Change hands or not?

Hey all, i'm new to SRP but not to straight razor shaving,
Used a shavette for 5-6 years up untill last autumn when i finally sent my dovo away to be honed by a pro (i'd had it 4 years by that point, fantastic 21st birthday pressie from my mum).

Its recently lost its edge a little and i think thats partly due to poor stropping technique.
Anyway, instead of paying for it to be honed again i fancied spending a bit extra and moving into doing it myself. This prompted a lot of research and led me here!

This site has given me more enthusiasm for straight shaving than i had before and has inspired me to make more effort in my shaving, one area is the aforementioned poor stropping, another is poor technique.

Don't get me wrong, i've had perfectly reasonable shaves untill now but have low standards and quite slow growing facial hair anyway, so i'd been purely doing WTG passes.

As of yesterday i've modified the way i hold the razor, which made thing s a little easier!

But i've also seen mention of using either the left or right hand for the respective side of the face.

How many of you guys do that?

Now that i'm not a newbie at straight shaving i don't like my chances of trying to coax my left hand in to help with the job!

You don't have to do the switch hands thing. It does make it easier to get at some places though. Even after a couple of years of practice with my non dominant hand it still doesn't feel as easy as using my dominant one, but the shave is just as good with either and using it is far easier than the hand positions I used to have to get into to stretch and cut some of the offside corners of my face.

I find it relatively difficult to use my left hand, but I just started and I think that it's easier to start out the right way, even if it takes longer to master, than starting out the easy way, and once you've mastered that, try to change. :gaah:

Using the left hand on the left side really helps with the stretching.

Stretching with your left hand on the left side all the while holding your razor with the right hand looks very strange!

I primarily use just my dominant hand. This is a bit awkward and blocks my vision some but I got used to it years ago. When I switch hands I always say to myself "I need to learn to use both hands." I don't have blocked vision or perform any cirque de soleil acrobatics moving the blade around.

The next day I am back to using only my right hand.

thanks guys, i've had reasonable success with just my dominant hand until now but then i've not been doing much stretching

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Originally Posted by Greenbeast

thanks guys, i've had reasonable success with just my dominant hand until now but then i've not been doing much stretching

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Give it a try; I've noticed that I get a closer shave and less irritation on the skin, especially on the neck, where the skin is not as flat as on the cheeks. It's also very helpful to shave your chin: you're pulling the skin that's in a hard to reach spot onto a flat(ter), easily shavable area.

When I began straight razor shaving in late 2007, I used only my dominant right hand. I gave it up for a few months as I was not satisfied with my technique and reverted back to using my Merkur 38C. Around June of last year I began again and trained my left hand and I for whatever reason caught on very quickly with MUCH improved technique. Now either hand is as strong as the other and my shaves have been 1000% better. Many members have no trouble whatsoever using only a one handed technique.... I say if you can try it (using both hands), it might improve your results as I did. My personal goal is to shave every day of 2009 with a straight razor. Hopefully my two remaining double edge razors will not see any action in '09!

i feel another shave coming on tonight, that makes 3 days in a row and i never usually shave every day

just gutted i have to wait another month to get a norton 4k/8k stone to start the honing practise

shavette it is until then!

I have tried the left (non dominant) hand but I do well enough with my right to be satisfied with the dominant hand alone. I have the stretching with the left down to a science for my mug. I have tried the two handed approach and may again but I find it so weird to look at myself in the mirror with it in the left hand and compute which direction I'm going........:shrug:

I have been shaving with my right hand (dominant) since I started I use the left to strech the skin. No problem so far. I may try 2 handed shaving at some point.:jedi:

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Originally Posted by Greenbeast

thanks guys, i've had reasonable success with just my dominant hand until now but then i've not been doing much stretching

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welcome greenbeast, you must stretch its like night and day when it comes to st8 shaving

I shave down(XTG) using the corresponding hand, left for left side etc. I shave ATG using the opposite hands. I use opposite hands to shave my neck as well.

I'll throw in that I'm a lefty and my hair, for the most part, grows from left to right excluding the hair from beneath my nose down to just below my chin. So ATG is right ear towards nose, and nose towards left ear.

I use both hands and it's not been a problem. It took about a week to get the non-dominant hand used to doing it and after that everything was fine.

well i stuck with the dominant hand, it feels safer and more comfortable, and i can do the whole face quite well.

