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05-18-2007, 02:29 PM #1Senior Member
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Experienced Str8 Shaver... New Technique!
, I decided to give his technique, in part, a try.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 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
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05-18-2007, 03:34 PM
#2
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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.
05-18-2007, 03:52 PM
#3
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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.
05-18-2007, 09:59 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by str8_razr
Yes!!! I'm gonna have to cancel my appointment at the piercers/tattoo artist
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
05-19-2007, 01:52 AM
#5
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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
05-26-2007, 10:49 AM
#6
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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.
05-26-2007, 03:35 PM
#7
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Is this the thread?
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...eferrerid=1379
Scott
05-27-2007, 12:26 PM
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Yes, that was the thread. Thanks for the link.
05-30-2007, 05:03 AM
#9
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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?
06-22-2007, 04:34 AM
#10
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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
