trouble getting a razor to pass any kind of HHT without some serious stropping. I don't even try anymore before doing at least 75/100 on linen/leather. At that point, they'll usually catch and pop a hair if I hold them root out. Another 75/100 and it'll pop either way. Once it gets to that point, I test shave.... And more often than not I usually wind up using my finisher for another 30 x strokes and another 40/60 linen/leather before the second shave.

I wanted to put all that down so you'd see what kind of part the HHT plays in my honing regimen. It plays a small part near the end; the work before the test is where everything happens and even then a positive test doesn't mean a perfect shave.

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Thank you for that info. I might to use your simple test as well. I will check this with my newly honed razor when done.

Aside from utility, all variants of HHT are just so darned fun to me. Having fun, to me, is the most important thing in life.

I started doing HHT after each blade/knife sharpening, which is much harder to achieve, in my experience, than with a razor. For example, with knives, I have hard time passing HHT test when I hold the follicle side in my hand but with razor direction doesn't matter too much.

Tens of thousands of hair were severed, and I still find it fascinating. I can determine the shave-readiness of a razor just from the thumb pad test or Murray Carter style 3-finger test, but that never stopped me from decapitating a few innocent hair.

I am pretty new to honing and I have never used the HHT. If my razor can cut my arm hair 1/2"-3/4" above the skin I know it will give me a good shave. I guess it's kind of like a HHT but not. Does anyone else use this method?

I recently purchased a Dovo silver steel from SRD, which comes professionally honed. I have never been able to pass the HHT with it, but my shaves keep getting better and better.

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Originally Posted by matt789

I am pretty new to honing and I have never used the HHT. If my razor can cut my arm hair 1/2"-3/4" above the skin I know it will give me a good shave. I guess it's kind of like a HHT but not. Does anyone else use this method?

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I don't know what the right term is, but I call that tree topping. I do it often for deeply satisfying experience.

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Originally Posted by xuz

I don't know what the right term is, but I call that tree topping. I do it often for deeply satisfying experience.

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Yes it is very satisfying when you can top a hair and barely move it.

Sorry for this being off-topic, but I wonder if someone on SRP could publish a list of acronyms being used in the forum, like 'TNT TPT AHT HHT.' I have no idea what they mean (except for 'HHT,' which means 'Hanging Hair Test,' right?) I know that this is really dumb for those of you who already know what they mean, but for new guys, like me, I'm just kind of bewildered. Once again, sorry for being off-topic, but in order for me to digest all this great info, I really need to know what is being referred to by these acronyms. BTW (By the way ;-)), I already did a Google search, but the acronyms are a bit too esoteric for any results there either. My ears and my mind always perk up, and I pay especially close attention to your posts, gssixgun. Your posts and videos have been so extremely helpful in my efforts to hone. I greatly appreciate your contributions. Thanks for any help.

here ya go :)


Acronyms and Abbreviations - Straight Razor Place Wiki