Thread: Try to lead with the point a little?

I came across this phrase here:

http://www.shavemyface.com/downloads...azor-Shave.pdf

It got me thinking. I have been tending to think middle of blade and I think this may have contributed to my faltering start to straight shaving. I'll get the feeling of leading with the point when I have my next shave to see how it goes.

If you learn to lead a little with the point, or even the heel your shave will improve dramatically. Not too much now or you will slice the shit out of yourself but once you master it you will wonder how you ever managed before.

I always lead with the heel.

So neither of you lead with the middle!

I just tried leading with the point - it did make things easier for me.

Leading with the heel is an interesting thought. It probably would feel that you had greater control over the blade.Looking forward to further posts about this.

The first pair of shaving pictures in the pdf posted in #1 shows a nice heel-leading stroke.

I use both heel-leading and toe-leading, as well as a "flat" stroke, at different points in my shave. I also sometimes do a stroke on my cheeks and sideburns where the heel stays relatively still and the toe sweeps around it in an arc (obviously not in a full circle, but rather a bit less than a quarter of one).

Different areas of the face will require use of different parts of the blade. You will figure them out in time. Mainly, you will find what works best for you. I'm sure if you polled the members you will find nearly something different everyone does than anyone else. The important thing is for you to find what works best for you and not worry about what you think might be right or wrong when compared to everyone else.

When I trim around my goatee I have to lead with the heel. It feels like the blade geometry it just kind of made for swinging the blade around that part of my chin.

Here are a couple of images from the WiKi Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki (see 2.3 "Slicing"):

This is from a 1961 Barbers manual. (http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi..._-_Shaving.pdf). It shows that the "correct" shave stroke is at an angle. Here it is toe-leading but it could be either toe or heel to get the most convenient stroke when shaving yourself.


The next is from a 1799 (!) text giving similar advice, so this is nothing new!


The WiKi calls this an "advanced" technique, but it is really just the right way to shave, as discussed over 200 years ago! Even Gillette used to put it in its instruction booklets that came with its DE razors.

Originally Posted by Fido

So neither of you lead with the middle!

I just tried leading with the point - it did make things easier for me.

Leading with the heel is an interesting thought. It probably would feel that you had greater control over the blade.Looking forward to further posts about this.

Depending on the area I am shaving its the point. middle or the heel leading

Originally Posted by Fido

I came across this phrase here:

http://www.shavemyface.com/downloads...azor-Shave.pdf

It got me thinking. I have been tending to think middle of blade and I think this may have contributed to my faltering start to straight shaving. I'll get the feeling of leading with the point when I have my next shave to see how it goes.

Great find Fido thank you, I'll add to my growing newbie research info