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I've been having some stropping problems and I don't want to blame it on the equipment because I know it is me but since my technique is terrible it probably wouldn't hurt to have some good equipment. That being said, this is what I've been working with
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196043.htm
I know it is for travel mainly but would this work as a daily strop?
Could you describe the problem you're encountering while stropping...or maybe just take us through your process. If your razor is honed properly this strop should be sufficient to maintain an edge.
JR
With careful stropping that should do the job fine.
X
I've been looking at the paddel strops as well. My strop seems to curl up on the sides while stroping and I get a small spot in the middle that doesn't touch the blade. The leather is not stiff and has plenty of bend in it without being sloppy. It's a hanging strop from Bismarck #1068.
By all means this should be OK. Of course, you can get other products but this should work fine.
Cheers
Ivo
also, how accurate is the superfly hanging hair video?
http://straightrazorpalace.com/compo...d,17/Itemid,3/
Can anybody's razor actually do that? The hair cutting in half just falling on the razor blade? Is this video a little exaggerated? Or do I have to hone and strop a helluva lot more?
This is just an illustration. The hair doesn't have enough weight to be cut in half just falling on the edge. If the hair is still attached to the scalp, arm, leg, whatever though - this would provide enough resistance to cause the hair to pop if the razor is sharp enoughQuote:
Originally Posted by saladbar2000
Cheers
Ivo
I just thinking as far a testing goes. I had a problem when I first started with a butt-ton of drag so I pretty much went back to my feather razor. I want to kick this things ass in round 2!
The Feather is as sharp as it gets - try just dropping a hair on it and see if it gets cut, then tell us (I would bet the hair is not severed).Quote:
Originally Posted by saladbar2000
It is a very rare occasion when a shave-ready straight is as sharp as a Feather, from what I hear. Some old-timers even claim it's impossible
Cheers
Ivo
yeah, I saw the video and I couldn't believe that any razor could cut a hair like it does in that animation. Other than hacking away at my face with a dull blade, what is the best indicator that the blade is ready?
One, the razor may draw on the strop
Two, the thumbpad test can help
Three, test shaving
The HHT does work, just as indicated on the video. You simply drop a hair* on the razor and its cut. This isn't a good indicator because
1) Its actually just a step on the way to getting a sharp razor
2) You don't know what kind of hair you have
3) People often grab hair from their head, not the best hair
4) Some people claim their hair won't cut
5) You can get a good HHT and hate the shave
6) You can get a good shave and a failed HHT (but rare)
7) You may need to learn to strop better to achieve it
I test shave only with a razor that passes the HHT, its not even close to ready unless it passes. Technically, I won't shave with a razor even if it has passed the HHT. Its about 1/2 way polished once it starts passing the HHT. The key is not whether it passes, but how confidently it passes and without any sound. It shouldn't "pop" either. I look for the hair to land directly on the blade itself when I run it horizontally over my arm hair.
Then you have arrived. I think you could even say that you can hone at that point! :-)
*Perhaps your thinking the hair is actually dropped on the blade? Thats not the case. Hair is moved onto the razor and pulled downward slowly. You don't let go of the hair.
Does that make sense?
sorry if I'm a little slow but you don't recommend using hair from your head and you run the blade over your arm hair to test right?Quote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
For the HHT I get hair from my chest. This hair is waaaaay firmer then head hair.
I often run the razor over my arm because its easier than replicating the test over several parts of the blade. I can run the blade over my arm hair, about one inch over the skin itself, and test the entire edge at once.
yup, watching the animation someone might not know that the hair is actually held and not just dropped onto the blade.
Ditto - if it doesn't pass HHT, I am not even trying to shave with it. Passing HHT with boar hair is also not a good indicator - I need finer hair to be sure it's worth my time test-shaving.
Cheers
Ivo
I'm at the point where the hair catches the edge and rips through, sometimes cutting the hair lengthwise, kind of a weird feeling.
I haven't tried lately though, need to keep up with that...
Really I think if you use a light touch, an exceptional stroke, and have patience a razor has to pass the HHT, eventually.
I'm a little suspicious of guys that say their hair won't work with a HHT, especially knowing how long it took me to learn to hone well enough to do it, but if your looking for a razor that doesn't pull I think passing the HHT is an important milestone to pass.
Then again, I think 8 guys out of 10 grab hair out of their head, which is usually much finer than a beard whisker.
I doubted my ability to hone for a long time as I'm one of those who has never managed to pass HHT. Then I sent a TI 4/8 to Lynn for honing. Got it back, first thing I tried was HHT and..... failed!Quote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
Now there are a many variables regarding HHT, but I reckon using Lynn's honing skills on TI blade removes all variables to do with sharpness and steel quality. So I do believe hair type can frustrate with HHT.
