Thread: Using Non-Dominant Hand

Good morning, gentlemen. I'm a newbie both to SRP and to straight razor shaving. Earlier this week, I received my Whipped Dog Razor and Poor Man's Strop Kit. The razor is a real beauty. I'll post pictures later. Anyway, last night, I took my first attempt at using the straight. I only did my jaw line and some of my cheek on the right side of my face. I'm right handed. I think I did okay. I had no cuts, weepers, or irritation. Just with the one pass, I reduced my beard more than I would have with one pass of a DE razor. I finished the rest of my shave with one of my DE razors.

After I get a little more used to using the straight, I want to tackle the left side of my face using my non-dominant hand, possibly in a few days. Does anyone have any tips for this? What's a good way to get used to holding the razor in my non-dominant hand? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

i just kinda pass it over palms up into the same 2 tang 1 tail hold. You can try just holding the razor and mock shaving in the mirror to bring the comfort up some. Straights are a lot of fun on the cheeks. What used to take a few lines is gone in one big swoop. even after months I am still sometimes impressed by it doing that.

It takes time to get comfortable with this. Start slowly and carefully.

Adama,

Start using your non-dominant hand every opportunity you have: turning the door knob, opening kitchen cabinets, brushing your teeth, opening bottle caps, pouring coffee into a mug, and so on. Use it constantly.
With shaving, you will need extra care, of course. I used my non-dominant hand, the left, for my straight shave from the first day. It was difficult, and I might have given myself a couple tiny nicks, but looking back, I am glad I did. Get the non-dominant hand working from the first day. As my friend Ace suggests, "Start slowly and carefully."

Welcome to SRP and to straight razor shaving. How I learned was by taking a dull straight razor practiced the motions with my left hand while watching TV, surfing the web. I got this from a guy who used to be around SRP whose screen name was DannyWonderful or something like that. Worked like a charm for me. I did go back to shaving with my dominant right hand because , for me, shaving with both wasn't that much better, and I'm quite proficient with the dominant hand for shaving and stretching with the other. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

I have been using my left hand to shave the left side of my face since I started straight shaving. It feels a lot more comfortable to me than using my right hand on the left side of my face.

Adama,
I just could never get comfortable using my non-dominate hand when holding a straight razor. So, I learned to manipulate the blade in my hand while maintaing a consistent angle to my skin. For example, at times a may open the scales so it is even with the spine, then secure the blade in my hand by holding the shank. Another is opening the scales until they touch the spine and hold the razor by the scales and spine.

I found there to be many 'must do's" such as blade angle on the skin, but other times we do things that are comfortable and productive. Good Luck.

Do your dominant hand in your pocket or hold him on your back. And start do anything whit your nondominant hand a couple day's or so. You sall see your getting handy whit that hand..
Enyoy

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll try using my non-dominant hand more often to start conditioning it to straight shave. I know I'm looking forward to my shave this evening. Then again, I look forward to every shave.

It sounds like you're still going to be using your DE, at least some of the time, until you become proficient
with the str8.

Do you use your "off" hand when you shave with the DE? If not, you might try doing that...just to let your
left hand know that it has a new job description.