Kind of a funny thought, but still curious. I have been straight razor shaving for about 2 years and honing my own razor for about 2 months less than that. Today, while messing around with one of my straights I decided to tree top some hair off the top of my head (I'm basically out of arm hair and leg hair). Would this also work as an appropriate measure of sharpness, or no?
Tree Topping, On My Head?
- Thread starter Sinnbad11
- Start date
Just shave with it, that’ll tell you instantly! 
Yes that's true. I'm getting some experience in being able to tell after I strop if the blade it ready by feel.Just shave with it, that’ll tell you instantly!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Once you have sort of calibrated the test by testing and shaving with different razors, it could work okay I suppose, but kind of awkward. You can get a pack of human hair from a beauty supply store. A small pack will last you a long time. With this, you can maybe use HHT very successfully because the hair will be of similar thickness and texture throughout the pack. Just pull out a hair, wet it, pull it through thumb and forefinger, hold it root end out, and sort of let it fall on the upturned edge of the razor about 1/2" from your fingertips. If it slices neatly and cleanly without pulling across the edge, it is super duper sharp. This is actually about the same as HHT5. Very likely it will not do this unless you have a very well executed Method edge or equivalent. Push cutting unsupported hair is something only an extremely sharp edge will do. Next pull the hair across the edge and observe what happens. Rate it by the HHT table at Hanging Hair Test - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone. Test in about 10 or 12 spots all along the edge. If you get
a solid HHT4 except one spot where there is only HHT1, you have some work to do. After HHT, shave with the razor so you develop a benchmark system, and have a pretty good idea of how a razor will perform on your face.
a solid HHT4 except one spot where there is only HHT1, you have some work to do. After HHT, shave with the razor so you develop a benchmark system, and have a pretty good idea of how a razor will perform on your face.
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