Thread: Slant Bar/Razor... Switching hands... Technique change?

Just a general DE/Slant Question... If you use either hand to shave, do your strokes change in any deliberate way when using a Slant? Does it make a difference if you use a slight scything stroke? I don't own and have never used one (YET!) and the Videos I've watched are of people who use just their Right hand to shave and they reach across and maintain their technique similarly from one side to the other... Just wondering, since the Slant Angle is a constant, if that means it is wise to change your technique slightly when you switch hands. ??

I've been SR Shaving for quite awhile now but recently switched to DE for Head Shaving... So, now it is time to fill my head up with DE Details/Techniques.

Thanks in advance for any and all information!!!!

Shawn
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I have to scratch my head thinking about this. I shave with my dominant hand, be it straight or DE, but when it is DE my weapon of choice is either a Merkur, or an Ikon slant. I tend to use a scything stroke with a normal DE but IIRC I don't with a slant. I'd have to go do it to see. I do remember my first slant shave, and I was nervous.

That Merkur looked dangerous. As soon as I did a couple of strokes I was fine. I tried shaving with both hands with a straight and I was able to do it. I was never able to use my left hand with the same felicity as my right, so even if I wanted to do a particular stroke with the left I'm not sure that I could have. I went back to dominant hand and never looked back. I would say give it a try and see what works best for you.

I just came off a DE testing kick.

I use both hands(only one on the razor at a time. I'm pretty careful using scything motions. I definitely would not get as radical as rotating it on the point like a windshield wiper

Having said that, "slight" scything motions haven't cost me any blood yet.

The slant angle IS constant, however, the angle in which your hand is holding the DE is the matter on which to concentrate. When I was first getting it down(its not that big a deal if you've SR shaved), I started with a minimal angle(way under 30 degrees) and worked my way to the sweet spot on the WTG stroke. With the ATG and XTG, I started at near zero to the comfortable 7-15 degrees.

Are you just going to be doing your head? If so, I'm interested as to how many passes you'd make.

Cheers,
Simon

Originally Posted by Siguy

The slant angle IS constant, however, the angle in which your hand is holding the DE is the matter on which to concentrate. When I was first getting it down(its not that big a deal if you've SR shaved), I started with a minimal angle(way under 30 degrees) and worked my way to the sweet spot on the WTG stroke. With the ATG and XTG, I started at near zero to the comfortable 7-15 degrees.

Are you just going to be doing your head? If so, I'm interested as to how many passes you'd make.

I have been Head Shaving with Carts for about 6 years or so and I do a Modified Second Pass... My First Pass is Full-Lather and then, as I finish a section, I just come back over it at about half the amount of pressure I was using prior and just over the wet skin.

That is part of the challenge for me switching to DE is I was using variances in pressure with Carts and with DE I know I want to develop as light a touch and as consistent as possible. So, that is where the curiosity over Slants came around... Once I am more adept with DE, would it benefit me to use a Slant or some more aggressive set-up and do the Primary then Touch-Up as before... Or, should I just discount all that and try to use a Clear-Mind Approach and let DE's teach me what I need to know?

I'm just over my second Head Shave with DE today and it was better than my First (.. no Nicks/Cuts..) and I was able to get around my ears better... BUT, as I sit here, I can feel a strip I missed just off center at the top of my head... It is shaved correctly but not Second-Passed. So, I'm in Full Brainstorm Mode now! I'm not against a Second Head Pass in any way but am just so used to doing it the other way that I'm trying to make the two approaches mesh.

Shawn
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Shawn, The Merkur Slant is my favorite to shave my head. I'm left handed but switch hands, and grips. All the tips you know about using a straight still apply to a DE. One thing I will point out while shaving your head is use a modified grip on the back of your head. I move my fingers closer to the head of the DE (my whole palm covers the handle still and I trail a finger ahead of the razor head as a stubble feeler (I guess that's not trailing) hope you get the idea. I might be able to do a video if you think it would help.
I also do a ATG pass first, then XTG not sure why I do that. I don't do it when using a straight to shave my face.

Shawn,

I think you may also want to throw shave oil into the mix. I use Shave Secret from Walmart(though most boxstores may carry it). Inexpensive, very nice sensation as well. I put it on before lathering.

I think this may be helpful now that your open and brainstorming.

The merkur slant is not real finicky about angle and is very intuitive to use. I have no set way of determining which hand I use on certain parts of my face...which ever hand happens to pick up the razor is the one that I use. I don't use a scything stroke. Since the blade contacts the face at an angle, it seems to me that the scything stroke is already built into the razor design. If you get yourself a slant, I recommend the use of a mild blade at first, until you become adept with the razor. My first razor was a slant loaded with Feather blade....hideous mistake!