How Sharp Is Your Blade??

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by DaltonGang, Apr 23, 2017.

  1. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    I know that most SR users do the HHT, but what is the HHT4? What are the different levels of sharpness that we judge our Straight Razors by?

    Just for fun, I took a new DE blade, a Gillette 7o'clock Yellow, and tested it with the HHT. It was sharp, and did pop very fine hairs, just not with the ease of a SB Arkie finished razor. So, in the end, I was surprised the DE razor wasn't at least as sharp as the SR, since the Yellows were my favorite DE blade.
     
  2. gssixgun

    gssixgun At this point in time...

    Supporting Vendor
    If you read the Prof Voerhaven paper and follow along through the tedious minutiae :)

    What he found doing the sharpness tests was

    The Sharpest DE he measured was .31 Microns
    The best SR edge he measured was .32 Microns

    They basically start cutting hairs at .50 microns, so not much difference between when they start popping arm hair and the edge is maxed out....

    The paper was done in 2004 IIRC it is kinda hard to find online now but there should be some links over on SRP that are still live


    Have Fun reading through it :D
     
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  3. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    :happy088:

    Now, can you explain
    HHT 1
    HHT 2
    HHT 3
    HHT 4
     
  4. Bjoerge Brathagen

    Bjoerge Brathagen Well-Known Member

  5. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

  6. HolyRollah

    HolyRollah BaconLord

    The HHT guidelines are of some value as they reveal a certain level of edge refinement. However, IMO, sharpness takes a backseat to comfort when it comes to shaving and edge refinement. I've had killer-sharp edges (HHT4+) on certain razors that were not as comfortable to shave with as some razors that barely pass ANY level of the HHT.
     
  7. Beadog

    Beadog Well-Known Member

    I usually shave with a razor without doing the HHT. What I have found is that HHT has no bearing on the quality of my shaves. I can usually "just tell" when a razor is sharp, and when to progress from one stone to the next, based on feel of the razor sliding over the stone. When I do the HHT, I use a hair from an old worthless badger brush that I bought on that big auction site for next to nothing. My wife's hair is very thin and fine, and my hair is usually less than 1/4 inch long, buzzed down on my head, so good hairs for the HHT are hard to come by at my house!
     
  8. SRNewb

    SRNewb Well-Known Member

    In the beginning, the HHT for me was useless. Many times I could not achieve it, and then as I progressed in honing and started getting consistent HHT results, they did not translate to quality of shave. I, like other have mentioned, have had blades that passed it that were horrible shavers, and blades that failed that were lovely.
    But there came a point where I could begin to get an idea(just an idea, mind you) what an edge would feel like by the way it behaved in an HHT.
    Keep in mind, I don't know or care about the different between HHT1, HHT2, HHT3, etc. It is the feel(or lack of) as the hair is cut by the edge of the blade that I've come to relate to, and there is no way I could explain that to anyone.
    I have learned to use that along with how an edge feels against the flesh of my thumb as a good indicator of whether I have a good edge or not.
    But both of these are just a way of getting a good idea of what's going on there. Just like magnification. I use it to keep track of the bevel, but it will not tell me how well the edge will shave. I can make a possibly educated guess, but that is all it really is.
    The only test that will ever matter is the shave test. MHO.
     
  9. RezDog

    RezDog Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the link. I scimmed through it a bit and will more fully read it later. I ave not seen that article before. I am not much of a HHT person.
    I generally sharpen via loupe and experience. The visual combined with instruction and experience have gotten me to mostly consistent edges. The shave test being the ultimate test. On occasion is do take a blade back to the hones after a shave test. I am mostly concerned with how the blade shaves.
     
  10. gssixgun

    gssixgun At this point in time...

    Supporting Vendor
    Honestly I have no clue as to HHT 1-5 mine goes to 11 (Spinaltap Rocks)

    Like most all "Sharp Tests" they must by learned and Calibrated to the individual doing the honing..

    The biggest problem with all of the "Sharp Tests" are their repeated use by inexperienced newbs that have never honed or calibrated a razor to them.. So they get a Perfectly honed SR then proceed to test the edge without a clue as to what they are doing, some even going so far as to do a TNT on the edge than wonder why their shave sucks :(

    As long as all "Sharp Tests" come with the warning "To be used only by the guy Honing the edge I think they are all great"

    I use the HHT at the meets to impress dumb newbs :)
     
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  11. SRNewb

    SRNewb Well-Known Member

  12. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    So, it's like I figured, the HHT is just another tool to help get to your final result, a good shave. Some use it, some don't, and some use it as a parlor trick. :happy088:
     
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  13. Beadog

    Beadog Well-Known Member

    Mostly a parlor trick. :D
     
  14. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    I always rely on the HHT; by shaving the hair hanging on my face:D This always is a good indicator of how good I did on the hones.......
     
  15. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
    :rofl:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  16. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
     
  17. Billyfergie

    Billyfergie The Scottish Ninja

    [​IMG]
    :happy097:

    Billy..:chores016:
     
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  18. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers


    We all start out as "NEWBS". But, what many of those that have been Straight Razor Shaving and honing sometimes forget, is that as "Newbs", we ask questions so we can learn. We didn't have the opportunity to have SR Shaving and Honing passed down, from out father's, so we rely on the bevy of knowledge that has been accumulated by members here. Hopefully, this knowledge is passed down to us, in an honest, and helpful manner.
    I consider myself a "Newb", as I am constantly learning new things, from others, or through trial and error. Also, I've only been at this SR thing for a little over 8 months. I would prefer not to learn through trial and error, if at all possible.
     
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  19. Bjoerge Brathagen

    Bjoerge Brathagen Well-Known Member

    :signs011:
     
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  20. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    This my friend is the difference between being a newb (noob) and a "dumb noob" :)
     
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