Thread: Hanging Hair Test, parlor trick or useful?

Do you think that the Hanging hair test is a parlor trick or a useful test?

Useful to me. I get better shaves with razors that pass the HHT. I no longer shave with razors that don't pass the HHT. You will find that many members and honemeisters disagree with me.

I find very little use for it in my honing.
I've seen razor pass that test who shaves sub-par, and I've had many who didn't pass who shaved wonderfully.
Like Kees says, I'm sure other have different experiences.

I don't think it's a parlor trick but I also dob't think it's useful in determining a shave ready razor. It may have a use in honing knives though.

I use it to check my honing progress and also after stropping to ensure the edge is not rolled and ready for the shave.

I have only honed a few razors and have had good results, but have never had one of them pass the HHT at any point.

I don't think it qualifies as a parlor trick because it's not that exciting to watch. I can't imagine a parlor full of people being thrilled by me showing how I can cut a hanging hair with my razor. I offered to put on the show for the women in the office, and they were polite but said "no thanks".

I don't think it's a parlour trick.

I do think it can be a useful test....the key work is CAN.

Many people seem to think that an HHT determines whether their blade is ready for a shave test. This is true if you, and only you, have honed the blade and calibrated the HHT to your hair.

It is useless if I hone your blade, and send it home to you, and you email me and say "I tried the HHT test, and it didn't work". There is no data between my honing and your hair.

There is data between my hair and my honing. When I started honing, I used the HHT with my wife's hair, which is very thin. If the razor would pass it, I would shave test. If it wouldn't, then I didn't shave test. I calibrated the HHT by shave testing razors that did not pass her HHT, and low and behold they pulled like crazy on my face. I used it as a means of avoiding injury on my own face.

After a while, there are many other indicators on the stones that will tell you you're just about "there". You can feel the rough spots every time you move to a new stone, you can watch the water, you can feel the razor all of a sudden go from hydroplaning to being "sucked" into the stone. These watch points help me more than any HHT ever did.

Hope you didn't mind my two cents worth.....

Originally Posted by Maxi

I don't think it's a parlour trick.

I do think it can be a useful test....the key work is CAN.

Many people seem to think that an HHT determines whether their blade is ready for a shave test. This is true if you, and only you, have honed the blade and calibrated the HHT to your hair.

It is useless if I hone your blade, and send it home to you, and you email me and say "I tried the HHT test, and it didn't work". There is no data between my honing and your hair.

There is data between my hair and my honing. When I started honing, I used the HHT with my wife's hair, which is very thin. If the razor would pass it, I would shave test. If it wouldn't, then I didn't shave test. I calibrated the HHT by shave testing razors that did not pass her HHT, and low and behold they pulled like crazy on my face. I used it as a means of avoiding injury on my own face.

After a while, there are many other indicators on the stones that will tell you you're just about "there". You can feel the rough spots every time you move to a new stone, you can watch the water, you can feel the razor all of a sudden go from hydroplaning to being "sucked" into the stone. These watch points help me more than any HHT ever did.

Hope you didn't mind my two cents worth.....

I like your points. I am pro-HHT and of course to me the final test is how the razor shaved. The HHT gives me assurance that the edge is not rolled and I also use it as MY indicator as to whether I should or should not shave with the razor after honing and stropping. Your point about the razor going from hydroplaning to being sucked into the stone is a good one; that too is a good indicator along with the HHT and shave test.
I upped your two cents worth!

I voted 'both answers' because the truth is I don't know. Like Birnando said, I've seen razors pass that shaved sub-par, and I've had many that didn't pass and shaved well. I like it when they pass but I'll give them a try if they don't and more often than not the ones that don't pass are at least decent if not good shavers. OTOH, those that do pass are usually real good. The texture of the hair, holding it with the root out (away from the fingers) whether it is clean ...... there is a learning curve , it seems , to this too.