Unicot troubleshooting

[jkh]

Yesterday I took a razor through the full Unicot treatment. After completing 50 laps with just plain water I was at HHT-0/HHT-1. Stropping didn't help much HHT-1, maybe HHT-2. Not bad, could have been worse

So there I sat with a razor that needed something more, but I wasn't really sure what approach to take. Give it another 50 laps on plain water? Raise a super light slurry and give it 10-20 laps, rinse razor and coticule, and then 50 laps with just water? I sure there are a number of different "good" approaches. Bart does recommend taking the most conservative approach first and then get incrementally more aggressive. Suggestions? Insights? Experiences?

What I choose to do yesterday was give the razor 15 passes on a CrOx paddle strop and then stropping. That gave me a HHT-2, maybe HHT-3. I shaved with the razor this morning and it was actually a pretty close and comfortable shave, much better than I had expected.

 

[Andreas63]

Nice to hear you're making progress :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Try 50 more laps on plain water before stropping: that solved almost all my Unicot's problems with my "La Verte".

 

[Bart]

That doesn't sound too bad.

The first thing I think you need to do is compare your hair with that of another source, preferably the thickest hair around. It is very important to use hair that was freshly washed when harvested. Maybe the hair your using now just passes not that easily as what I used for my marker readings. Nothing wrong with that, just something that needs to be figured out before you can really start relying on your HHT-readings.

Now let's do a short test:
You performed Unicot with 1 layer of tape, right? For this test, put on 2 layers of tape, and make 60 light laps on water.
In the assumption that the hair behaves like the ones I use, it is very unlikely that it would not pass HHT-3 right off the hone. (without any stropping). If it does not, 99% chance that you are experiencing a problem with your honing stroke. If so, we'll try to figure that out next. But I'm going to presume that your razor will pass HHT-3. Time to strop. After that, any clean hair, thick or thin, should easily pop, at greater distance from the holding point as it did right off the hones. If not, we must look at stropping, though it seems to me you're doing fine with that.

Can you do that small test and report back?
To reiterate: choose clean thick hair, perform HHT in current condition.
Next, put on 2 layers of tape and make 60 light laps, again perform the HHT.
Finally, if everything checks out, strop 60/60, and perform the HHT again.
Please let me know what happens, it allows me to get an idea of what's happening.

Kind regards,
Bart.

 

[urmas]

compare your hair with that of another source, preferably the thickest hair around

Hi Jeremy,

I'm suffered with the same weak hair problem for a long time. The solution is there and it is easy and convenient - look for women hair extensions. FYI, Asian hair is generally thicker than European hair. Of course, select only 100% human hair.

Good hair day,
Urmas

 

[jkh]

compare your hair with that of another source, preferably the thickest hair around

Hi Jeremy,

I'm suffered with the same weak hair problem for a long time. The solution is there and it is easy and convenient - look for women hair extensions. FYI, Asian hair is generally thicker than European hair. Of course, select only 100% human hair.

Good hair day,
Urmas

Urmas - most excellent idea. I just hope my wife doesn't find my stash of hair extensions, that might difficult to explain

Bart, I'll report back with my results. Your assumption was correct a single layer of tape was used to finish the Unicot.

 

[maro]

Of course, select only 100% human hair.

You mean avoid werewolf or vampire hair, don't you?

I just hope my wife doesn't find my stash of hair extensions, that might difficult to explain

It is difficult to explain, believe me, it is. Even if you explain it beforehand, don't count for her uncritical acceptance.

 

[jkh]

Quick update:

I didn't have any free time last night to do 60 laps with two layers of tape on clean water. I could have rushed it, but that would have produced poor results.

I picked up a bag of human hair extensions at a local beauty supply store. One question about the HHT - how fast should the hand holding the hair move. I assume that a quick downward movement would slice/pop the hair better than a slow downward movement.

Shaved with the razor again this morning - even better than yesterday. I had a really nice shave. This is fantastic because things are only going to get better :thumbup: Thanks again to everyone for all the help. I'll report back once I have the proper time and environment to complete the test that Bart suggested.

Cheers,
Jeremy

 

[wdwrx]

...I picked up a bag of human hair extensions at a local beauty supply store. ....

Just curious... what kind of look did you get from the sales staff? Did you explain what you wanted them for? Or did you let them draw their own conclusions?

 

[jkh]

I didn't explain to them what exactly I was using the hair for - All I told the sales woman was, I wanted the cheapest package of human hair extensions they had for a "project". She didn't really think it was odd. I too was expecting more of a response.

 

[jkh]

Can you do that small test and report back?
To reiterate: choose clean thick hair, perform HHT in current condition.
Next, put on 2 layers of tape and make 60 light laps, again perform the HHT.
Finally, if everything checks out, strop 60/60, and perform the HHT again.
Please let me know what happens, it allows me to get an idea of what's happening.

Kind regards,
Bart.

So, I finally found some free time to hone the razor with two layers of tape. After 60 light laps on water only the HHT was HHT-2/HHT-3. I tested as numerous points from heel to toe, some caught and popped and some sliced. The results were pretty consistent along the the entire edge. After stropping it was a solid HHT-3, maybe HHT-4 - I guess I'm not very good at telling the difference between catching and popping and just popping. Whatever the case, there was no slicing.

I guessing my honing stroke still needs practice

 

[BlueDun]

I guessing my honing stroke still needs practice

Hey Jeremy,
you're getting your razor to a HHT4. That's already pretty darn close as it gets and it is beyound the sharpness level that is used by many (satisfied) shavers around the world.
I do not think, that your stroke needs THAT much more practice!

Cheers
BlueDun

 

[Bart]

I think you did well. Every source of hair will respond a bit different. As you gain experience with your particular hair source, you'll learn how to "read" it and correlate minor variations to the quality of the edge. You will notice that finer hairs from the strand behave a bit differently than thicker ones, and you'll probably learn to use the thicker ones for post-hone testing and the finer ones for post-stropping tests. The results won't be exactly the same as what I get with the hair I use, so close enough is good.

I think you've done a successful Unicot. Make sure you strop it well. I often see edges that are honed well, but no stropped as well as they could. Your statement that the second shave of a razor was better than the first one, makes me a bit suspicious of that.

By the way, I never get a HHT-5, at least not with a Coticule edge. Sometimes it comes close, but I don't really worry about it, because at HHT-4, a razor will shave excellent. If a razor is keen enough to pop a hair at a clear distance from the holding point, is sure must be sharp enough the effortlessly shave a well-prepped beard hair at skin level.

Kind regards,
Bart.

 

[jkh]

Thank you for the help everyone. It seems that I am pointed in the right direction