flying blind

New to straight razors, and climbing the learning curve, but taking my time and keeping it enjoyable.

My current dilemma: I can't see SQUAT when trying to get to my sideburns, (about 1/4 inch below where ear meets my head). I've been trying different angles... mirrors... grips... and nothing gives me a good clear view of what I'm doing. It seems that whatever I do, my hand or razor is blocking my view of where the blade should be contacting my skin. Am I missing something? I wear glasses, another obstacle to dodge, and am left handed, but with good control with right hand. Plan "B" is to grow the sideburns longer, but that's admitting defeat. LOL

Well your missing something cause f I try I can see my sideburns, but mostly I don't look that much, I go by feel. I only have one eye so it was my only option, but I can still see if I turn my head and get the right angle. Tc

I too am left handed and ware glasses.
What I find is to start off shaving without my glasses to do the side-burn area. Sense its just a simple straight down stoke. I find if I tilt my head down and too the opposite side then rotate the wrist down I can just see what I'm doing to get started. Believe me that after a couple months you will not need to see 100% when you do that first stoke. You will just know your in the right spot but do your best when first starting out to get it right and learn muscle memory.

Congrads on taking your time and learning slow. After the first 100 shaves it will go so much better/easier. Then after 200 shaves you will know that when you hit 100 you really were just starting to learn. Enjoy the trip and take it easy. Stay away from the idea on honing your own razors until you know for sure that your shaves and STROPPING is good and right.

Glad to have ya.

When I started out I would start a bit below my side burn and then after I had washed any excess off I'd wet that area and just creep up on them.

Lose the glasses, unless you're legally blind. I wear trifocals, but shave without them. I've been looking at my mug for 54 years, so I know where everything is.

You could just stop short of shaving your sideburn, and use trimmers to get the final edge just right.

I remove my bi- focal glasses to shave side Burns and cheeks. They only get in the way. I put them back on for the rest of the face and neck. No problem.

With the grain the very top of my strokegoing down I have very bad visual, but that’s ok, because I can see just fine against the grain, so the top of my ATG stroke cleans up the sideburn area nicely.

I have pretty much the same problem. My technique results in only only being able to see my sideburns from a steep forward angle.

I decided that I'd pick alignment points on my head and face and "dial it in".

I align the corner of my eye with the crease of my ear and pick a point about mid-way down the fold below the crease. My sideburns are about 1/4".

I lay the razor on my face at that point, adjust my cutting angle trying to stay parallel to the eye crease of the ear line, and shave downward.

Seems to work for me, but I do need to be cautious of how the blade is laid upon the skin (because I begin at a perpendicular angle and adjust) and not to use my ear as a stop for the blade.

:gl:

IIRC when I first started I felt the same way about not being able to see my side burns. I use my right (dominate) hand for my right side and my left for my left side burns only, switching back to my right for everything else. i think i just got used to the feel of it (with only an occasional nick to the ear) and don't even think about not getting a good view.

Also abandoned the "traditional' grip and use more of a kamisori style grip. seems to offer a better view.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tintin

IIRC when I first started I felt the same way about not being able to see my side burns. I use my right (dominate) hand for my right side and my left for my left side burns only, switching back to my right for everything else. i think i just got used to the feel of it (with only an occasional nick to the ear) and don't even think about not getting a good view.

Also abandoned the "traditional' grip and use more of a kamisori style grip. seems to offer a better view.

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That "nick to the ear" comment got my attention! Seems no matter how much I try, I seem to catch one or the other earlobe about twice a month.

I also seem to want to cut my left cheek near the sideburn by poor placement of the initial stroke of the razor.

It must be the way you hold the razor in your hand. Although I do not wear glasses when shaving I could without any less view on what I am doing. It does take practice though. I remember having the same problem when I started. Would you be able to post pictures of yourself holding the razor?

Same problem here. So far, I've just started 3/8 in down from my sideburns and then stroke, then look, stroke, then look as I move higher until the lather is gone.

Strangely, I can just see my right sideburn, but not my left - and I am using both hands. I haven't worried about it enough to figure out what I do different with each hand.

I hope this helps; I change the way I grip my razor for different areas of the face and I also switch hands when necessary. I can see everything I'm doing.

Strictly right-handed, I have to sit the right nosepiece on top of my nose to see my left temple good in the mirror.
~For some silly reason!

thanks to all for the great ideas. Just to clarify, the glasses weren't much of a problem, I just added that for general info. I can see pretty well without them anyway. The real problem was that whatever direction I came at it from, whichever hand was holding the razor got in the way as I got close to the sideburn. I've taken the advise of several here, and have started going "by touch", guiding the blade into place visually until the last fraction of an inch and then just put it into place without actually seeing the final placement. I had been reluctant to put the blade to skin without actually seeing it... but so far -- so good.

Perhaps your grip? I can always see my blade. Check out Lynn Abrams shaving demo.
He shaves with either hand.
Since you seem new, perhaps a little adjustment in how you hold the razor for shaving?