Thread: Mandatory to use left hand?

No such thing as "mandatory" anything. If it works for you, it's the right method. Myself, I found I was actually more attentive with my left hand, and that my technique was a little better with the off hand. My right is now comparable to the left after a couple dozen shaves, but, if it isn't working for you, why bother with it?

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I remember posting a post years ago when I started saying "Can you hold the razor like this?" and people replied, "Yeah, sure, if you WANT to, but..."

I decided to try and use both hands right then and have never looked back. I'm VERY right handed. I think some people are maybe more balanced, i.e. they can actually DO things with their non dominant hand. I can't throw a ball five feet with my left hand (well, slight exaggeration but I'm REALLY bad at doing things with my left hand).

My young son forced himself to kick a football (the real type of football, Aussie Rules football) when he was about 8 pretty much equally well with both feet.

I guess practice makes perfect. I'll practice with my left hand for sure but it seems--based on everyone's comments--whatever works for you is all that matters. Thanks for replying.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

I switched hands from the first straight razor shave, because I figured the Lord gave me two hands and I shouldn't waste His work. Looking back, I am glad I did, because switching hands improves my field of vision, and it deepens my embrace of the art form. Then again, it's your razor to use any way that is comfortable.

That's the thing I notice for sure: using both hands really improves my field of vision. Hopefully I'll get good with my left. Thanks.

Originally Posted by BobH

There are few things shaving related that are written in stone as a "must" do it this way. I trained myself from the beginning to use both hands with a SR but I still shave using only my right with a DE. Whatever gets you there safely.

Bob

Every time I hear Lynn say "I strongly suggest" I assume that he means it's set in stone. But as other users have commented, all that matters is what works for you. Hopefully I can learn with my left. Thanks for taking the time out and replying.

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

I'm left-handed and have permanent nerve damage from a neck injury. My right arm and hand muscles and sensation are either shot or compromised and a slight hand tremor comes and goes. If I can learn to shave with both hands, anyone who wants to will learn. Starting out with a plastic knife (I recommend the Bojangles knife cause I like their chicken) it felt natural using my non-dominant hand in less than 10-days.

It works either way for me now. I can shave both hands, lefty and righty.

Plastic Knife? That's interesting. An earlier user, dannywonderful, also suggested a method of learning with the left. I'll try both. Thanks.

Originally Posted by hotreffys

Every time I hear Lynn say "I strongly suggest" I assume that he means it's set in stone. But as other users have commented, all that matters is what works for you. Hopefully I can learn with my left. Thanks for taking the time out and replying.

No doubt it is good advice strongly suggested. Once I got past the initial jitters of using my left hand too I found it convenient for different strokes and passes. I took my time and did not push things stopping when I felt uncomfortable.

I think there are only about 3 things set in stone for getting a good shave; having a sharp blade, making a good lather and having a good shaving technique. Getting there is another thing altogether and there are many ways to get there.

Bob

This is truly one of those sports where there are a lot of ways to get to success and personal preference plays a large part in everything from shaving tools to soaps to stones, to strops, to aftershaves, colognes and on and on. When I give advice to someone, it is not only because something works well for me every day, it is because I am trying to find ways for new people to become successful in being able to really enjoy shaving with a straight razor as quickly as they can. In virtually every case out there the only limit to your success is you. We are all created differently and some people simply learn quicker or have less problems than others. It is very rare when someone can simply pick up a straight razor and shave well with both hands.

There are really two reasons that I strongly suggest that people learn to use both hands when shaving. The first is that using the off hand very much increases your field of vision as previously mentioned. The second is that when you learn to use your non dominant hand, you will find that your technique dramatically improves as does the quality of your shaves. You are able to use the razor at different angles and perform different strokes that make it much easier to take on parts of your face that are a strain when you reach across and have limited site of that area.

The more you use your non-dominant hand, the better you get in it's use. You don't have to start off shaving your face with your opposite hand. You can as suggested try to write with your other hand. You can also open and close the razor using both hands. You can go through the motion of stropping with the opposite hand and never touch the razor to the strop. You can go through the motion of shaving with the opposite hand and never touch the razor to the face until YOU feel your are ready and when you do feel that you're ready, take it on a little at a time just like when you learned to shave with your dominant hand.

The main thing is to learn to enjoy the experience and using your straight razor. Once you get through the learning curves involved, you usually can't help but have fun and want to learn more.

I sometimes shave with my left foot.