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Don't know if other newbies have this problem. When I start in on the sideburn, WTG, holding the razor in the prescribed manner, my hand is in the way so that I can't see the end of the razor (I forget the name of the round end, opposite the tang) when I move it towards my face. I've had a couple of close shaves (pun intended) with my earlobe, and did nick it once.
Am I not holding the thing the right way? Should I be using a 3-way mirror?
Thanks in advance!
I noticed the same thing when I started. I think I just turned my head to the side a bit and used a little more peripheral vision, but to be honest I just learned where to put the razor eventually. I was just very careful at the beginning.
+1
I just turn sideways.
I had the same difficulty for the first few shaves myself...I think it is a fairly common difficulty that many beginners share :). A three-way mirror, if you have one, may help you learn where to place the blade and check on how you are holding the razor. In the absence of that there is no shame in turning around all kinds of ways so you can see what you're doing!
Before I got comfortable with just "knowing" where to place the razor without fear of it touching my ear I would err on the side of safety and just not shave very close to my ear. Then, when I came back for the XTG pass I could take off the hair I had missed by taking the razor across my cheek from just under my ear towards my mouth.
Hope this helps...keep trying and you'll learn something every shave!
Learn to shave with both hands. It makes life easier.
I put my fingertips at the bottom edge of my sideburn, right above where I want to cut, then I move the blade up until I feel the side of the blade touch my fingertips (hope that makes sense). At that point I know the edge of blade is pretty much in place and I can kind of "feel" what I'm doing. Then I clean up with a second across the grain pass later.
I had this exact same problem I fixed it by buying a small magnification mirror that I can angle up and view my sideburn shave out of my other eye.
Try looking downward, dramatically. That works for me. I also hold the scales in the opposite way, so the razor is actually half closed. The razor is only open to 90 degrees, normally you open the scales around 270 degrees. It's harder to hold the razor like that.
Can you see the first picture in this link ?
http://www.en.nassrasur.com/razorcentral/shavlear.html
It helps get your hand out of the way just a little.