Pulling skin necessary?

I will be switching from DE to straights soon and I was wondering how important it is to pull and stretch your skin during straight shaves. I get a great shave without stretching my skin with DEs, but a better, closer shave when stretching. The problem is that when I stretch my skin, it feels mildly irritated for a few hours and my face feels kind of numb when I touch it. Because of this, I don't stretch my skin and still get pretty much BBS shaves, they just don't stay that way as long as they do when I pull/stretch the skin.

The tutorials I've been reading all say to pull your skin when using a straight. Is this really necessary? Will I be able to shave pretty much the same as I do now in this regard or do I really need to pull/stretch? Are the mechanics of a straight different enough that I probably won't suffer the same feelings from it (after I start to get my technique, that is. I know I'll most likely suffer in the beginning like I did when switching to DEs)?

I'm not very good at any of this yet, but my advise is to not worry about it right at the start. Pressure and blade angle are going to be your big concerns. I don't mean to completely disregard stretching...just that it's (in my opinion) one of the finer points to a perfect shave.

it sure does help.. but you don't have to stretch.. you can also stretch lightly.. the important part is that you have a relatively flat surface to shave.

Your DE has a bar that does the stretching for you. With a straight razor, you don't have that bar to stretch the skin and if you don't keep that skin tight, it'll bunch up in front of the blade if you're not careful. Bunched up skin in front of the blade increases the likelihood that you cut yourself. You don't HAVE to stretch the skin, but ask yourself how many times you want to cut yourself before you just give in and do the stretching :)

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Originally Posted by breadstick

I will be switching from DE to straights soon and I was wondering how important it is to pull and stretch your skin during straight shaves.
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About the same as with a DE.
Pull/ stretch enough to give yourself
a smooth patch of skin to shave.

I think the older you get the more you have to stretch.

Stretching the skin makes for a much smoother shaving action. With the skin taught, the blade meets the hairs and the hairs move very little allowing them to be easily cut. When teh skin is not tight, then when the blade meets the hairs, the hair moves with the elasticity of the skin until the pressure from the blade overcomes the resistance from the hair and then the cutting happens.

I've found that WTG and XTG stretching isn't nearly as vital as when shaving ATG.

I don't know anything that is truly necessary. Try it both ways and see which works best for you. The blade typically cuts betters on a smooth, flat surface. Stretching helps create this. Some stretch with their hands, some just contort their face. Everyone does something a little differently.

I have found that I'm more apt to cut myself if I don't stretch so be careful if you try experimenting.

Sadly, it seems that the only real way to find out is just to try and, most likely, bleed a few times until I find what works. It's nothing I'm sure at least most if not all of you on here did when you were where I am now.

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Originally Posted by AnarchoPhil

I think the older you get the more you have to stretch.

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Sadly, this is a very accurate observation. Young guys with taut skin will be able to shave one handed.
Ageing skin has left me looking more like a bloodhound, so much stretching is required.

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Originally Posted by breadstick

I will be switching from DE to straights soon and I was wondering how important it is to pull and stretch your skin during straight shaves. I get a great shave without stretching my skin with DEs, but a better, closer shave when stretching. The problem is that when I stretch my skin, it feels mildly irritated for a few hours and my face feels kind of numb when I touch it. Because of this, I don't stretch my skin and still get pretty much BBS shaves, they just don't stay that way as long as they do when I pull/stretch the skin.

The tutorials I've been reading all say to pull your skin when using a straight. Is this really necessary? Will I be able to shave pretty much the same as I do now in this regard or do I really need to pull/stretch? Are the mechanics of a straight different enough that I probably won't suffer the same feelings from it (after I start to get my technique, that is. I know I'll most likely suffer in the beginning like I did when switching to DEs)?

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Stretching the skin is not necessary, but it does make the skin a more efficient surface to shave on. Stretching the skin makes it firmer. Imagine this: You're at the side of a lake and you want to throw a stone and make it skip 5 to 10 times. You've bet ten bucks you can do it. Now, would you rather have the surface of the lake frozen or not? Would you be able to skip that stone better on ice or on water? That's why stretching is done, plus if you don't stretch certain areas, the skin can pile up in front of the blade because it is loose (hasn't been stretched). You know what happens next.

I can relate welshwizard. When I watch some of the videos of the younger fellows shaving (geofatboy come to mind) and see how taut their skin is and then look in the mirror - yikes! For me, more stretching is required than when I was a young man.
Reaching over the head to stretch the sideburn area is also out for me. I have to reach around the front of my face, much easier.

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Originally Posted by AnarchoPhil

I think the older you get the more you have to stretch.

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When older you are, more you have to stretch. :) Being older more I know whereof I speak.

:beer2: