Hanging Hair Test (HHT)

Never gave much thought to this test (HHT), And I'm sure I'm not alone,But today I made an awesome discovery !.
I was sharpening my daily user, I always test readiness by the "stickiness" of the edge, and figured I'll try the Hanging Hair Test. I did it , so I guess it is a sure sign that if this is the case than one proves the other("stickiness test" along w/ the HHT).

And you can join a million "knife Knuts" doing the same thing. Especially after their arm hair resembles a dog with mange.

Now splitting the hair....there's a test

If you're talking about placing the newly-sharpened edge horizonally on the hair on the back of your head, alternating each side of the blade, yes -- it's for real. Idea is if one side slips, that edge has curled a tad and needs to be retouched. I've used it for years and personally believe it's the best way to be sure your blade is truly sharp. Works great with knives, too!

Personally, I've never seen a knife that is truly razor sharp. I've seen a lot of knives whose owners or makers claimed were razor sharp, but none of them has ever come close to the sharpness of even my least sharp straight. The ability to cut a hair off your forearm is not a test of razor sharpness as far as I'm concerned - way too easy. I'm not saying it isn't possible, just that its a claim that I've never seen verified. Anyway, I don't think a person would really want a knife that sharp. It would be a very delicate edge.

Like I said earlier , I can tell by the "stickiness" with my thumb(with hardly any pressure at all!). Another way is by light refraction which always worked for me. Also being a furniture maker I've learned how to sharpen my tools to shaving sharp or scary sharp. When I shave with the Edge at its most possible(my standard)sharpness , I great a GREAT shave,
No pressure no rash(my new motto or maybe the next great hit!)

My pop has never used a streight edge, nor have I. Anyime we sharpen any knife this is exactly how we know if it is sharp enough.

This is how I do it. Just hold the blade, edge up, and holding the hair about an inch or so from the razor, bring it down onto the blade. It should readily pop in two with little or no resistance from the hair. If the hair splits, or little curled shavings of it roll off, IMHO the edge is still not quite sharp enough.


At least that's the way I do the test. To be honest the sensitivity of my thumb isn't quite "there" enough for the wet thumbtip test that Joe Lerch et al like.
By the way, don't laugh. That was pretty hard for me go get a picture of...Lena was holding the camera and trying to get it to focus, and those of you who have tried, know what I'm talking about. The edge of a straight does not like being photographed for some reason, that, and my photo skills aren't "quite" there, either...
John P.

Well, I am sure John knows this but for the sake of others, sorry if I am teaching people how to suck eggs (I recently heard this expression ):

HHT is
1) just an approximation and not a *real* shaving test
2) very subjective (relative to specific hair)

For example, HHTs can be passed by the same razor with some hairs and not others. I do try to use silvertip when I have some (from shedding brushes, but I have heard advice to buy a cheap badger brush and use it for HHT ) but even there there is significant variability in hairs, don't we all know this only too well

Also: when I hone I pass HHT off Norton 4K or Blue Belgian. Still, shaving at this point would be very uncomfortable. Sure - can be done, but I doubt you'd like it. The edge needs to be polished on finer hones first.

Disclaimer: Despite my sensitive skin, I have had very comfortable shaves (no irritation) with relatively dull razors. Not BBS but good. This I attribute to technique and prep.

Cheers
Ivo

Well, there's always the Taste Test.

Run the edge along your tongue.

A sharp edge will taste metallic,
A REALLY Sharp edge will taste like blood!

tim8557 said:

Well, there's always the Taste Test.

Run the edge along your tongue.

A sharp edge will taste metallic,
A REALLY Sharp edge will taste like blood!

Click to expand...

That's just wrong plain wrong!!!!

Regarding the HHT, I recall some of the blademasters at SRP remarking that the HHT didn't necessarily indicate the shave-worthiness of a blade. There was a long thread about this and the gist of it was the some blades that passed the HHT actually weren't ready for shaving, and some that failed the HHT shaved beautifully.

The upshot was that some of these hone-masters tested their work by shave testing. They knew the blades were ready or very close to ready from experience and they'd lather up a small area and shave test the blade. The guys at SRP are really into blade prep and when a blade gets their blessing, it's ready.

-- John Gehman

.....usually, anyway.
I've been at SRP also for several years, (you'll find a lot of folks "cross-pollenate" between the forums, not just me) and I won't tell you every edge I've gotten, either for myself, or from some of the more well-known hands at a hone, has been perfect. For quite a long time the HHT was the "in" test to let someone know the blade should be ready for a test shave. These days quite a few like the thumb tip tests. Regardless of the test you prefer, none of these will guarantee your blade will feel smooth on your (or anyone else's for that matter) only shaving will do that for you.
To make matters worse, an edge that feels nice on your face....might not cut the mustard for another man.
I think the best way to do this stuff, is to get a razor from someone who has been at this awhile and sharpened it for you (I know it's sacrilege, but I've had a factory edge on one of my Dovo's shave me better than just about anything I've purchased from one or more honemeisters) then get another, off ebay or wherever, use a RadioShack microscope or other technique, and practice making your EBAY razor look the same under magnification...
Next thing you know, you'll be like the rest of us, unwilling to part with your razors. It WILL happen... you will start honing up a razor, planning to sell it...then the next thing you know, "Hey, wait a minute....this thing is NIIIICE"...the razor ends up in your shave kit for a few weeks....and the whole idea of selling it goes right out the window.....
Sorry.
It's a sickness. I could've just written "YMMV"

John P.

What does IMHO mean? I'm seeing it everywhere.

visualco2 said:

What does IMHO mean? I'm seeing it everywhere.

Click to expand...

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion.

HTH.

(Hope That Helps)

-- John Gehman

IMHO that's a good one!