Thread: Finally did the parlor trick

Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

Tonight I will see if the shave is significantly better then the level of sharpness I normally achieve.

So, how was the shave?

Originally Posted by backpackerx

So, how was the shave?

The shave was just fine.

Noticably better than before you could pass HHT? I'm just trying to understand when a razor can shave well but not HHT and vice versa and how important the HHT sharp is. I know many say it isn't that important but many also say if it won't pass HHT they usually don't get a good shave out of it.

Originally Posted by backpackerx

Noticably better than before you could pass HHT? I'm just trying to understand when a razor can shave well but not HHT and vice versa and how important the HHT sharp is. I know many say it isn't that important but many also say if it won't pass HHT they usually don't get a good shave out of it.

Well I find that if I can pop hairs off of my arm (not touching the skin but above) that I get a good shave. I use a light touch when I shave so I don't get irritation or burn. The edge is sharper so I would say it is a better shave but I got good shaves before I could achieve that level of sharpness. I too have read forum member's posts saying they won't shave with a razor that won't pass the HHT. Now that I can get there I guess I will say the same thing.

Some rambling thoughts about the HHT...

Yes I can get a hair to pop off of even a 1k stone, but I don't consider that anything great, as I said in previous threads you can get a false positive from a ragged edge..

A wire edge can pop HHT..... I ain't shaving it though...

Once your HHT becomes a consistent thing after final stropping, you can take it one step further by "reading" how the hair pops...

My hair is thicker (easier than hers) than the wifes baby fine hair, I use hers and use no drag across the edge.... I dont wet, or even straighten the hair I just pop it....

If you have to manipulate the hair to get it to pop, that's not really HHT...

Start at the heel and work your way along the edge to the toe, or the other way around, the hair should pop everywhere, I do a minimum of 5 "tests"....

And last but not least, the HHT only means the blade is sharp, it does not mean it will shave smooth, but I would venture to say it is a good indicator of one that is really, really, close......

Just my rambling thoughts here

And way to go !!!!! JimmyH

Thanks Glen, I am working on a Puma High Class model # 91 right now. I am trying to get it to do the HHT off of the hone. I have been at it for many passes on a Shapton Pro 30K and it will pass HHT near the heel but not on the rest of the blade ..... yet. I will keep at it until I get it.

I was also afraid of over-honing. I am waiting for a 12000 grit shapton waterstone and thought it might be the next step up from my normal(now) 4000 Norton and 8000 Shapton Glass waterstone. That said, I obtained a 16000 Shapton Glass waterstone. Of course having NO patience at all, as soon as I had that 16000 stone in my hand, I had to give it a try.

Using a similar pyramid technique, I took 3 finished razors out of my rotation and tried the 8000 and 16000 Shapton Waterstones. WOW. They are very aggressive, I guess that's the word, you can feel the 16000 cutting-its very satisfying actually. I had NEVER been able to get the HHT EVERYTIME and frankly, I dismissed it as a parlor trick, since I have been getting very good shaving results. With this progression of honing I immediately got amazing edges on 3 different blades-that had been very good shavers-BUT COULDN'T pass the HHT.

Now, I wonder if I should even consider going 8000 to 12000 to 16000. I think I'll leave well enough alone,because the edges seem so much more refined. AND they can do the HHT

I worked and worked on the Puma until my elbow feels on the verge of tendinitis. Every now and then I would pull a hair out of my hairbrush and fail the HHT. Eventually I gave up and went to the strop. I did the 50 linen/50 leather and finally was passing the HHT from heel to toe with the Puma. I don't have the Shapton glass stones so I don;t know whether that would have made a difference. I probably went to the 30k pro too soon. Well maybe on the next one. I will see how the Puma shaves later today.