XTG Question

I am not quite ready for ATG but I did try a small stroke on my neck yesterday in my problem area on the right center neck and it worked great on the beard in that area. From Lynn's video I used my left hand on the right side. I just did one short maybe 3/4" stroke.

Would like to continue with just a short stroke like that for a bit as I get used to it and not try to go too far, too fast. Expand the stroke as I get used to it, maybe in a week, maybe in a month, who knows.

I would also also like to do the same on the cheek area and am wondering if that should be done cross handed also or if it should be right hand, right cheek on mustache side and left hand, right cheek on ear side.

I don't remember seeing a video of ATG on the cheek.

Won't go faster than comfort level allows and will not do if it doesn't feel right. I was going to try the ATG on the neck a week ago and as the blade touched the lather it didn't fell right so I stopped.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.

I use my right hand for all strokes on the right side of my face, and my left hand for all strokes on the left side of my face.
On my neck I use my left hand for the right side, and my right hand for the left side except for when I'm doing a straight downward pass.
Do whatever feels right to you.

Everyone develops their own way of using the strokes. Depending on if you are right or left handed and how you find the most facility in using the razor will tell you how to do it. Personally I use my right hand to do the right side and left to do the left. However I've also used the left to do the right side and the right to do the left side. There is no universal way.

I have been using my right hand on the right side and left hand on the left side with WTG and ATG. Just wasn't sure with against the grain, with the different grip.

Today I wasn't feeling as comfortable so I did not try any XTG.

Thanks

This is a ymmv discussion for certain.. me wtg atg dame hand as side xtg opposite hand

For me:

WTG, Right hand right side, left hand left side

XTG + ATG, Right hand left side, left hand right side

For me too it's right side right hand, left side left hand except when lining in around my Van Dyke, then I use the opposite hand to bring an XTG stroke up to the line for all above the jawline strokes.
Below the jaw line I almost always use the opposite hand for each side of my neck for my ATG, and XTG strokes. I no longer do WTG strokes on my neck as I find that starting off with ATG on my neck just works better for me.
As was mentioned earlier this is something that we have to experiment with depending on how our beard grows and our ability at welding the edge.
I find that the better I get at honing very keen edges that are smooth makes for allot more options on what strokes I can do and where, to get a great BBS shave with very little irritation.

FranfC:

I hope to some day be able to hone keen edges also.

You will my friend no worries you will.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peterlh

Do whatever feels right to you.

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I told that to a mate, the next week or so he tells me he used dominate hand only all week, he said his non dominate hand didn't feel right :aargh:

When I first started straight razor shaving I pretty much used my dominant hand for the whole shave. I knew damn well that I should have been training my left hand to shave but I was lacking patience and wanted to see how well I could get a decent shave done. Eventually after the fear factor of the blade subsided and I got some confidence then I focused on left handed shaving. I do see the advantages of ambidexterity in str8 shaving there are going to be spots on your face that are just easier to get using one hand or the other. Certainly you will be able to see what you are doing better by using both hands. Even after saying this I still don't see anything wrong with using the hand you are more comfortable with to shave, after all the goal here is to actually finish shaving and enjoy the result. I think that its just a choice. I believe many ways to skin a cat. Explore them all see what sticks and whats enjoyable and make it yours.

I'm pretty new (30+ shaves with straight). From the start, I tried using both hands. Similar to others, using the hand on the side of the face with WTG. Now that I'm doing some XTG and ATG, I'll use the alternate hand on the neck, and for ATG, the alternate hand on the cheek/sideburns. I still use my dominant right hand for detail areas around the chin amost exclusively. Don't trust my left.

However, I do find that, although I don't seem to have as good of control and handling with the left (yet?), I do find a much lighter touch. I use less pressure with that hand. Go figure!

I do what I'm comfortable with, but have been forcing myself to try to increase using the non-dominant hand.

PCM:

I'm finding the same thing with my left hand, lighter touch and less pressure. I actually feel much more comfortable with left hand on left side for WTG and ATG. Tried right hand on left side once for a WTG and stopped immediately as it just didn't feel right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by apipeguy

PCM:

Tried right hand on left side once for a WTG and stopped immediately as it just didn't feel right.

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Yeah I get those feelings too, usually just before I nick my ear... :gaah: