Thread: I think I'm in trouble

Heeding advice from others much smarter than me on the forums, I started using my left hand to shave with my DE (I won't have a chance to get to my straights to start for a few weeks) and I'm starting to realize how adept I'm not with my left hand. It feels a little better today than it did yesterday, but it is still completely foreign. I'm hoping this will help me with straight shaving when I can finally start doing it.

You're good. It should seem difficult for a while. You can also get a pretty good shave on one hand alone if you desire. No worries at all.

This may sound a little silly, but in your spare time, hold the razor in your left hand as much as you can playing around with holding it in shaving positions and making shaving motions with it. The more you play around with it, the easier it will get to start using the other hand for real.

Have fun,

Lynn

I think it might help you to ease into shaving with the non-dominant hand just like Lynn advises in his Wiki article, by just doing the left cheek at first and then taking on the more difficult areas as you gain experience.

It can take a little time to be comfortable with it. I would definately do as Lynn has suggested, and make sure you are using the non-dominant hand any time you shave. After a week or 2 you will be a seasoned pro.

Originally Posted by Lynn

This may sound a little silly, but in your spare time, hold the razor in your left hand as much as you can playing around with holding it in shaving positions and making shaving motions with it. The more you play around with it, the easier it will get to start using the other hand for real.

Have fun,

Lynn

I've been doing that with my first razor, much to the concern of my family. It took a while to explain that if I'm going be holding a blade to my face, I intend to be comfortable holding it. But that's with my dominant hand. I'll scoot off now and research this talk of using the weaker hand.

You want to develop facility with your non dominant hand? The best way is just practice writing (print not cursive) with it.

Thanks for all the replies and great advice. I have a Zeepk straight (I just bought the set for the cheap stand) so I'll start playing around with that in my spare time. I have decided to start using my left as much as possible for anything I can to help build dexterity in that hand. This should be interesting.

It took me a couple of months of baby steps before I'd do any left-handed passes with my straight. They're still cautious, but there's one spot I can really only do well left-handed.

That is an interesting project of yours, building dexterity. It's fun when it starts coming--I can now drive nails and run a drill left-handed. Had to learn after blowing out my right elbow.

Good luck with your shaving!

I cut the tendon on my right hand when I was a kid, so I was forced to use my left hand for many things for a long time. It's very suprising just how stupid your left hand is.... at first I couldn't even open my soda left handed... Before I was done I could through a frisbee left handed...