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soon I'm going to start to try honing (already subscribed myself in the honing-course from the koordenwinkel here in Antwerp. :) ) and since as a standard you guys set forward the HHT (hanging hair technique) I was wondering what you'd propose a 'hair-challenged masculine man' (aka almost bald :D ) to use.
Would a pencil suffice, those are pork hairs or could I just get a cheap boar brush and use one of those hairs? (no, I don't have a victim to scalp nearby ;) )
Anyway, thx for your tips.
Get them from a hairdresser's or your S.O.'s hairbrush!
Good luck!
no S.O. and pretty balding, so no 'dressing' being done anymore :D
was just wondering wether something like boars hairs would be similar. :)
Yes they would. In any case the ultimate test is the shaving test. If it shaves without tugging/pulling, it's ready.
In my experience bristle of an old brush is more friable than human hair. In other words: all my razors that pass the HHHT (i.e. hanging human hair test) pass the HBBT (i.e. hanging brush bristle test) but cerrtainly not the other way round!
I have never used a badger brush so I do not know about badger hairs.
A boar brush bristle is a lot thicker than the hairs from my head, and I have pretty thick hair. A thick hair will catch and cut easier because it presents more resistence to the blade. A thinner hair will bend if the blade's not sharp enough.
So the boar bristle HHT is probably better than nothing, but a boar hair is a lot thicker than a beard hair.
Even for those of us with hair, finding a loose hair can be hard. Unless you want to just yank one out whenever you need it.
I didn't want to do that, so when I cut my hair last time (I use Wahl clippers, and I've gotten pretty good over the years), I grabbed a handful of thick hairs newly trimmed from the top part of my head. I sealed them in a plastic bag, and now I have like a 10 year's supply.
I'd suggest going to a barber or something, if you're OK with the idea of grabbing someone else's hair.
The HHT is fickle, I've found, because hairs have a lot of variation in thickness. The hair on the sides of my head is thinner, and my best honing efforts so far won't cut a thin hair.
Good luck,
Josh
That's the problem I have with most hairs when trying to find one in a brush.Quote:
Originally Posted by joshearl
Beard hairs are even thicker than scalp hair, so I always look for a thick one for the HHT.
hmm, my razors don't cut the hairs on my arm by just touching them, that's for sure. Not even Mr. Crowley's razor did that for me, but it shaves great.
I honed 1 razor, I think to a good shaving level, will try soon. It'll be a gift for a friend so it has to be a good shave. :)
Harold,
I have very fine, almost blond, hair on my arms, and I haven't been able to get a razor to cut it without touching my skin. Even a razor that AFDavis honed for me, which breaks any hair from my head with the slightest touch, won't cut my arm hair.
I'm getting better at interpreting how the razors shave my arm when I do let the edge touch my skin, though. If it shaves my arm hair effortlessly and cleanly, without pulling, then it's time to try the HHT.
Josh
I am bald, so I use my dog's hair. Works great as he has 3 hair thicknesses so I can monitor my sharpening progress based on how easily the blade cuts each grade of hair.
Philip
Me too! I thought I was the only weirdo here!! My dog's a Husky/Border Collie cross (my avatar, actually), so I use her "down" for the HHT.Quote:
Originally Posted by texan
Having said that, I'd like to reiterate a previous poster's (firestart, I think) comment. All that matters is whether the blade shaves well or not. The HHT is a great parlour trick but that's it. Do you shave your face by pulling out the hairs and gently wafting them across your immaculately honed blade edge? No.
James.
I take one of my wife's hair out of her brush. I am by no means bald, but I keep my hair to a max length of 1 cm :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by harold
Btw, I live near antwerp (laakdal to be precise) could you give me some more information about that store you mentioned?
I know only one shop in Leuven (suy) where they sell razors, but the proprietor does not know that much about honing or maintaining razors.
aan het mechelseplein, recht tegenover "Kapitein Zeppos"
Heb je mischien een adres of telefoon nr?Quote:
Originally Posted by harold
(for the english:) Do you perchance have an address or telephone number?
Once you decide on the test to use then be sure to use it cosistently. That is where most guys fail. They jump around trying various tests and never really learn how to conduct even one of them. Please note that all the tests are merely "indicators" . They tell you when a blade is ready for a shave test, nothing more than that.
The one test that can be used that has not been mentioned in this thread is the thumb pad test. This can also be used. Please note that this is not the same as the thumbnail test.
Just my two cents,:)
Adres : Mechelseplein 7 2000 Antwerpen.
Telefoon 00 32 (0)3 233 24 42
This is the one I use. I use the the outer side of the ball of my thumb, almost the side. Using this method to test razors honed by Lynn I had a guide of "stickeyness" (my word) as the blades edge sinks into the skin, I don't come off of the hones until this same feedback is obtained. Then test shave.Quote:
Originally Posted by randydance062449
I just realized that it doesn't necessarily have to be a head hair, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by harold
You could use a hair from your armpits as well.
Btw, if you haven't started honing yet, why is the 'honemeister' tag attached to your nick ;-)
Sure you can, but would it be practical? I never tried but I guess pulling out an armpit hair is more painful, and you have to undress for it first unless you start collecting them every day before getting dressed or before going to bed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
because they already know I'm going to be that good :D
:roflmao
(honed my first razor already, will try tomorrow to see wether it shaves well *crosses fingers*)
I'm one of those armpit shavers as well lol
I just registered for their razor sharpening course on the 1st of december, at 8 PM.Quote:
Originally Posted by harold
:-)
Is that the same one you'll be going to?
yes, same course :)
Using a straight for your armpits as well?Quote:
Originally Posted by harold
no, I don't have the balls for that.. (and don't start asking about those either :p)
Male pattern baldness and beards need testosterone so there's no need to ask.Quote:
Originally Posted by harold