Razor grip

[trondsi]

Hi everyone. I am just curious; am I the only one who holds the razor like this? Note the middle finger on top of the scales. The scales are also resting lightly on top of the index finger. My fingers just fell naturally into this position the first few times I shaved. It gives a very steady grip, and the scales do not get in the way as often.

[Stubear]

My thoughts are if it works for you, and you are getting the results you want, then keep doing it!

If it works, its good!

[JimmyHAD]

For part of the shave I hold it in a similar fashion but my middle finger is in front of the scales along with the index finger.

[willow2006]

Thats pretty much exactly the way I hold mine

[sbrouwers]

If it works for you. My grip changes depending on what part of my face I am shaving and in which direction. So long as you have control over your razor and are able to use it with success it really doesn't matter imo!!

[trondsi]

I just had a shave with my Renaissance razor, and I experimented a bit with the grip. I think this is very much a personal preference thing, as it may actually depend a bit on the length and width of your fingers.

However, varying the grip made me notice something that I haven't thought about before: when I hold the razor as shown in the first picture of this thread, I actually use the scales to adjust the angle of the blade (by moving my middle finger on top of the scales). When holding it in other positions, the scales are less useful to me, and in some positions, they are actually quite annoying.

[JimmyHAD]

Sometimes the scales are at a right angle to the blade as in your photo. Sometimes at a 45 degree angle and other times flattened out as if it was a Japanese style razor. I just put them where I need them and hold the razor the way it works best for me depending on where I'm at.

[trondsi]

Perhaps I did not show it clearly enough in the photo, but the scales are actually a good deal past 90 degrees, the far end of the scales tilting forward. I also vary the grip somewhat, but I am able to shave my whole face (with the growth and across) using this grip. It felt so natural to me that I am surprised to find that it is never mentioned as an option anywhere, to my knowledge.

[Obie]

My thoughts are if it works for you, and you are getting the results you want, then keep doing it!

If it works, its good!

Hello, Trondsi:

My friend Stuart is correct: whatever style of a grip that works for the individual shaver is the best grip for him or her. All too frequently how the shaver grips the razor that first time turns out to be the best way for him. Later, variations on the original grip set in, but the initial hold continues to dominate. At least that's my theory.

That's how it happened with me: the first time I held the razor was with two fingers on the shank and two on the tang. I have refined the grip slightly — but only slightly. Sure, the grip changes dramatically when shaving, say, the neck, but that does not change the dominant way in which the shaver grips his razor.

Regards,

Obie
obieyadgar.com

[Scipio]

Try a razor without a tail! I acquired an old French blade which is a superb shaver, but has no tail. I never realised that I actually used it for grip until I tried a razor without one.

In general my grip is similar to the above photograph.