Thread: Does anyone use this grip?

Had to grip a few different styles of razors and see, that's how I hold my kamisoris.

I use the "standard grip" for most of my shave, but different areas of the face and different hair growth patterns sometimes require a different grip. For ME the standard grip held securely but lightly is my best defense angainst cuts/nicks. I dont want a super firm grip that will cause me to use too much pressure or wont be sensitive enough for me to feel when something is not right and allow me to stop. All that being said, shaving with a straight is not anything you can take a cookie cutter/one size fits all approach to. Find what works for you and then that is all that matters.

One of the great aspects of shaving with a straight is that it is the most customized shave you can get. Everybody's face is different so each shave for particular people is different. I'm still a rookie (about 22 shaves in) and I'm starting to figure out what strokes and grips work for me on each part of my face. I don't use that particular grip, but if it works, go with it.

After thinking it through and visualising a shave in my head I use something very similar if not the same as that grip for my right jaw line going ATG (my whiskers there grow from chin to ear) I find it easier to control the razor with that grip and way in which I attack my jaw

I don't even have a "grip". I'm changing my hold every second, depending where I'm cutting, just about never the "classic" hold. Sometimes like a pencil, sometimes pencil-style, backhanded. Most of the time the handle's out straight, like a kamisori, except when it's really in the way. I work a lot with small hand tools, so my fingers are pretty facile.

That's very similar to the grip I use when I go against the grain (south to north), but when I am going with the grain I use the standard grip as others have described.

To me the most important things about any grip are:

1. Control: it needs to be a controllable grip;
2. Stability: it needs to be stable and not prone to slippage;
3. Mobility: it shouldn't be so rigid that you cannot easily manipulate the razor;
4. Comfortability: it shouldn't cause cramp or pain and should be a grip you can easily maintain continuously for 10s of minutes at a time if need be.

So if your grip fits those criteria, I say go for it and damn the scandal!

James.

I'm with you on this one Kenrick. My thumb joint is hyper-extensible and I can't fully stabilize the blade if I use the "standard" grip , i.e. where the tip of the thumb is against the bottom jimps.

That said, for some reason I'm more comfortable with the standard grip for left hand work.

As they say, YMMV - and have fun varying it :-)

Yes, I do use that grip. Not for the entire shave, but for a good part of it. Provides quite a bit of control.

Only difference (after looking at additional views from OP), I keep my pinky, not ring finger, on the tang.