Thread: Thanks Nick!!, I finally got it!

Reading some threads this morning and I came across "painful to shave two days in a row. Solutions?) I don't have this problem, but read the thread anyway. Came across a reply from "Disburden"…

(Quote)
"(5) When you use a straight razor I can't help but express that you should be using a slicing stroke with your downward stroke. Let's say you are shaving WTG, you shouldn't just be mowing through your facial hair with a WTG stroke like an Ax cutting in a tree. You need to slice laterally with the razor while moving downward at the same time so the hairs are cut like a knife in a steak or bread. You need to be VERY careful with this as you can cut yourself if you're using too much lateral movement. This is the way barber's use their razors and how they were taught to shave people. I actually saw a video of a master barber teaching on a client how to make the proper stroke and he mentioned several times that this is very important to get a good shave that doesn't hurt your skin. It also prevents the need for an ATG pass as the shaves become a lot closer than without this stroke.

Hope this helps you,

Nick"

Nick, What you said above may be on a hundred other posts, but it finally registered. They say it takes an average of hearing something 7 time before it finally sticks with most people. I've fussed with sharpening and preparation, with oils in - out- alone, pre-shaves, richer lather, thin watery lather, soap, cream, soap and cream, a little shampoo in with cream (which actually is not too bad). I always got pretty much the same shave, passable, but not really good as a safety razor. I've stretched, pulled, twisted and contorted until shaving was more exercise than shaving. I can even compare straight razor shaving to golf. Yes, when learning or re-learning golf you get tips, advice, little tidbits here and there. Keep your head down, swing on plane, don't swing too hard, do this, do that. Then when you get up to hit the ball you remember all of these things, until, you start to swing and then everything goes blank and you do same old things over and over. This morning I took one thought to the shave. Slicing Stroke. Made sense, but sounded a little treacherous, but I remembered it and as soon as I tried it, success. Best shave with a straight for me ever. No touch up. I even used it, very cautiously, ATG. They say you can't teach and old dog new tricks. Just not true! You just have to remember that we're not only hard of hearing, we're also hard of listening. Be patient and keep telling us, we'll finally get it. Thanks,

Howard

I believe you're referring to the much debated scything stroke. I say much debated because even us senior members have a tough time agreeing on how to describe it lol! Not only does it provide a close shave, but it also helps a lot with edge longevity. Just something else to consider.

Ryan

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I believe you're referring to the much debated scything stroke. I say much debated because even us senior members have a tough time agreeing on how to describe it lol! Not only does it provide a close shave, but it also helps a lot with edge longevity. Just something else to consider.

Ryan

Ryan, I'm not sure. If I understand scything it's more of a stroke with the heel or the hand as kind of a pivot with a slight bit of rotation. What I understood from Nick was more of a stroke where the blade stayed horizontal, or maybe a little canted and then pulled slightly as a slice while moving downward. Anyway, that's how I used it and it was very effective. I did it as short strokes and very careful to not exaggerate the sideways slicing movement, mostly downward draw. Slicing stroke was Nick's terminology. However, maybe I don't understand scything correctly. This link shows a scything stroke as i think i understand it, but im sure open to correction. Thanks,

Howard

Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki

After a re-look at the link it also shows the guillotine stroke and that is the stroke I used and was trying to describe. Below that it talks of a slicing stroke, and does not consider it a shaving stroke. Thanks.