HHT: Lesson Learned

[Alum of Potash]

For years I have been using the HHT as a precursor or suggestion as to whether or not an edge was shave ready. Consistency of application seemed to be the trick. Yes, sometimes an edge that passed the HHT yielded a harsh shaving edge, but it was shaving nonetheless. Normally, an edge that failed the HHT would yield an edge that wouldn't shave that well.

Recently, I returned to an edge I hadn't used in many months. Normally, I would think it would be shave-ready, but to be sure, I tried the HHT. It failed to pass. So I stropped it. It failed to pass. I took it to a pasted strop, followed by plain leather. It failed to pass. I took it to a finishing stone, followed by the pasted strop and plain leather. It failed to pass. Finally, I reset the bevel at 2k and went back up to the finishing stone, followed by the pasted strop and plain leather. It failed to pass. Becoming exasperated, I redid a progression with a travel set of hones that never let me down, followed by the pasted strop and plain leather. Again, it failed to pass.

Left with nothing else, I shaved with it tonight. The shave was fantastic. A lesson learned, but what a needless waste of effort and wear to the razor and stones!

In short, I can no longer count on the HHT as before. Also, my diet has changed over the past month in preparation for an upcoming surgery. In applying the HHT, I noticed that it was hard for me to find the thicker hairs from my head that I normally use (taken from a comb after passing it through my hair). Perhaps the thinner hair is the culprit, based on my dietary change.

 

[rbscebu]

I doubt that it is the change in your diet. Your hair grows at about 12mm (½" for Mr. McCoy) per month.

I have never really relied on the results of a HHT. The only real test is the shave test, particularly the fool's pass test.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

The conditioner I use changed formula recently and some of my hairs won't cut for love or money now, even on the best edges. My fine brown hairs are still consistent though, but they're getting more rare.

 

[Eastcoast30]

The HHT is a guideline only. A major variable is if you hold the hair by the root, or with the root out. The test becomes very difficult if held root in. The test is much easier with root out. Fine hair is much more difficult than course hair, such as found in the pelvic region. And I have received razors from vendors that do not pass HHT but shave fine.

My last point is this: When a razor fails to pass HHT, I find that stropping on cordovan, as much as 100 laps, will generally pass the HHT. But I am not sure how important that is.

 

[Jnatcat]

I still always do an HHT but as stated it’s just a guideline as the hair I use comes off the Mrs. hair brush and I never know what condition the hair is.

Recently I finished several of my razors on a LV coti and I have never really liked a coti edge and the only reason I had one was some ppl I hone for like that type of edge but it had been awhile since I used it and I had a few of my own to hone so I thought sure why not see what edge I can get to compare to my JNAT edge and even though the HHT was less than what I get from JNATS the shave was super good so maybe I need to to rethink the HHT as well.

 

[Brutus]

With the exception of shaving some hair off my arm when I restore an old razor, I do not pay too much attention to HHT or other tests.

Not only is the ultimate test of a razor’s readiness a shave, but when I hone razors the feel of the blade on the hone tells me enough to decide whether I can go to the next higher hone - or strop, as the case may be.

Others may disagree, but to me some of these so-called tests are little more than party tricks that have little relationship with the actual shave readiness of a razor.
I have lived (and still live) in parts of the world where barbers regularly provide shaves and I still have to see the first professional barber performing an HHT.

That is not to say that I try to dissuade people from doing HHTs; every shaver should do what he thinks works best for him.
An HHT or similar drill is just not a reliable enough test for me.


B.