diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/builder_test.py b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/builder_test.py
index 7352978e7..d7df4c0b4 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/builder_test.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/feaLib/builder_test.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class BuilderTest(unittest.TestCase):
         expected = self.read_ttx(expected_ttx)
         if actual != expected:
             for line in difflib.unified_diff(
-                    expected, actual, fromfile=expected_ttx, tofile=path):
+                    expected, actual, fromfile=path, tofile=expected_ttx):
                 sys.stdout.write(line)
             self.fail("TTX output is different from expected")
 
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/__init__.py b/Lib/fontTools/subset/__init__.py
index 0f1340afd..bbdb4bd5e 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/subset/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from fontTools.misc.py23 import *
 from fontTools import ttLib
 from fontTools.ttLib.tables import otTables
 from fontTools.misc import psCharStrings
-from fontTools.pens.basePen import NullPen
+from fontTools.pens.boundsPen import BoundsPen
 from fontTools.misc.loggingTools import Timer
 import sys
 import struct
@@ -1847,8 +1847,8 @@ def prune_pre_subset(self, font, options):
                 private = font.Private
             dfltWdX = private.defaultWidthX
             nmnlWdX = private.nominalWidthX
-            pen = NullPen()
-            c.draw(pen)  # this will set the charstring's width
+            pen = BoundsPen(None)
+            c.draw(pen) # this will set the charstring's width
             if c.width != dfltWdX:
                 c.program = [c.width - nmnlWdX, 'endchar']
             else:
@@ -2207,9 +2207,7 @@ def prune_post_subset(self, options):
                 subrs = getattr(c.private, "Subrs", [])
                 decompiler = _DehintingT2Decompiler(css, subrs, c.globalSubrs)
                 decompiler.execute(c)
-            pen = NullPen()
             for charstring in css:
-                charstring.draw(pen)  # this will set the charstring's width
                 charstring.drop_hints()
             del css
 
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/subset_test.py b/Lib/fontTools/subset/subset_test.py
index 73c4b8782..253254d38 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/subset_test.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/subset/subset_test.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class SubsetTest(unittest.TestCase):
         expected = self.read_ttx(expected_ttx)
         if actual != expected:
             for line in difflib.unified_diff(
-                    expected, actual, fromfile=expected_ttx, tofile=path):
+                    expected, actual, fromfile=path, tofile=expected_ttx):
                 sys.stdout.write(line)
             self.fail("TTX output is different from expected")
 
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ class SubsetTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_timing_publishes_parts(self):
         _, fontpath = self.compile_font(self.getpath("TestTTF-Regular.ttx"), ".ttf")
+        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".ttf")
 
         options = subset.Options()
         options.timing = True
@@ -194,44 +195,6 @@ class SubsetTest(unittest.TestCase):
         # unknown tables are kept if --passthrough-tables option is passed
         self.assertTrue(unknown_tag in subsetfont)
 
