Thread: Which way to stretch?

While faceturbating today, it struck me that the position in which you place your free hand relative to the razor would entirely depend on whether you were shaving WTG or ATG.

Sorry I don't know how to post a diagram here, but bear with me. WTG, you want the stretching hand behind the blade, away from it's direction of travel. ATG, you want the stretching hand in front of the blade, i.e., the blade coming toward the hand. Doing otherwise would actually make the whiskers lie flatter against the skin rather than expose them.

Think about it. See what I mean? Or is this something everybody else already understands?

I think stretching from behind the blade makes sense whether you're going WTG or ATG. I see you're point about stretching in front of the blade ATG helps to raise the hairs, but I'd be more worried about the skin bunching.

Stretching from behind the blade prevents the bunching/wrinkling/folding/you get the idea.....of the skin, which I'd be more worried about ATG.

I personally only do WTG and XTG, so take what I've written as merely a hypothetical argument.

I see what you mean and much of the time I'm behind the blade but I think it also depends on an individual's skin. At 60 years old I have to watch out for that bunching Dave was talking about if I am in front of the blade. I do in front of the blade in some areas like going North from South on my cheeks. I have found that some areas are best stretched sideways for me. It just becomes whatever works through trial and error IME.

Wow, Jimmy, look at the number of your posts! You could hit 3,000 tonight. Or, you could take it easy and savor the threshold over several more days.

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

I think stretching from behind the blade makes sense whether you're going WTG or ATG. I see you're point about stretching in front of the blade ATG helps to raise the hairs, but I'd be more worried about the skin bunching.

Stretching from behind the blade prevents the bunching/wrinkling/folding/you get the idea.....of the skin, which I'd be more worried about ATG.

I personally only do WTG and XTG, so take what I've written as merely a hypothetical argument.

I don't see how stretching skin in front of the blade would lead to bunching... If you were pushing toward the blade, then, sure. But your stretch hand is in front of the blade and pulling away from the blade. I don't get it...

I agree - it is mostly what works on an individual basis. For me, the blade is never going in the direction of my stretching hand except at the base of my neck, because of the skin crease below. Mostly it is stretching away from the blade direction or sideways.

Originally Posted by pcb01

I don't see how stretching skin in front of the blade would lead to bunching... If you were pushing toward the blade, then, sure. But your stretch hand is in front of the blade and pulling away from the blade. I don't get it...

IMO, it doesn't necessarily lead to bunching but really is not as effective at preventing it from happening. The closest analogy I can think of is when you flatten out your bedsheet. Press and stretch leftward with your left hand and move your right hand away from it going right. Now do the same with your left hand, and move your right hand starting from a distance away, going leftward to your left hand.

Just make sure you are not cutting fingers off your stretching hand and you should be fine.

Originally Posted by RayG

IMO, it doesn't necessarily lead to bunching but really is not as effective at preventing it from happening. The closest analogy I can think of is when you flatten out your bedsheet. Press and stretch leftward with your left hand and move your right hand away from it going right. Now do the same with your left hand, and move your right hand starting from a distance away, going leftward to your left hand.

O.K. That makes sense. Sometimes analogies and metaphors trump logic. There's a spot at the bottom of my neck (left side) that is prone to bunching -- I'll try it both ways and let you guys know which method draws the most blood. Watch this space!

That's right. Stretching from behind the blade is the safest shave, but stretching from behind the direction of beard growth (regardless of shaving direction actually) is the closest shave. So the question you have to ask yourself is if you want to shave safe or close. Personally. If I wanted to shave safe I'd still be using a Track II.

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