Alan -- I agree with beard hair vs. head hair, but I always assumed HHT was about head hair. If I now have to pluck a beard hair... Owwwwww! :cry:
M.
I don't think straight shavers have any beard hair. Chest hair and arm hair work great and if you get really creative . . . :hmmm:
Hair on the head is too fine to really replicate what a razor is trying to do.
While we agree the hair is not simply dropped onto the edge does anyone here know of the theory about testing swords?
Supposedly, in days of Knights and Armour a sword's edge was tested by dropping a silk scarf onto it's edge and the scarf would be cut in half from it's own weight. Does anyone know of this myth/theory and where it was written?
BTW, last day of the remodel, beach time tomorrow!
Tony
Yep, at least the Japanese swords. They were tested by slicing through criminals. You'll often see a number inscribed into the tang to tell how successful the test was.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Miller
As to European swords, why bother. All inferior to the Samurai's sword :D
I used to use the HHT constantly, but now I never do. The reason? I'm using different hones now.
In my experience, the type of hone used has a lot to do with how a razor does on the HHT. With my hair, it works perfectly for the Norton and some of my barber hones.
On the Belgian hones I'm using now, it's almost worthless. Even a great shaving edge will just split and peel the hair rather than cutting it cleanly. This was really confusing for me at first, but I checked with other guys who use coticules and they confirmed this.
Lynn uses a coticule after the Norton, I believe, so that could explain why your Lynn-honed TI didn't do well on the HHT. It probably would have passed with flying colors if you'd tested his edge before he used the coticule on it.
I agree that passing the HHT is just a starting point. When I was using it a lot, I usually got the best results off of the 4K side of the Norton. To me, what a good HHT result means is that you've got a good bevel--in other words, the two bevels meet properly to form an edge, and the edge doesn't have a wire. After that, it doesn't always correlate well to a good shave.
The HHT seems to be one of those YMMV things. It's unfortunate, because a good "works every time" test would shorten the learning curve for honing. But like Lynn says, that test is shaving.
Josh
Josh,
I agree that it seems easy to pass HHT on Norton 4K (maybe because the rougher micro-teeth are catching the hair better).
However, I almost always follow the Norton with Coticule, and I still get HHT. I will admit - sometimes the Coticule will lead to an edge failing to pass HHT. I attribute this to a poor stroke or something that I did not do right (e.g. slurry consistency). In these cases I go back to Norton 4K, get HHT again, and go up to Coticule paying more attention. Usually this fixes things.
Nevertheless, most importantly: I agree on the fundamental idea that test-shaving is what counts, not the subjective HHTs.
I will have to add, though: in my experience, I have never gotten a shave from a razor, which doesn't pass HHT (or passes it unconvincingly) that beats a shave by one of my favorites, which do pass HHT. I haven't tried an edge from you or Lynn - I might need to get some new toys to test :D But I do expect that both razors will pass HHT for me (it's just that I think my wife has great hair for HHTs, am I lucky or what :roflmao
Cheers
Ivo
Ivo,
Thanks for the food for thought. I'll have to do some more experimenting and practicing.
Except for the coticule, I've also found that a razor that doesn't pass the HHT will shave horribly. It's almost more of a negative test than a positive one: Fail and it won't shave, pass and it might. :)
And BTW, I'm sure your honing is as good or better than mine. I just like to talk. :D
Josh
Heh - if you look at my post count you'll see I also like to talk a bitQuote:
Originally Posted by JoshEarl
I just meant that the razors that you or Lynn send will most likely pass HHT with my wife's hair. Comparing honing - I think you must have honed more edges by now because you specialize in this, and I am also very slow. I never saw myself as a honemeister, but have had a number of people who were happy with edges from me - which is what is important to me.
We can certainly have an SRP-wide Hone-Off :D (fun idea but I think it will be a nightmare to figure out logistics)
Cheers
Ivo
Ivo,
I'll be the first to congratulate you on becoming a blabbermouth. Once you reply to this, that is. :)
The hone-off idea has been proposed and shot down a few times. I think it would be fun if everyone kept their sense of humor about it. :shrug:
Boy, this thread has gotten off track. :) I forgot it was even in the strops forum. Sorry for my part in that!
Cheers back atcha,
Josh
sorry to interrupt but I've kind of had my eye on this paddle strop for daily use. If anybody has any experience with this one or any personal recommendations feel free to chime in.
http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.c...4&categoryId=4
Very good strop!
good! because I should have 1 on the way and it also looks like they are out of stock now.