Thread: How do you hold your razor

Can you show pictures of how you were holding it before, where you didn't like the grip?

Originally Posted by markevens

Can you show pictures of how you were holding it before, where you didn't like the grip?

Sure I should have thought of that when I posted the others. It is what I consider a standard grip close to what Mark posted on the second page of this thread. I use it for WTG strokes on the flats of my cheeks but cannot use it at any other time. I just can't hold the blade flat enough or have the control with the tip that I need for any other strokes.

Try bending your fingers a little. Even without a razor in my hand, if I try to keep my fingers tight, and bring up to my face, straight as displayed in the pics, my elbow needs to kick into my body.

If I bend my fingers to more of a cupped position, such as the image posted by markevans, my arm and elbow are in a much more comfortable and controllable position.

Also I think you may consider lighten up your grip.

Like this.

These are the two varitations I use on what I consider a "standard" grip but for me they only work WTG down my cheeks using the same hand as the side of the face im working on. With my unorthodox grip I posted earlier I use the opposite hand as the side of the face Im working on.




Thanks for the help guys, im trying out some of the tips you guys have recomended and we will see how it works.

I don't think that it's set in stone. As long as you hold it in a fashion that will not cause the razor to bite into your face, or give the opportunity to drop the razor, I really don't think it matters much. I used to hold my razor with 2 fingers on top of the shank, but I started using 1 finger instead (like thehekler's first picture above this post) because it creates more visibility & control with the blade. Whatever works for you.

Originally Posted by thehekler

These are the two varitations I use on what I consider a "standard" grip but for me they only work WTG down my cheeks using the same hand as the side of the face im working on. With my unorthodox grip I posted earlier I use the opposite hand as the side of the face Im working on.




Thanks for the help guys, im trying out some of the tips you guys have recomended and we will see how it works.

The second pic is very similar to how I hold it, except I use my pinky finger for support as well. I kind of doubt that it would make that much of a difference for you. Like I said before, if your grip is working, there is no real need to change it.

Originally Posted by markevens

The second pic is very similar to how I hold it, except I use my pinky finger for support as well. I kind of doubt that it would make that much of a difference for you. Like I said before, if your grip is working, there is no real need to change it.

I use the grip shown in pic #2 also. The only thing is my pinky stays upright like a well-bred nobleman drinking tea.

Gentlemen:

From the start, I tried to learn what I think is the standard and the time-test way of holding the razor. Of course, I could have held the razor anyway I wanted, but I opted for the most optimal according to established methods developed through the decades.

I hold my razor with the index finger at the first joint on the top of the shank and the thumb at the bottom of the shank. Going against the grain on the neck, the chin, the upper lip, and on the cheeks, the position changes, naturally, and I improvise.

I would not think of holding the razor another way.

And I switch hands.

Regards,
Obie

My grip changes as I move around my face, and I've decided that I need to learn to work left-handed as well. To build up some muscle memory without risk to my face, I'm going to put electrical tape over the edge that hasn't made it into my rotation, and just swipe off lather until it feels comfortable.

Those are my $.02 about grip experiments.