My 1st stright razor shave (ouch)

So I have come to realize that I will not be able to use my weaker hand to shave so I will be forced to shave both sides of my face using my left hand. I ended with at least 4 cuts all when using my right hand. I can see it will be a sight limiting problem using just 1 hand but I don't have much of a choice. One question is it ok to rinse between passes and re-oil with the pre oil? I thing that my burn might have been a little better if I had put more oil on.

I did get a nice close shave but some spots were too close.

Not giving up yet.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ead-first.html

Have fun

I only use my dominant hand, I know the purists will say use both but I am too uncoordinated with my left, and I don't want to bleed out while I learn.

I only use my right hand. I don't feel like I am missing out on anything. Do it your way.

I look at it as preparing for the loss of my left hand/arm in a horrible industrial accident. Just hope I don't lose the right........

Hi Jim,

Nothing wrong with using just your dominate hand, lots of guys here shave that way. I wish I could so I could use my Kamisori's correctly. I'm a two hander and for me the left hand was the challenge. Everything in the mirror was backwards when I tried to use the left. It came around very quickly though and became the more proficient of the two.....and still is.

I tried pre shave oil early on. I thought it would make the shave go more smooth, but, it didn't make my razor sharper or improve my technique one bit, and those two things were the real problem. Not very good stropping and too steep of an angle with the blade. Prep and lather were a little lacking as well.

Here's a couple of videos that might help. The first is by Glen, gssixgun showing the shave test. It's good for also showing prep and good technique. The second is by Lynn showing lathering.

Hope these help, :gl: and Good Shaves!!

Howard :)

What is "The Shave Test" for a Straight Razor - YouTube


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uYhXtw0...%3D

I'm a one handed bandit myself . Do what works best for you, most of all have fun

Hi, welcome to the forum. Did you say this was your first straight razor shave? If so, may I respectfully suggest that realising at this point in time that you can only use the dominant hand is a little pre-emptive so to speak.

I felt a lot like that too, and many have also felt the same, but with a little practice I came to be able to use both hands with ease.

I suggest you practice using a butter knife, you'll soon teach your self to use both hands.

Having said that, as some have said, using just the one hand is not a problem...

A lot of people re-apply a pre-shave oil in between passes. I used to always use a pre-shave oil, I think it helps when one is a beginner; I don't use it these days.

However, I would NOT be doing more than one pass at this stage.

Hurrah, another one hand shaving lefty, me too, the sight lines aren't really a problem. You just need to be a bit creative with your hands in regards to stretching and razor grip. My right feels like it belongs to someone else. I have used it but find it so hard that u just don't.

Normally I would agree 1 time is not enough data to make a call 1 way or another. However, I did a ton of reading and youtube watching and agree both hands would be better but when I actually tried it I found out a problem I had and was not a wear of. About 25 years ago I had a shop accident that mangled my middle finger and when I try to hold the razor with my 2 fingers infront of the pivot on the spline I dont have good enough control on the angle and I dont think i will ever get there. My thoughts are master the 1 handed way and maybe a few years from now try both hands again. For now I'm a 1 handed lefty so be it.
Also to everyone out there that has posted how too and what nots awesome work guys it has all been super helpful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chugach68

I only use my dominant hand, I know the purists will say use both but I am too uncoordinated with my left, and I don't want to bleed out while I learn.

---

I hope you took more from that link than just learning to use both hands..............

:shrug:

By all accounts I'm a full fledged newbie; just over a month shaving with a SR.
This month's Beginner's Tip is dead on- Slow Down.
What seemed impossible a month ago is now very do-able.
I'm embarrassed by what I used to classify as a good shave with a SR early on against what I know now. I can't help but wonder what I'll think is a good shave in another month...another year. That definition will change as proficiency increases.

Along those same lines and more in-line with the topic, non-dominant hand is VERY do-able. Lot's of suggestions as how to increase proficiency here on the site (one being as simple of brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand...it works).

Like they say in Jumpmaster School: Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast.

Good luck and Enjoy.

Greetings Jim,
Only 4 cuts? My first SR shave...
face looked like I ran through a barbed wire fence.
That was using both hands. Even after a few shaves,
I still felt like the shakiest gun in the west.
You would be surprised how fast that weak hand
Joins the club. Don't know if you DE shave, but you
could practice using both hands there.
These days the only time I use oil is when there is
time for a Leisurely shave. Pretty much, I'll apply oil
for first pass. After that everything goes smoothly.
Pre shave prep. is very important.
Good luck&hang in there.

quality gear, face prep, lather, stropping, and technique are only a few of the dimensions of SR shaving. All are equally important.

interestingly, i find i can shave better with my non-dominant hand, with which i can do nothing else, than i can with my dominant hand....maybe caution, maybe touch, maybe vision in the mirror....not sure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JimW

Normally I would agree 1 time is not enough data to make a call 1 way or another. However, I did a ton of reading and youtube watching and agree both hands would be better but when I actually tried it I found out a problem I had and was not a wear of. About 25 years ago I had a shop accident that mangled my middle finger and when I try to hold the razor with my 2 fingers infront of the pivot on the spline I dont have good enough control on the angle and I dont think i will ever get there. My thoughts are master the 1 handed way and maybe a few years from now try both hands again. For now I'm a 1 handed lefty so be it.
Also to everyone out there that has posted how too and what nots awesome work guys it has all been super helpful.

---

Sorry to hear about your accident. I never ever hold my razor with two fingers on the tang in front of the pivot, I always hold it with one finger to the front of the scales and one to the rear. Of course, this won't solve your problem ;)

@JimW,

Hang in there. I just had my 8th shave and it was a DFS(Damn Fine Shave). *And* I successfully used my left(weak) hand without a thought.

I'm obviously new, but I've had a fair share of issues to work through. Just keep on reading, asking and practicing :) Oh, and the most important, keep LISTENING! ;)

Welcome.

If you have physical limitations then this will be similar to any other "new way to do it" task. Using only one hand is no sweat. I use my dominate hand for about 80% of my face. You'll figure it out just keep trying.