-    def test_drop_hints_CFF(self):
-        _, fontpath = self.compile_font(self.getpath("TestOTF-Regular.ttx"), ".otf")
-        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".otf")
-        subset.main([fontpath, "--no-hinting", "--notdef-outline",
-                     "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
-        subsetfont = TTFont(subsetpath)
-        self.expect_ttx(subsetfont, self.getpath(
-            "expect_drop_hints_CFF.ttx"), ["CFF "])
-
-    def test_desubroutinize_CFF(self):
-        _, fontpath = self.compile_font(self.getpath("TestOTF-Regular.ttx"), ".otf")
-        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".otf")
-        subset.main([fontpath, "--desubroutinize", "--notdef-outline",
-                     "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
-        subsetfont = TTFont(subsetpath)
-        self.expect_ttx(subsetfont, self.getpath(
-            "expect_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx"), ["CFF "])
-
-    def test_drop_hints_desubroutinize_CFF(self):
-        _, fontpath = self.compile_font(self.getpath("TestOTF-Regular.ttx"), ".otf")
-        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".otf")
-        subset.main([fontpath, "--no-hinting", "--desubroutinize", "--notdef-outline",
-                     "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
-        subsetfont = TTFont(subsetpath)
-        self.expect_ttx(subsetfont, self.getpath(
-            "expect_drop_hints_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx"), ["CFF "])
-
-    def test_drop_hints_TTF(self):
-        _, fontpath = self.compile_font(self.getpath("TestTTF-Regular.ttx"), ".ttf")
-        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".ttf")
-        subset.main([fontpath, "--no-hinting", "--notdef-outline",
-                     "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
-        subsetfont = TTFont(subsetpath)
-        self.expect_ttx(subsetfont, self.getpath(
-            "expect_drop_hints_TTF.ttx"), ["glyf", "maxp"])
-        for tag in subset.Options().hinting_tables:
-            self.assertTrue(tag not in subsetfont)
-
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx b/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx
deleted file mode 100644
index 44ec5f094..000000000
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<ttFont sfntVersion="OTTO" ttLibVersion="3.1">
-
-  <CFF>
-    <major value="1"/>
-    <minor value="0"/>
-    <CFFFont name="TestOTF-Regular">
-      <version value="1.0"/>
-      <FamilyName value="Test OTF"/>
-      <isFixedPitch value="0"/>
-      <ItalicAngle value="0"/>
-      <UnderlineThickness value="50"/>
-      <PaintType value="0"/>
-      <CharstringType value="2"/>
-      <FontMatrix value="0.001 0 0 0.001 0 0"/>
-      <FontBBox value="0 0 486 660"/>
-      <StrokeWidth value="0"/>
-      <!-- charset is dumped separately as the 'GlyphOrder' element -->
-      <Encoding name="StandardEncoding"/>
-      <Private>
-        <BlueValues value="-10 0 500 510"/>
-        <BlueScale value="0.039625"/>
-        <BlueShift value="7"/>
-        <BlueFuzz value="1"/>
-        <StdHW value="20"/>
-        <StdVW value="20"/>
-        <StemSnapH value="20"/>
-        <StemSnapV value="20"/>
-        <ForceBold value="0"/>
-        <LanguageGroup value="0"/>
-        <ExpansionFactor value="0.06"/>
-        <initialRandomSeed value="0"/>
-        <defaultWidthX value="500"/>
-        <nominalWidthX value="300"/>
-        <Subrs>
-          <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-        </Subrs>
-      </Private>
-      <CharStrings>
-        <CharString name=".notdef">
-          196 10 hmoveto
-          476 660 -476 hlineto
-          108 -602 rmoveto
-          74 132 54 103 rlineto
-          4 hlineto
-          52 -103 73 -132 rlineto
-          -129 329 rmoveto
-          -50 94 -66 119 rlineto
-          235 hlineto
-          -66 -119 -49 -94 rlineto
-          -175 -277 rmoveto
-          462 vlineto
-          127 -232 rlineto
-          217 -230 rmoveto
-          -126 230 126 232 rlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="A">
-          132 304 rmoveto
-          233 263 -233 hlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="B">
-          100 304 263 hstem
-          132 233 vstem
-          132 304 rmoveto
-          233 263 -233 hlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="C">
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-      </CharStrings>
-    </CFFFont>
-
-    <GlobalSubrs>
-      <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-    </GlobalSubrs>
-  </CFF>
-
-</ttFont>
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_CFF.ttx b/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_CFF.ttx
deleted file mode 100644
index 1ca35e315..000000000
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_CFF.ttx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<ttFont sfntVersion="OTTO" ttLibVersion="3.1">
-
-  <CFF>
-    <major value="1"/>
-    <minor value="0"/>
-    <CFFFont name="TestOTF-Regular">
-      <version value="1.0"/>
-      <FamilyName value="Test OTF"/>
-      <isFixedPitch value="0"/>
-      <ItalicAngle value="0"/>
-      <UnderlineThickness value="50"/>
-      <PaintType value="0"/>
-      <CharstringType value="2"/>
-      <FontMatrix value="0.001 0 0 0.001 0 0"/>
-      <FontBBox value="0 0 486 660"/>
-      <StrokeWidth value="0"/>
-      <!-- charset is dumped separately as the 'GlyphOrder' element -->
-      <Encoding name="StandardEncoding"/>
-      <Private>
-        <BlueScale value="0.039625"/>
-        <BlueShift value="7"/>
-        <BlueFuzz value="1"/>
-        <ForceBold value="0"/>
-        <LanguageGroup value="0"/>
-        <ExpansionFactor value="0.06"/>
-        <initialRandomSeed value="0"/>
-        <defaultWidthX value="500"/>
-        <nominalWidthX value="300"/>
-        <Subrs>
-          <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-          <CharString index="0">
-            132 304 rmoveto
-            233 263 -233 hlineto
-            endchar
-          </CharString>
-        </Subrs>
-      </Private>
-      <CharStrings>
-        <CharString name=".notdef">
-          196 10 hmoveto
-          476 660 -476 hlineto
-          108 -602 rmoveto
-          74 132 54 103 rlineto
-          4 hlineto
-          52 -103 73 -132 rlineto
-          -129 329 rmoveto
-          -50 94 -66 119 rlineto
-          235 hlineto
-          -66 -119 -49 -94 rlineto
-          -175 -277 rmoveto
-          462 vlineto
-          127 -232 rlineto
-          217 -230 rmoveto
