Thread: Do You Need to Pull Your Skin Tight

Ok guys. Do you really need to pull your skin tight? I am new to this forum and all the wisdom here says "Stretch the skin" but I have been using a straight for two decades with good results and have never pulled my skin taut. I have recently tried stretching the skin and I can see how it can shave below the surface. I can also be a little more thorough and accomplish the same thing. There has to be other guys that don't stretch.

Stretching the skin can lift the hair and provide a closer shave.
It's not mandatory, it's only one of those many things that can improve the shave.
Personally, I don't stretch the skin using my hands, I only use head/face/ jaw movements to improve the access to certain shaving areas and improve the glide of the razor.

I have some spots on my neck and jawline that I have to stretch: the hair lays flat against the skin otherwise.


That being said, I don't do a lot of the contortions some shave vids show... I am too lazy for that.

No, I don't have to stretch the skin, but . . . I often find I need to secure the skin against the blade movement which seems to best be accomplished by stretching.

I can not get BBS close using with the grain strokes without very adept stretching though, I only achieve a good shave without stretching.

Sometimes, when I do not stretch the skin, I find myself making some strange faces in order to secure the skin's position.

As I have gotten older I find that I am forced to stretch the jowl under the chin and that is because it has become a little fatter (looser) than it used to be.

I can't always pull my skin taut, but when I can it really helps. I find that taut skin is less prone to allowing the blade to catch on the whiskers instead of cutting through them. Otherwise the edge kind of pushes the whickers instead of holding them firmly in place to cut through. Not sure if that makes any sense, but that is what happens to my beard.

Shaving for two decades you're not a kid and if gravity hasn't affected your skin yet trust me it will. I have an angular face and neck with hollows, nooks and crannies that I have to pull flat to make good contact with the cutting edge. All barber manuals stress stretching the skin. Same with tattooing which I do to keep a roof over my head. If you want to punch holes in the skin you have to stretch it. You can do it with out stretching but you get way better results when you do with either pursuit. In my experience anyway.

Cliché time –
YMMV - If you are successful it does not matter what anyone else deems necessary.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Yeah, I just make faces

I usually don't stretch and making faces is enough for me at this time.
I tried once what happens if I stretch and it really gives a closer shave than usually. My mistake was that I used the same pressure than usually and it was way too much. The only time when I have got ingrown hairs. Well.. it wasn't the end o the world.. just a two days without shaving and after that back to normal routine.
I'm going to try some day stretching again and then watch carefully the pressure. But right now I have enough things to learn before that.

This is interesting: this pull-push, stretch-relax debate. I think as many have said that what it is what works for each face. However, as older more we get and as looser more our skin gets, as better more it becomes to stretch and pull. I think the key is to prevent a roll of skin from forming in front of the blade. A good blade being what it is, something anxiously awaiting the opportunity to slice to smithereens whatever it is that lays in its path, the more we need to pay attention to insuring that this-to-be-sliced is stubble rather than skin.

At least this stretch thing is something I've taught myself to do for my somewhat less than taut face, and I didn't bleed even the least little bit this morning.

and a Merry Christmas to all, both stretchlers and stretchless,