I recommend that the new straight shaver get into the habit of testing razors by treetopping or by HHT. Test when they arrive. Test before and after stropping and shaving. Before and after honing. Generally, a typical "professional" edge will just barely treetop at 1/8" above my forearm. Meh. It will shave, but that's not all there is, by a long shot. Guys used to shave off barber hones. That doesn't mean we should settle for that level of sharpness now.