-          -126 230 126 232 rlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="A">
-          -107 callsubr
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="B">
-          100 -107 callsubr
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="C">
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-      </CharStrings>
-    </CFFFont>
-
-    <GlobalSubrs>
-      <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-    </GlobalSubrs>
-  </CFF>
-
-</ttFont>
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_TTF.ttx b/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_TTF.ttx
deleted file mode 100644
index 35696c5b2..000000000
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_TTF.ttx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,91 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<ttFont sfntVersion="\x00\x01\x00\x00" ttLibVersion="3.0">
-
-  <glyf>
-
-    <!-- The xMin, yMin, xMax and yMax values
-         will be recalculated by the compiler. -->
-
-    <TTGlyph name=".notdef" xMin="10" yMin="0" xMax="486" yMax="660">
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="10" y="660" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="486" y="660" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="486" y="0" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="10" y="0" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="375" y="58" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="302" y="190" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="250" y="293" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="246" y="293" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="192" y="190" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="118" y="58" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="250" y="387" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="299" y="481" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="365" y="600" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="130" y="600" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="196" y="481" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="246" y="387" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="202" y="340" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="75" y="572" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="75" y="110" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="419" y="572" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="293" y="340" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="419" y="110" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <instructions><assembly>
-        </assembly></instructions>
-    </TTGlyph>
-
-    <TTGlyph name="A" xMin="132" yMin="304" xMax="365" yMax="567">
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="132" y="567" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="365" y="567" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="365" y="304" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="132" y="304" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <instructions><assembly>
-        </assembly></instructions>
-    </TTGlyph>
-
-    <TTGlyph name="B" xMin="132" yMin="304" xMax="365" yMax="567">
-      <contour>
-        <pt x="132" y="567" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="365" y="567" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="365" y="304" on="1"/>
-        <pt x="132" y="304" on="1"/>
-      </contour>
-      <instructions><assembly>
-        </assembly></instructions>
-    </TTGlyph>
-
-    <TTGlyph name="C"/><!-- contains no outline data -->
-
-  </glyf>
-
-  <maxp>
-    <!-- Most of this table will be recalculated by the compiler -->
-    <tableVersion value="0x10000"/>
-    <numGlyphs value="4"/>
-    <maxPoints value="22"/>
-    <maxContours value="5"/>
-    <maxCompositePoints value="0"/>
-    <maxCompositeContours value="0"/>
-    <maxZones value="1"/>
-    <maxTwilightPoints value="0"/>
-    <maxStorage value="0"/>
-    <maxFunctionDefs value="0"/>
-    <maxInstructionDefs value="0"/>
-    <maxStackElements value="0"/>
-    <maxSizeOfInstructions value="0"/>
-    <maxComponentElements value="0"/>
-    <maxComponentDepth value="0"/>
-  </maxp>
-
-</ttFont>
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx b/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f559a453..000000000
--- a/Lib/fontTools/subset/testdata/expect_drop_hints_desubroutinize_CFF.ttx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,74 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<ttFont sfntVersion="OTTO" ttLibVersion="3.1">
-
-  <CFF>
-    <major value="1"/>
-    <minor value="0"/>
-    <CFFFont name="TestOTF-Regular">
-      <version value="1.0"/>
-      <FamilyName value="Test OTF"/>
-      <isFixedPitch value="0"/>
-      <ItalicAngle value="0"/>
-      <UnderlineThickness value="50"/>
-      <PaintType value="0"/>
-      <CharstringType value="2"/>
-      <FontMatrix value="0.001 0 0 0.001 0 0"/>
-      <FontBBox value="0 0 486 660"/>
-      <StrokeWidth value="0"/>
-      <!-- charset is dumped separately as the 'GlyphOrder' element -->
-      <Encoding name="StandardEncoding"/>
-      <Private>
-        <BlueScale value="0.039625"/>
-        <BlueShift value="7"/>
-        <BlueFuzz value="1"/>
-        <ForceBold value="0"/>
-        <LanguageGroup value="0"/>
-        <ExpansionFactor value="0.06"/>
-        <initialRandomSeed value="0"/>
-        <defaultWidthX value="500"/>
-        <nominalWidthX value="300"/>
-        <Subrs>
-          <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-        </Subrs>
-      </Private>
-      <CharStrings>
-        <CharString name=".notdef">
-          196 10 hmoveto
-          476 660 -476 hlineto
-          108 -602 rmoveto
-          74 132 54 103 rlineto
-          4 hlineto
-          52 -103 73 -132 rlineto
-          -129 329 rmoveto
-          -50 94 -66 119 rlineto
-          235 hlineto
-          -66 -119 -49 -94 rlineto
-          -175 -277 rmoveto
-          462 vlineto
-          127 -232 rlineto
-          217 -230 rmoveto
-          -126 230 126 232 rlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="A">
-          132 304 rmoveto
-          233 263 -233 hlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="B">
-          100 132 304 rmoveto
-          233 263 -233 hlineto
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-        <CharString name="C">
-          endchar
-        </CharString>
-      </CharStrings>
-    </CFFFont>
-
-    <GlobalSubrs>
-      <!-- The 'index' attribute is only for humans; it is ignored when parsed. -->
-    </GlobalSubrs>
-  </CFF>
-
-</ttFont>