I tried some stretching but couldn't seem to get much purchase on my face

I was a two handed shaver for the first few months, but my left was never comfortable so I gave it up. Now I just shave with my right.

X

I use both hands.

I have been using both hands from the start. It took 6 to 8 shaves to feel somewhat adequate with my off hand. At that time I was touching up with a DE anyway.
Stick with it, it only gets easier!:gl:

I would say that it is easier to train your non dominant hand to do the job on the odd side of the face that it would be to get some angles right with your dominant had using standard grips. This could be pretty odd depending on the features of your face. I would however, try both before I make my decision. In terms of stretching, it really depends on your skin type and age. You probably need to experiment here as well. The only part of my face that I stretch from time to time is the neck. Please let us know how it goes.

Al raz.

I see some people (in youtube/srp videos) stretching their cheeks but don't feel the need so much with my face, i guess it is all personal to the individual.
I think the neck definately could do with some stretching
I wish i'd spent a bit more time/effort getting it spot on when i started but i guess i can still perfect my technique even at this stage

I use both hands. I just started straight shaving a few weeks ago but after researching here it seemed the best way to go. It's been working out well for me.

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Originally Posted by Greenbeast

I tried some stretching but couldn't seem to get much purchase on my face

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I read a great tip here - rub your fingers on an alum block to improve grip!
As well as making it easier to stretch your face I think you are less likely to lose grip on the razor.

Alternatively, use a washcloth on your hand to stretch your face, or simply wet your fingers and rub away remaining lather from where you want to grip.

I use both hands to hold the razor, it just seems the natural way to reach some areas. But I think you should do whatever feels right. Maybe force yourself to swap hands occasionally on an easy area so you develop the skill, you might then find yourself swapping hands instinctively later.

My recommendation would be to take it slow and learn to use both hands. Better vision and ease of use as you get used to it. You will definitely appreciate the effort as your skills increase.

Have fun,

Lynn

I am by no means ambidextrous but I use both hands equally except around the chin, which is more difficult for me, where I use my dominant right hand as much as possible.

Like Lynn said, start slow. If you do, I think you'll be comfortable using both hands before long.

If you use both hands you will probably find there are places you can get cleaner with that non dominant hand that you just can’t get quite right with your regular hand. The angle of attack will just be off a smidgen in a good way that you can’t replicate any other way.

thanks for all the replies and tips

Next shave (maybe tonight) i will have a go at using my non-dominant, and also a bit more stretching

i got a bit of burn doing a mixture of XTG/ATG on my neck last time. looking to improve that

I'm very right handed but I sometimes find that my touch is lighter (and therefore better) with my left hand.

I don't consider myself especially coordinated with my non-dominant hand, but I had a very easy time (two or three shaves) before I was shaving most of my face on that side. My advice would be to learn this technique. It for sure made my shaving experience easier.

I use both hands, though the left is still a bit awkward at times. You can practice using a shavette without the blade loaded. Start out on a WTG pass, the razor in your left hand, shaving the left side of your face.

One handed here! In the beginning there was some difficulty getting certain places and seeing what I was doing in other places, but its no longer any trouble!

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Originally Posted by xman

I was a two handed shaver for the first few months, but my left was never comfortable so I gave it up. Now I just shave with my right.

X

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X, you gotta quit being so modest. When this question comes up, it seems like it's always *me* that has to recommend your awesome one handed video. ;)

Seriously, though...for people that are very "not left handed" like me, that video is a must-watch. My left hand is only allowed to touch the scales of a razor, and then only to assist in closing the blade.

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Originally Posted by norman931

You can practice using a shavette without the blade loaded.

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That's how I learned to handle a str8. It is a great way to learn how to handle this instrument without the danger of cutting yourself.

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Originally Posted by Cornelius

I find it relatively difficult to use my left hand, but I just started and I think that it's easier to start out the right way, even if it takes longer to master, than starting out the easy way, and once you've mastered that, try to change. :gaah:

Using the left hand on the left side really helps with the stretching.

Stretching with your left hand on the left side all the while holding your razor with the right hand looks very strange!

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Try using the heel of your left hand just on the temple to stretch the skin on the left side of your face. It's alot easier for me that way. :gl:

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Originally Posted by rrp1501

Try using the heel of your left hand just on the temple to stretch the skin on the left side of your face. It's alot easier for me that way. :gl:

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+1. That's exactly what I do. Works well.