Thread: Watch the point! Oh while you are at it watch the heel.

So today I learned a new way to cut myself. Since cutting myself pretty good with a spike point once I have been careful to watch the point. I guess I have been shying away from that end of the razor so much so that I forgot to mind the heel.

I was trying a new attack on my sideburns. I would do a 45 degree NW to SE stroke toward my side burn and ear. This was working great and I was doing short little strokes getting a great line for my side burns.

Unfortunately I was also rocking the heel of the blade against the lower part of my face. This left several light slices near my jaw and cheek. I think it will heel right up but still. I hope I am getting over cutting myself having now cut myself with the toe, center, and heal of the razor. I guess I could sharpen the tail and the spine and try my luck at those.

--Shoki

Originally Posted by Shoki

So today I learned a new way to cut myself. Since cutting myself pretty good with a spike point once I have been careful to watch the point. I guess I have been shying away from that end of the razor so much so that I forgot to mind the heel.

I was trying a new attack on my sideburns. I would do a 45 degree NW to SE stroke toward my side burn and ear. This was working great and I was doing short little strokes getting a great line for my side burns.

Unfortunately I was also rocking the heel of the blade against the lower part of my face. This left several light slices near my jaw and cheek. I think it will heel right up but still. I hope I am getting over cutting myself having now cut myself with the toe, center, and heal of the razor. I guess I could sharpen the tail and the spine and try my luck at those.

--Shoki

Shoki;

It sounds like your razor is plenty sharp. You may need to concentrate on blade angle. Something that helped me out was paying closer attention to where the "spine" of the razor was.

We know the edge is sharp, instead focus on where the spine is while shaving. Especially when going XTG and ATG. When in doubt always lay the spine against your skin first and adjust to calculate correct angle.

I have found that I can actually apply pressure to the spine of the razor which causes the skin to slightly push up in front of the edge while shaving. This pressure on the spine creates a wake or swell "effect" in front of the edge. Kind of like the prow of a ship cutting through water. I seldom get nicks now. Hope this helps.

Mike

Originally Posted by MODINE

Shoki;

When in doubt always lay the spine against your skin first and adjust to calculate correct angle.

I have found that I can actually apply pressure to the spine of the razor which causes the skin to slightly push up in front of the edge while shaving. This pressure on the spine creates a wake or swell "effect" in front of the edge. Kind of like the prow of a ship cutting through water. I seldom get nicks now. Hope this helps.

Mike

Having cut myself with the toe and the heel before I learned some time ago to lay the spine against my skin and then raise it up to get the correct angle, but I am really intrigued by your advise above.

Are you saying that you can put the blade flat against your skin and with a little pressure on the spine you can shave with the blade flat? Can you please explain a little further for me?

Thank you in advance.

Will N.

Originally Posted by WillN

Having cut myself with the toe and the heel before I learned some time ago to lay the spine against my skin and then raise it up to get the correct angle, but I am really intrigued by your advise above.

Are you saying that you can put the blade flat against your skin and with a little pressure on the spine you can shave with the blade flat? Can you please explain a little further for me?

Thank you in advance.

Will N.

Will N.

You got it, that's exactly what I'm saying. Don't get all hung up on that though, main thing is to be more aware of the spine placement while shaving. It will help to ease your mind from worrying about cutting yourself with the sharp edge. At least it did for me.

Everyone has to figure out their own face shave pattern, and razor hold. Once you do stick with it. When you are comfortable with that then move on to XTG and maybe ATG. Many guys prefer not to go ATG and that is OK too.

When you are more confident, then you can experiment with some different techniques, i.e.. buffing, scythe/arc stroke, Modine's Missouri Boat ride stroke etc. LOL.

One way to get better Str8 shaving is to use differernt razors everyday. One day use your 8/8 Fili hollow ground, next day your kamisori. You get my picture. That's why so many guy's have all these different razors. Many have thier favorites. That's the sport of Str8 razor shaving.
I'll type up a more descriptive thread in the near future. I hope this helps for now. Have fun.
MIke

Ooouuch Shoki,
I feel your pain brotha ...we all have those weird twilight zone days...no matter what angle of attack you take, the blade has you targeted .

Don't worry, this too shall pass...Mike has given you pretty good advice. I should try that too (although I have not nicked myself with a straight...not yet anyway)

Originally Posted by MODINE

Will N.

You got it, that's exactly what I'm saying. Don't get all hung up on that though, main thing is to be more aware of the spine placement while shaving. It will help to ease your mind from worrying about cutting yourself with the sharp edge. At least it did for me.

Everyone has to figure out their own face shave pattern, and razor hold. Once you do stick with it. When you are comfortable with that then move on to XTG and maybe ATG. Many guys prefer not to go ATG and that is OK too.

When you are more confident, then you can experiment with some different techniques, i.e.. buffing, scythe/arc stroke, Modine's Missouri Boat ride stroke etc. LOL.

One way to get better Str8 shaving is to use differernt razors everyday. One day use your 8/8 Fili hollow ground, next day your kamisori. You get my picture. That's why so many guy's have all these different razors. Many have thier favorites. That's the sport of Str8 razor shaving.
I'll type up a more descriptive thread in the near future. I hope this helps for now. Have fun.
MIke

Thanks Mike for clarifying that for me. I really would have never even thought to try that move, but I will now.

It was that arc stroke that got my cheek with a spike point, right about the time my wife asked me a question. Lesson learned on that one. I still always answer my wife politely.......right after I put down the razor.

Will N.

Modine is right on about laying the spine flat. I try to keep the correct angle on the first wtg pass, but when it comes to the atg pass I have to keep the blade flat on the skin. It seems to help my blade control and gets a smother shave.

Wow man, usually when someone pokes/cuts themselves with the heel it's from the dual spike points on a shavette, not from a real straight....

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Wow man, usually when someone pokes/cuts themselves with the heel it's from the dual spike points on a shavette, not from a real straight....

Grrrrr...

Never tried a shavette but I am sure I can cut myself with one given half the chance. I am really not sure what I did but it was a new "technique" one I will be careful if I try it again.

--Shoki