Thread: Shaving someone else

Originally Posted by tekbow

I personally would have been more diplomatic...

I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just saying that when I was asking for tips I meant specific tips like "hold the skin like this when shaving this area" or "it's best to approach this area from this angle instead of that." I probably should have stated that in the first post.

My experience has only been on the receiving end of a straight shave. The barber did not make separate passes, but seemed to stretch the skin using his thumb and fingers, in effect opening them, he then shaved the area in between using strokes in different directions, in effect multiple passes in one go.

Originally Posted by GaiusValeriusPulcher

Long enough that I don't ever cut myself anymore and can get a damn good shave in in 10 minutes if I have to (still prefer to take my sweet time).

Good one, i think you'll be fine doing someone else. You automatically default to a lighter touch thru shear terror that you're going to take off a facial feature. Also with the stretching, an interesting thing my barber does is lightly picnh the skin above the direction of shave and works down the face taking easch smaller portion WTG

Years ago I shaved my father several times when he was ill and, strangely, I never cut or nicked him. I used disposable razors and canned shaving cream, but nevertheless I walked away from the experience wondering why I'm so prone to injuring myself. Was I extra careful? Was the shave less-than-acceptable, but he didn't mind or care? (I didn't ask.)

Originally Posted by Antenna60

Years ago I shaved my father several times when he was ill and, strangely, I never cut or nicked him. I used disposable razors and canned shaving cream, but nevertheless I walked away from the experience wondering why I'm so prone to injuring myself. Was I extra careful? Was the shave less-than-acceptable, but he didn't mind or care? (I didn't ask.)

Probably the canned cream. We don't use the stuff because it doesn't smell great and we like our fancy brushes but it is actually much slipperier than most of our fancy creams and soaps. Also, disposable razors are probably sharper than your regular straight unless you just honed it.

Originally Posted by GaiusValeriusPulcher

Also, disposable razors are probably sharper than your regular straight unless you just honed it.

Interesting that you say that because I've thought the same thing. The blades on disposable razors are very thin and flexible. Conseqently, if they start out sharper, in my experience, they don't stay that way for long. I got two, maybe three, good shaves out of one before I should have tossed it. That and poor shaving technique (one ATG pass, then touch up work) gave me years of razor burn.

Originally Posted by Antenna60

Interesting that you say that because I've thought the same thing. The blades on disposable razors are very thin and flexible. Conseqently, if they start out sharper, in my experience, they don't stay that way for long. I got two, maybe three, good shaves out of one before I should have tossed it. That and poor shaving technique (one ATG pass, then touch up work) gave me years of razor burn.

Yeah, they aren't meant to last. I assumed you were using a the disposable on your dad for hygiene reasons and that it was, thus, new. But straight out of the box they should be as sharp as a newly honed razor.