Experienced Str8 Shaver... New Technique!

I've been shaving with a str8, pretty much exclusively, for about 3 years. I had always held the razor in a conventional/traditional fashion... index and middle finger on the shank, ring finger in the tang (with the pinky kind of supporting it on the underside) and the thumb on the underside of the shank.

However, after seeing a youtube video (most of you have probably seen it, but here is a link): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Fcmsj3md4, I decided to give his technique, in part, a try.

I did not adopt the three fingers on the spine, I stuck with two. But, if you notice, instead of putting his thumb on the underside of the spine, he actually puts it on the blade, itself. I tried it this morning, and have to say it gave me a whole lot more control of the razor. This is the first time I've tried it, but I think it really increased the quality of my shave (which had been just about perfect prior).

I can also attest that one does not need a big honkin' tattoo on one's shoulder, OR nipple rings to have this technique work.

Give it a try. Amazing that I discovered such a significant change to my shaving technique after three years.

One other thing that I've recently adopted is that on my first pass, instead of going straight N/S on my cheeks, I kind of go in a SE path (down, and toward the outside) with the razor slightly angled so I am shaving in a perpendicular manner, as opposed to slicing. I don't know if my whisker growth changed, or if I just never paid attention, but that is the direction they grow on my cheeks. So, in essence, I am now truly shaving with the grain, where-as, in retrospect, I had kind of been shaving cross-grain on the first pass. This has also helped in the closeness/quality of my shaves... Less to clean-up on the second pass (which is cross-grain on the cheeks).

Drew

Hmm, I may have to try this.

Note, however, that he's using a replaceable blade straight, and that where he's resting his thumbpad is not sharp. If I did this on my daily shaver, it would rest just fine... on the bone which it easily cut down to.

When I learned to Shave with a straight some 5 years ago, the chap in the Gentleman's Shop where I bought my first razor from told me you should always keep your thumb on the blade when shaving.
In fact I think the link at http://www.gentlemans-shop.com/acata...ect_shave.html still states this.

It works well for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by str8_razr

I can also attest that one does not need a big honkin' tattoo on one's shoulder, OR nipple rings to have this technique work.


Drew

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Yes!!! I'm gonna have to cancel my appointment at the piercers/tattoo artist:roflmao

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Namdnas

Hmm, I may have to try this.

Note, however, that he's using a replaceable blade straight, and that where he's resting his thumbpad is not sharp. If I did this on my daily shaver, it would rest just fine... on the bone which it easily cut down to.

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This was actually discussed about a month after we started Namdnas. A lot of people expressed the same concern you are voicing. But if you look closely, his thumb is on the blade, not the edge, so, it's a safe technique

especially when using a hollow ground razor, the thumb rests nicely in the groove where the spine and the upper part of the blade meet... the thumb actually never really comes close to the edge. As I stated initially, the grip is actually noticeably more secure than is the traditional grip.

Drew

There was a thread a few months back about placing the thumb on the blade. If I knew how, I would link to it. When I started with a str8, I had my thumb on the blade, but after reading the previous thread I tried placing my thumb under the shank. It didn't feel as though I had enough control of the blade in the tricky areas but did make it easier to scythe the blade in the wide open areas. End result is I use both techniques, thumb on blade for short straight strokes in tight areas and thumb under shank for scything large areas. Works well for me.

Is this the thread?


http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...eferrerid=1379


Scott

Yes, that was the thread. Thanks for the link.

Technique aside....

Did anyone else notice in the video that he seems to put a lot of pressure on the blade, or is it just me? It just looks like he's really pushing it along. Maybe its dull?

This site also suggests that if the blade catches or jumps on a thumbnail it is keen. I thought the razor was supposed to move smoothly over the nail

I continue to use "the thumb on the blade" technique, and will not go back to the other way (however, I do not use this technique when going up on my neck, as it is very awkward... my neck is the only place I go s/n, everything else is with the grain or cross grain).

I dont' see any danger in using this technique... it really stabilizes the razor and gives me considerably more control, especially on those reall pesky parts such as right under the nose. I'm really able to single out any whisker and take care of it easily.

If you are seasoned enough to have good technique and feel comfortable wielding one of these things, I would recommend giving this a try. Again, I had been using a straight for 3 years before discovering this.

OK, my soap box is beginning to get wobbly.

best,
Andrew

Quote:

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Originally Posted by str8_razr

I continue to use "the thumb on the blade" technique, and will not go back to the other way (however, I do not use this technique when going up on my neck, as it is very awkward... my neck is the only place I go s/n, everything else is with the grain or cross grain).

I dont' see any danger in using this technique... it really stabilizes the razor and gives me considerably more control, especially on those reall pesky parts such as right under the nose. I'm really able to single out any whisker and take care of it easily.

If you are seasoned enough to have good technique and feel comfortable wielding one of these things, I would recommend giving this a try. Again, I had been using a straight for 3 years before discovering this.

OK, my soap box is beginning to get wobbly.

best,
Andrew

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Andrew,

Before you fall off the soap box......How does this technique change the angle of the blade to the face. I've tried it and it seems like I need to keep a much sharper (greater than the traditional 30 deg.) angle. I'm not really sure why but that's what I've run into.

OK, now close the razor before you fall :D

It seems that he's holding the blade at almost 90 degrees to his face and that he goes over each area repeatedly.

So he is apparently scraping the hair off rather than cutting it cleanly.

Tom

The angle doesn't change at all... still very easy to keep my normal 30 degree angle. I maybe have to torque my wrist a little more than usual when I'm shaving down on my neck, but that's really the only time where anything feels different, and the difference is very minimal.

As I stated in a previous post (or at least I think I did) I put my pinky on the underside of the monkey tail to provide support (I've always done this). Without having that pinky for added stability, the grip feels pretty awkward (I've tried it). The guy on the video obviously does not use his pinky in this manner, as it is IN the monkey tail... so it can be done. To me it looked like he kept a pretty standard blade angle to his skin.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions

Andrew

Thanks Andrew

Quote:

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Originally Posted by str8_razr

To me it looked like he kept a pretty standard blade angle to his skin.

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I don't know.. If you watch the scales for the gap in between them you'll see many times when it's pointed almost directly at the camera which, aside from when he's doing his neck, makes it almost 90 deg. (especially in parts around chin/sideburns)

I don't like my thumb on the blade but that's just me... I'm in the "go with whatever you're most comfortable with" camp.

Ant

I tried the thumb on the blade idea for a while after that thread mentioned before was started - personally I never really got comfortable with it, but to be frank I never stuck with it for any appreciable amount of time.

But if it works for you - go for it. Anything that gets you safer, better shaves is good in my book.

Personally, if I want extra blade control I whack my pointer finger about half-way up the spine - works for me, YMMV.

James.