Originally Posted by
Obie
Hello, Gibbs:
My first straight shave was with a Feather Artist Club loaned by a friend, and I switched hands. I am right handed and using the left was difficult, but nothing was going to stop me from switching hands. My shave guru was the noble Lynn Abrams, who uses both hands, and I patterned my technique after his. It remains so today, with some variations.
Switching hands works better for me, although I don't do it because of set rules. There are no set rules on the subject. To train my left hand, I used it for almost all the daily chores: brushing teeth, opening doors, lathering the left side of the face, and so on. To keep my non-dominant hand sharp, I still try to perform numerous acts with it, including switching hands to make lather in the scuttle.
Sometimes I even shave the entire chin using the left hand just to keep it honed.
My suggestion, therefore, is to learn to switch hands from the start. Then again, what method you prefer is what matters. Either way, keep shaving with the straight. You will not regret it. That is until the day you scratch your head and wonder what on earth you plan to do with a 100 straight razors crowding your shave den.
Regards,
Obie