Thread: Shaving using oblique angles or straight up and down?

Try this link Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki I think this is what you're talking about. It calls it a guillotine stroke and then in the next paragraph, if I read it correctly, it calls it a slicing stroke and not a recognized shaving stroke, but the description and diagram don't seem to match. If the diagram, I agree with the slicing description and its not a stroke I care to use, but I know some do. A guillotine stroke, too me (IMO), and I've read some debate on this.... is a stroke up to down and I suppose down to up in a straight line with the blade slightly canted so that the edge is contacting the whiskers in (a slicing way) making it a more efficient cut than just hitting them straight on and chopping. I have read some old razor instructions though that seem to call for the depicted slicing stroke. So, I guess, which is it..... I guess it's up to the shaver and their face.

I think the straight up and down is the safest stroke, for sure, in the beginning.
i.e.


Howard

I don't think he is getting this complicated. Let's say that your hair grows true north to south (like on your cheeks). He is simply saying that instead of going north to south (WTG), east to west (XTG), or south to north (ATG) you shave NE to SW with the edge facing that direction as well.

I really don't think he is talking about a guillotine or scything. You guys are making this too complicated!

Originally Posted by pbsd

So I guess that would be between an XTG and ATG. On the shaving made easy book he said to shave on oblique angles so I guess I just wanted some clarification.

Originally Posted by EggSuckingLeech

I don't think he is getting this complicated. Let's say that your hair grows true north to south (like on your cheeks). He is simply saying that instead of going north to south (WTG), east to west (XTG), or south to north (ATG) you shave NE to SW with the edge facing that direction as well.

I really don't think he is talking about a guillotine or scything. You guys are making this too complicated!

Here is the passage from the book "Shaving Made Easy".

"Hold the razor quite flat upon the face.
Do not pull the razor directly down against the beard, but hold it obliquely to the direction of movement."

Here's a definition of 'oblique' from Mirriam Webster.

"Neither perpendicular nor parallel: inclined"

So it appears that a guillotine stroke is being described. The blade 'canted, "oblique" as in heel leading on the downward stroke so that it will more perform a slice rather than a chop'.

Howard

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

Here is the passage from the book "Shaving Made Easy".

"Hold the razor quite flat upon the face.
Do not pull the razor directly down against the beard, but hold it obliquely to the direction of movement."

Here's a definition of 'oblique' from Mirriam Webster.

"Neither perpendicular nor parallel: inclined"

So it appears that a guillotine stroke is being described. The blade 'canted, "oblique" as in heel leading on the downward stroke so that it will more perform a slice rather than a chop'.

Howard

Yes! Thanks for clarifying!

You're welcome, and keep enjoying!!

Howard

I always try to go in two directions at the same time. Never just from north to south or whatever. Always from north to south AND from left to right. etc.