My experience also.
Is My Razor Sharp? The Treetopping Test
- Thread starter Slash McCoy
- Start date
It’s entirely subjective, if for any other reason that we all have different arm Hair.
The real utility of sharpness tests, for me, is benchmarking. I know, with my hair, that if a razor treetops or HHTs a certain way that it is a certain level of sharp. A different person might use the same razor with his hair and It will treetop or HHT differently. But, if we’re both experienced with our own hair and technique, we should both read that as the same result. IE, treetoppong at 2mm for me and 4mm for blues man we would both read as a certain level of sharp.
Some of the hairs are thinner than others, just like real life, but other than that it is pretty standard & simple to use.
It was listed as something like "Pre bonded human hair extensions 18" (25 strands)". It was 7 quid (maybe 10 dollars US, probably cheaper because almost everything is in the USA, compared to Britain).
25 small bundles of hair, I've done dozens of razors this year and I'm still on the first bundle, so they'll last a long time. Red hair was the cheapest, make of that what you will...lol.
That would have been my choice!
I've been lurking on this forum for a while and have learned a lot. I thought that I could finally contribute something useful, so here it is: smoothness of an edge aside, my experience has shown me that an excellent way to calibrate a sharpness test such as hht or treetopping is to load a shavette or sextoblade with a fresh blade and do the same test. Now you have a benchmark of how an edge of known sharpness performs. I also use both of these tests to see if it is time to replace a blade, as well as testing my straight. Does this make sense to others?
I like this idea. One of the harder things for me when I started was to establish a solid reference. Reading about how to recognize a sharp edge is helpful, but *seeing/feeling* one makes things fall into place. This sounds like it would provide a tangible reference while learning how to interpret sharpness test results.
You didn't say if this is before or after the strop.
Not following your question, @Disburden. Treetopping and HHT tests can be performed at any time to gauge the current sharpness of the edge.
Establishing a reference is typically done as one learns a new skill in order to provide a good benchmark for evaluating one's performance of that skill.
Establishing a reference is typically done as one learns a new skill in order to provide a good benchmark for evaluating one's performance of that skill.
Woot!
Just got my leather and balsam strops today. Before failed either test, after doing the balsam green/red then leather, did a "pop" on the HHT and would treetop a couple at 1/4 and a lot at 1/8. Will be back trying to shave tomorrow morning!
Just got my leather and balsam strops today. Before failed either test, after doing the balsam green/red then leather, did a "pop" on the HHT and would treetop a couple at 1/4 and a lot at 1/8. Will be back trying to shave tomorrow morning!
I understand, however I wanted to ask to see how Slash uses this particular test. For me, I use the Tree top test before a strop.
- Thread starter
- #32
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I use it any time I do anything with a razor, before and after. Except sending one out, only before, of course. Arm hair gets too well mowed, I switch to chest or leg.
I use a fingertip under the blade as a spacer, or sometime angle the edge away from the arm, and ride the spine against the arm. I don't go super quick, but it does provide a degree of safety when doing the test. It being at a different angle probably affects cutting height, but after doing a certain number of test, you'll know what the different cut heights mean when done that way,
I use tree topping a little bit, never had any luck with HHT. Mostly use a scope and my face. Happy so far. Magnification really brought it home for me. My theory is that a toothier edge may perform both better. Is that wrong thinking?
i've honed all my razors, and then picked up three more. I'm up to 11 shave ready straight razors, and the only consistent test for me is the thumb pad test. It's hard to explain to new people how to make it work, and it's very subjective...but each time i get the razor to the "sweet spot" it has no tugging and there's no razor burn or weepers or anything. Also probably not a great way to tell if it's shave ready, but i'm smooth for a good day and a half!
My thumb is a better test that tree topping.
But the finale is always the face test isn’t it?
Yes, but I’ve found my thumb predictive.
And I predict I’ll win the lottery every week!
