Thread: Golf vs SR shaving

Alright alright I know it’s a bit of a stretch but hear me out. Today I had a bit of an epiphany, much like many golfers do when they’re hitting balls at the range. I was touching up one of my razors and test shaving my arm hair when it hit me.....I’ve had the wrong lie angle and grip pressure!

Much like a golfer who doesn’t get properly fit for clubs, I’ve been using a way too flat shave angle and it’s caused me to increase my grip pressure to compensate for the lack of cutting ability. Similar to making golf swing changes, you can overdue things and over the past 200+ shaves I’ve slowly but surely brought the spine closer and closer to my face thinking that was what the “proper” technique that the pros use. (Think; mimicking a pga tour player’s swing by reading Golf Digest) Progressively my shaves have been getting worse and worse and I’ve been chalking it up to blade degradation. (Must be the clubs!) Needless to say it’s been frustrating.

Today I made the conscious decision to increase the shave angle a bit but drastically reduce grip pressure and BOOM I got a perfect bbs shave with zero irritation. It was incredible! Like flushing a 3 wood off the deck into a par 5 that no one reaches in two. It was majestic.

The bottom line is that, just like in golf, you need to check your angles and technique because things can progressively get out of whack. I only hope that, unlike the golf swing, I’ll be able to wake up tomorrow and find my SR swing again and again.

Cheers gents!

Great story, Str8drive, and not a stretch by any means! I tell folks all the time that the same way a set of good clubs does not make one a professional golfer, a straight razor does not automatically result in the best shave of your life. Your story is a great reminder to constantly be checking ourselves, because right when we think we've 'got' it, we learn something new that changes our perspective. Anyway, hope you have a great shave tomorrow!

It is a stretch, other than fundamentals are important. But to use your analogy, in the same way that your swing angle will change depending on the length of your club, from your 60 degree wedge to your driver, the angle of the shave might change depending on the grind of the blade and other factors unique to a particular blade. Whether using a DE, SE, or a straight, the name of the game is no pressure, no pressure, no pressure, and the only way to achieve this is with a light, but adequately firm grip. The blade should cut your whiskers, not scrape your face, and you shouldn't drop it into the rough. Good luck with your shaves, and with your golf game.

I gave up golf for SR shaving; it can be done regardless of the weather and i don't loose any balls!

I never enjoyed the game of golf myself. Being a lefty it wasnt ery easy to find clubs to barrow and the set at the course were not even have a set. I did like going to the bar afterwards.

I've had the same Mizuno T-zoids and Wilson Deep Red driver for almost 20 years. I've had them so long that I've really became familiar with all of them. I decided at the end of this golf season, that it was time for new clubs, and thought I'd start with a new driver. I went in to Golftown and got fitted to a Cobra F7+.

Here's where I segway into your OP. Stay with me here boys....

All this time I've had a very strong grip, with my top hand too far under the grip. What this was doing was opening my club face on impact causing a slice. I always aimed left side fairway. When I was in getting fitted, the salesman noticed this and had me tweak my grip. Low and behold, this little bit of change had me hitting straight. WOW! Couldn't believe after 20 years of golf this whole time it was just my grip.

Maybe I need a pro to look at my razor grip too.....

I've said it before, I have revisited razors that I Felt in the beginning had bad edges, and I complained to the hone guy. But they were plenty shave ready after I learned how to shave and strop. One of the reasons for going with a pro edge is to learn without the edge being a factor. And learning takes time, but I say this, if your edge is right it don't take much angle at all, a spine in most cases, on my second pass it's usually almost flat on my face. Tc

Really good post and comparison to golf!

I've thought about this as well, and here's one observation:

Straight razors are to carts and DEs as forged blade irons are to perimeter-weighted 'forgiving' irons.

Sure, the perimeter irons are easier to use, and the blade irons take more work, time to learn, and precise technique, but there's so much more control and ability to 'work the ball' possible with the blades.

It's just like that with a straight razor.

[QUOTE=MichaelPz;1789907]Really good post and comparison to golf!

"I've thought about this as well, and here's one observation:

Straight razors are to carts and DEs as forged blade irons are to perimeter-weighted 'forgiving' irons.

Plus blades just look so much cooler than cavity backs much like to me straights are much more appealing to the eye than DE razors. "

Along the same lines, a flushed blade feels incredible when executed properly much like a perfect BBS straight razor shave.... With a CB club (DE razor) the results are pretty much the same just a bit less rewarding in terms of feel and skill. Just sayin!

(I apologize to the non-golfers for this gibberish...)

In the late 50's and early 60's I enjoyed working the ball with forged irons, but at my current age, perimeter weighted irons and hybrids and just hitting it straight are good enough. I still have a couple of sets from then, Macgregor tour irons identical to what Nicklaus played, as well as some beautiful persimmon woods. Not that much change in all these years with forged irons, and I still enjoy hitting them now and then, except for the 1 iron. The major changes have been in metal woods and golf balls, as well as swing mechanics. You still can't beat the feel and sound of a balata ball hitting the sweet spot on a persimmon driver. You also can't beat a great shave with a straight.