Quote Originally Posted by MJC View Post
"Snow Plow" is another term for leading with the heel or the toe of the razor.
You can also learn how to "chevron" - a stroke that moves diagonally as traverses the area (not slicing, check the wiki and I will try to find a link)
Get past 25 shaves before you try them but check out the Wiki.

My Feather routine is a N-S that is mostly WTG and using the left hand on the left side and the right hand on the right side.
The S-N starts for me at the base of the neck, strong hand on the weak side.
Using stretching and head tiling to get above the jaw line.
Most of the time I do the neck in three sets, weak side/dominant hand, strong side/"weak" hand (switching hands) and then center, using the swallow and hold to flatten my adams apple and pulling the skin to either side. Low pressure, low angle.

As you get in more shaves the "problem areas" will shrink down to a couple that are the size of your thumb pad or a matchbook - and this will be the "touch up" with the DE at first and the DX before you know it.

The strokes, stretches, hand positions and head tilts will just become part of a routine - you will have to stop and think about what you did because your "beard map" and stroke pattern will merge in to your muscle memory.

You can shave with your dominant hand only, but for me it is much much easier to use both hands, and the sooner you learn that the easier it comes together.

If no-blade practice has been helping you then "weak hand" passes might be a place to focus on.

One of the things that helped me was switching from rinsing the blade in the sink to stropping off the lather on a damp cloth on the counter.
I would focus on the sink and faucet and it not only slowed me down, in the beginning I would have to ask myself "what was I doing last?"
If you watch a Barber shave someone they never turn to the sink, they clear the blade on a towel or even their forearm.
The hot water rinse is saved for the end.

And from your posts you have made great progress without the benefit of an in-person mentor.
Keep doing what you are doing and by February you will have the hardest part long behind you.

Smooth Shaving and Happy New Year....
Great tip on wiping off the lather, I used a sponge and it was great.

Had a mixed shave today, tried a different soap. I forget the name of it but the lather disappears very fast but funny enough it's still slick even after it disappears, I want to use it all up ASAP unless I can find another use for it. I just want to use my cella again. So anyway I had to keep re applying the lather which was very annoying. Completed 2 passes WTG, right side great, left side needed touching up, thought I would do the touch up with my right hand using the DX rather than the DE. Nice to break free from the DE. No cuts today.

Will do some blade free practice for ATG, still waiting for the proguards before attemting this, sure to be bloody.

I don't have any wine corks as I rarely drink wine but like the idea of this.

Thanks again guys.