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I started out easy today, just shaving my cheeks. It went well, no cuts or bruises!
I have always held the razor in my right hand (Disposable and DE). It felt fine on my right cheek, but not so natural on my left.
How do you experts shave, with one hand, or two?
Thanks, ad
I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I have been getting close and smooth shaves with one-handed shaving. It felt more natural than ambidextrous and since I'm getting great results one-handed, I have no reason to to change it.
You'll hear from advocates on both sides. I can only offer my personal perspective. I initially tried shaving with only my dominant hand but found that many parts of my face and neck were difficult to reach in what I though was a safe way. So although it did feel awkward initially, I've been a two handed shaver for a long while. Within a week or two, I no longer had a preference as to which hand the razor was in for those areas of my face that can be shaved comfortably with either one.
As always YMMV,
Ed
i started out for the first week only doing my cheeks also only using dominant hand. its good to learn angles of blade to your face, what the sound is like, what the feeling of the blade to your skin is like and how to hold the razor. then i added my jaw line and then took another week to get my neck completely done. it feels like you are going so slow, learning taking so long becuase you are anxious. but in the grand scheme, its only a couple week process for a lifetime of pleasure.
it did not take me long to see that there were positions of holding the razor, angles to cutting and beard growth that were not easily achievable with only 1 handed shaving. so during late week 2, i started using both hands. YES, it takes some getting used to BUT it doesn't take long. i have personally have found much closer and better results using 2 hands due to all the angles you can use to shave.
its like anything else. if you are scared of it, if you don't just go slow and make yourself do it and learn then you won't do it and you'll be more scared later on. i think the benefits much outweigh any downsides of 2 handed shaving. once you learn and try it and get good at it...if you don't like simply use only 1 hand. you will find what works best for you over a few months shaving, every once in a while you'll try something new or different push/pull or angle that is great and from then on you'll use that technique.
its like a layup in basketball. you can use the same hand on both sides if you want to. the ball will still go thru the hoop, however if you learn to use both hands then it opens opportunities that you wouldn't have with just 1 hand though you can still use 1 if you wanted to.
~J
All of my "difficult to reach with my dominant hand" areas hardly grow whiskers at all so I just fly with one hand now. ... "What is the sound of one hand shaving?"
X
Don't consider me an expert - but I have used both
hands since I began shaving with one of these
wonderfully addictive instruments.
Terry
Ouch...damn...not again! Where's the styptic? :roflmao (I crack me up).Quote:
Originally Posted by xman
Ed
I have been using two hands since I started. One handed makes me feel like I am about to have to go to the emergency room if I keep it up.
To me it was like driving a stick shift, at first its a bit awkward but the mroe you do it the more natural it feels.
Two hands for me, just a little practice is all it takes. Just take care when you swap hands, this is the easiest time to cut yourself.
Gary
I've only been shaving with a straight for a couple of months, but first starting out, I cut the left side of my face every time I put the razor to it (I'm right handed). I just couldn't find a comfortable way to get my right hand on the other side of my face while still being able to see what I was doing in the mirror. I quickly found that using two hands works really well. I watched Lynn's video and he made it look easy and natural, I thought at that time that two-handed shaving was the only way to do it.
Like the other guys, it did take me some time to get used to it--and I'm still a slow shaver--but since I switched I'm a lot more comfortable and confident. I stick to my right hand for my chin and upper lip, though. I really don't want a permanent, jagged grin.
i do it with both hands, but after the against-the-grain pass, when i'm touching up, i sometimes break symmetry.
and yeah, as far as you know, i'm an expert.
Very good grasshopper..Quote:
Originally Posted by xman
There was a poll done a short time ago although I couldn't find it. From what I can remember both hands won hands down (yes... pun intended. Yes really bad one) with something like 2:1
Two-handed here. For over two months (-> no expert) one-handed before that.
I still feel less confident with my left and it shows, ie worse shave. Still waiting for the left to catch up with my right, but it's a slow process.
Redwoood
I can tell you what I like most about 2-hand shaving: it's the symmetry. If I find a technique that works on one side (with stretching the skin, or holding the blade to reach a tricky spot, or a stroke direction), I can reproduce it easily on the other side with the other hand.
I could never get a good shave using only one hand. I am not that flexible...and besides that would mean I was shaving just like Xman....I dont think I could live with myself knowing that :roflmao
Me too :roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by ForestryProf
And for the record, I tried two handed and still recommend it for most men. Myself, well I'm not most men and I expect most men are glad enough about that. Strange, I can bat left handed and play hockey left handed, but I can't shave left handed. Who am I kidding, I can't bat at all and I can't really play hockey. That might explain a little. :hmmm:
X
P.S. JL? You - Me, beside the bike racks after school!
I have absolutely no problem being ambidexterous...when I walk! I'm still working on shaving with my left hand! This whole thread reminds me of a football commentary involving Merlin Olsen, when his broadcast parter mentioned that one of the halfbacks on the field was ambidexterous, and he then asked Merlin if he knew what that meant? Merlin replied, "Yes, it means he runs with both feet!"
RT
wait a minute....you are from canada....and you cant freakin play hockey??? I thought that was a crime considered punishable by death?????Quote:
Originally Posted by xman
P.P.S. I don't need to meet you by the bike racks after school...Im gonna tell everyone you cant play hockey and they will take care of you themselves! :roflmao
P.P.P.S if your shaving with your right hand...and looking in a mirror...technically you are watching yourself shave with your left hand....if it makes you feel any better... :thinking:
I had my first SR shave this morning (more on that in another thread).
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do the ambidexterous thing, because I sure can't do it with a DE.
Surprisingly, my left hand was almost better than my right (I'm right handed).
Weird.
I find the same thing. I think it's because I'm less comfortable with my left hand, so I concentrate more on what I'm doing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaelicboy
Being nervous about the off-hand, you probably use very, very little pressure. I was surprised my first several times how easy the off-hand was.
I don't think I've ever nicked myself with my left hand, it's always the dominant right hand that does the damage.
I've done both, but the worst one was with my right hand. One brief second of carelessness.Quote:
Originally Posted by mparker762
I shave right handed and only with the right. The strange thing is that I can shave my left side of my face better than my right. So would there be any advantage using my left hand?
Am I bass ackwards? :hmmm:
Glen
I have the same shaving style with the same results. The only minor issue I have is with the grain shaving of the jawline below the left ear, but that issue disappears during the second pass.
I have always shaved with both hands. Its worth the initial trouble learning because for most people I think it makes shaving all areas of the face and neck easier.
I think my first shave will be alright using both hands. I usually shave with my left hand because I write with my left, and shoot a gun lefty.. But almost everything else is done right handed (throwing a ball, shooting hockey, tennis, squash...)
Today I am going to the barber and hopefully finding out if they have an extra razor for me to buy. They were going to ask and also look at home for me :D
cautiously, i started with my right only because i'm pretty clumsy most of the time.
i read somewhere in the old yahoo group about using both hands and it was simply a matter of allure for me.
among other reasons, i use a straight razor because of the skill it takes. therefore, the idea of developing fine motor skills in my left hand called out to me.
it took a while to get good at it--my wife wouldn't watch, even as i started bragging about being able to do it--but i simply looked closely at how i was holding the blade in my right hand and mirrored it.
now it's easy.
do i think there's any gain in the shaving? not for me. but i like it anyway.
- lickthefrog
p.s. as has been stated--CAREFUL when switching hands. one time i sliced into my nail (thankfully not my finger).