Hanging Hair Test (HHT)

[Flask]

Hi Guys
I am getting interested in straight razors, and have reading up on them.
I am sure many of you are familiar with the HHT.
In case you are not - You take a hair and gently guide it down on the razors edge, and if it is sharp it will cut the hair.
I tried this test with some brand new DE blades and SE blades, even a feather which is suppose to be the sharpest, as well as some new shavette blades, and not one passed this test.
All I know now is that even a brand new blade DE, SE, or Shavette, is not as sharp as a properly honed and stropped straight.
Not sure what my point here is, but wonder just how much duller they really are from a blade that will pass the HHT.
I was kind of surprised, expected a new one would pass the HHT.
Guess I expected to much.

 

[erictski]

Hi Guys
I am getting interested in straight razors, and have reading up on them.
I am sure many of you are familiar with the HHT.
In case you are not - You take a hair and gently guide it down on the razors edge, and if it is sharp it will cut the hair.
I tried this test with some brand new DE blades and SE blades, even a feather which is suppose to be the sharpest, as well as some new shavette blades, and not one passed this test.
All I know now is that even a brand new blade DE, SE, or Shavette, is not as sharp as a properly honed and stropped straight.
Not sure what my point here is, but wonder just how much duller they really are from a blade that will pass the HHT.
I was kind of surprised, expected a new one would pass the HHT.
Guess I expected to much.

take one of the DE blades and strop it on leather to smooth it out, then try it.

Also, the HHT isnt the end all for sharpness. Some peoples hair doesnt do well with it, doesnt mean the edge is not good.

But try stropping the blade and try again...a DE blade is not as polished as a straight is after the straight is stropped.

 

[BrookR1]

I found the opposite to be true. Whenever I did the HHT on a new DE blade, it was easily HHT4 or HHT5. The sharpest I've ever gotten a straight (with a lot of work) was an HHT4. I normally keep my straights at HHT3, which is the minimum I go before I shave with them.

 

[Quintar]

All I know now is that even a brand new blade DE, SE, or Shavette, is not as sharp as a properly honed and stropped straight.
Not sure what my point here is, but wonder just how much duller they really are from a blade that will pass the HHT.
I was kind of surprised, expected a new one would pass the HHT.
Guess I expected to much.

The hanging hair test really isn't an indicator of sharpness, it it more for providing feedback on the blade edge's condition while honing it. You can have a very rough edge on a straight and it will easily cut a hanging hair. DE blades are usually sharper than a straight because they are thinner to begin with and are machine ground to an extremely fine edge, plus they have never been used. they may be failing the test because you are doing it wrong, or they could be so smooth they are not biting into the hair when you bring it near the blade.

I wouldn't judge too much on the HHT, I've had some horribly rough straights pop hairs no problem while very sharp smooth blades have trouble cutting the hair but shave fantasticly. That's why I use a microscope to look at the edge when honing. much more reliable and informative than the HHT

 

[sychodelix]

Make sure the hair is wet too. The test is not done with dry hair. And the blade is more effective at a slight angle.

 

[fchan]

And follicle pointing away from your fingers too. It will fail if you are holding it by the follicle.

 

[rider4life]

How do you even come up with the HHT numbers? I've done a couple of searches and maybe my google-fu just isn't very strong but I couldn't find anything other than a brief description of HOW to test.

Cheers,

M.

 

[inspiringK]

I'll agree with the others in saying that you are probably doing something different with your HHT. DE blades are really sharp and should at least pass anyone's HHT.

Make sure the hair is wet too. The test is not done with dry hair. And the blade is more effective at a slight angle.

I don't ever wet hair before conducting an HHT. It may work better that way? But, I have not found the need to go through the effort.

And follicle pointing away from your fingers too. It will fail if you are holding it by the follicle.

^^^This may be the problem.

Actually, the idea of using a DE to get a baseline for how a good edge should respond to your HHT sounds like a good idea

 

[Flask]

I think I was holding it by the follicle, and it was dry, why would the way it is held make a difference?
Have to give it another try.

 

[smalltank]

if your edge cuts armhair effortlesly with your straights edge your fine...straight razors can be smoothed out yet maintain their sharpness using hones..just cause its sharp doesnt mean its forgiving

 

[shaverjoe]

How do you even come up with the HHT numbers? I've done a couple of searches and maybe my google-fu just isn't very strong but I couldn't find anything other than a brief description of HOW to test.

Cheers,

M.

Look here-

Www.coticule.be

 

[shaverjoe]

I think I was holding it by the follicle, and it was dry, why would the way it is held make a difference?
Have to give it another try.

The orientation of the hair is important to let the shingles of the hair catch the razor's edge. Hold the hair the the root pointing away from your hand and as someone else mentioned, you should moisten the hair.

 

[Flask]

The orientation of the hair is important to let the shingles of the hair catch the razor's edge. Hold the hair the the root pointing away from your hand and as someone else mentioned, you should moisten the hair.

"shingles of the hair", ???? Boy where getting in kind of deep here now