Asking advice for the left side of my face...

Hi Gents,
I am a 50-yr-old "Newbie" who has been "wet shaving" for many years (bearing in mind that I have sported a beard for about 15 of those years) with the common, over-the-counter Gillette, Shick, or whatever was on sale blade. The latest was when Gillette sent me a free "Fusion" razor in the mail. Maybe it is mid-life crisis, but I have always wanted to be able to shave with a real straight edge blade. After reading Christopher Moss' article on the Internet, I decided to go for it. I purchased a great straight-edge razor, hand honed, along with all the necessary accompaniments for a great shave. I have been practicing, and, with no MAJOR injuries, am quite proud of myself. However, I cannot get a good shave on the left side of my face (I am right-handed). According to Moss' article, you "change hands for the other side of the face". I have absolutely no skills whatsoever with the left hand, and this is how I put the gash on my neck.
I called my 78-yr-old Dad for advice, and he told me that when he turned 18, his father passed down his own straight razor to him - he tried it once, and cut up his face so badly that he never picked it up again and turned to an electric (shiver) razor instead.
So I'm turning to you guys for advice. So far, I am using the straight edge OK, but finish up the left side of my face and neck with the "Fusion", just out of convenience.
Any advice or suggestions? Thanks guys, I'm glad you're here!

The final ATG pass on the left side of the face is done with the right hand, so it should be fairly easy. For starters, you may wish to download Lynn's shaving video from our Help Files section. I found it very helpful for my shaving technique.

Sorry, but I don't know all the acronyms yet. ATG stands for ...?

Against the Grain

ATG = Against the grain

As for changing hands...I just went slowly. I started with the just the sideburn and cheek. As I grew more comfortable I started doing my chin and neck. It probably took one month before I could shave my face and neck using both hands and not relying on the Mach 3.

This is a practiced skill and with time it comes more easily. I'll also warn you that your standard of a "good" shave will rise along with your growing skill.

Ray

Like I said...I'm a "Newbie". Bob

I used to have, what I considered, a handsome handlebar moustache. My first mistake with the straight-edge was not realizing how long the blade is. I cut off the first curl of the right side within my first couple of sweeps of the razor...then had to use the scissors to even things out.

When you're finishing off your face with the against the grain pass, you use the right hand on the left side of your face and it becomes a lot easier.

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Originally Posted by Bob0425

I used to have, what I considered, a handsome handlebar moustache. My first mistake with the straight-edge was not realizing how long the blade is. I cut off the first curl of the right side within my first couple of sweeps of the razor...then had to use the scissors to even things out.

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Man, that's so depressing. A good handlebar moustache is a thing of beauty. How long will it take you to grow it back?

Not nearly as long as it will to shave it completely off!! Just kidding, I can barely stand the idea of a nice handlebar being whacked off by accident. One of the best suggestions I got was to build up the coordination in my left hand by brushing my teeth with only my left hand for about two weeks (this was before my razor arrived, so I had some lead time). When I first started, I dedicated myself to using both hands, and only on the appropriate side of the face, except for the upwards strokes on the neck, which requires the opposite hand. Others will have more advice.

Here's another suggestion: break your right hand or arm. I broke my right hand three years ago and my right arm one year ago and became much more coordinated with my left hand! :D

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

For starters, you may wish to download Lynn's shaving video from our Help Files section. I found it very helpful for my shaving technique.

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I can't seem to find this video in the help files. Am I missing something?

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Originally Posted by SteveS

Here's another suggestion: break your right hand or arm. I broke my right hand three years ago and my right arm one year ago and became much more coordinated with my left hand! :D

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Kinda like my idea, just with more pain:tu

As a newbie of 2 months I sympathsie !
I am right handed and can't seem to shave left handed, having badly cut myself twice trying.

So what I do is on first pass with the grain I hold the razor in my right hand in a 'pen grip' with the handle in inline with razor and passing through my palm , with my wrist locked I move the whole wrist down in vertical sweeps- i shave the whole left side like this with the grain.

then going across the grain I grip my ear with my left hand and pull it backwards this tightens up the skin on my left side, so I can shave to about mid cheek, when I reach mid cheek I then stretch the skin with my left hand fingertips pressed against the section I just shaved and pulling back to my ear;

then to do my jaw line I pull the skin up onto my cheek by pressing my left hand fingertips against my cheek bone and pushing up and then shave across .

fianly to go against the grain I reverse my grip so the blade is edge upwards and the handle is held down through my hand at 90 degrees to the blade ( basicaly the normal grip upside down), then locking my wrist I make vertical sweeps from bottom to top of the neck and cheek.

I don't know if it's correct but I have found it easier if I stretch the skin from behind the blade so it's sweeping away from my tensioning hand .

obviously this is my way and i'm still learning, but I do get a good shave and it's the way I am comfortable with so far :D

I have a similar problem, but the other way around....

I'm a left handed newbie, and shaving on the right side of my face with either hand more often than not yields knicks....

So I've defaulted to LEARNING to safely shave as much area as possible on the LEFT side of my face with my left hand.... and only trying the best that I can do on the RIGHT side of my face a little bit at a time and then as soon as I get or feel shakey...I STOP.... and then proceed with my MUSH 3 and finish up....if I'm alert enough, lucky, or smart enough, I'll STOP before I knick myself...usually my first knick is my "early warning system" to stop shaving with the STR8 and proceed with the MUSH 3...

What I've noticed is that with each shave, the area that I can safely shave with my STR8 razor has gradually increased, as my motor skillls and muscle coordination have improved with either hand....

That tells me that if I'm patient and just allow my brain, hands, and eyes the time needed for my body to TEACH itself what it needs to know...I'll eventually be fine!

The knicks come without fail whenever I rush, or push too far...., or lose focus on what I'm doing...

"Easy does it", has really worked best for me...

Tony

I too have been struggling like crazy with this, and have been following this thread with keen interest to work out how to do it. I am not able to use my left hand for much, despite having had my right arm in plaster twice (broken elbow and carpal tunnel problems). I tried it once with my left - it felt so unsteady, and I nicked myself.

I had a epiphany this morning though. The razor has a heel too!!! Though I was already using the heal quite effectively on the right side of my face, just next to my goatee, I had not considered using the back edge of the blade on my left cheek.

Just hold the razor like normal, as you would be doing the right side of your face, but with the heal of the blade against your ear. It actually happened naturally - whilst I was concentrating on the shave in that "zen" way that I am sure everyone here associates with - my hand sort of did it automatically. I had to stretch the skin whilst pulling my ear out of the way that involved some left hand contorions, but it worked!!!

Probably will bring sighs from the pros... I guess whatever works for you works though :)

Sunsi, I tried your method and it works for me. By using the heel of the razor, I can actually see in the mirror without my hand and wrist blocking the view. It may not be the most orthodox style of straight-razor shaving, but it seems to work for me and is much better than slicing my face due to an unsteady left hand. I'm going to keep practicing with the left hand to develop skill, but, for now, this is a much better solution than reverting to the Gillette "Fusion" to finish up. Kudos! :bow

That's great Bob - happy to share.