Thread: Right Handed Shaver Question

I've been using a SR for about 6 months now and I feel like I'm really starting to get the hang of it. One area I'm still struggling with though is when I have to use my left hand to either go across or against the grain. Does anyone have any tips for how to minimize left hand usage? When shaving across the grain I generally go from ear to chin on the left side of my face and opposite on the right side so I don't have to switch hands. I also feel pretty confident going against the grain on the left side of my face but because I haven't figured out how to do it not using my left hand on the right side of my face I generally either don't do it or I wind up getting pretty cut up.

Long story short, is everyone on here who's nailed SR ambidextrous or am I missing something?

I'm a one-handed shaver...I don't trust my left hand. A lot of people think you should try to learn to use your off-hand but I doggedly refuse to. My left hand lets me down too often!

There are a few videos of one-handed shaving and those can be extremely helpful. For the right side of my face I fold the razor straight open (180 degrees) to go against the grain and for the right side of my neck I only open it about 90 degrees (so the scales are pointing straight up).

This is a lot more difficult to explain than I thought it would be. I think experimentation and video watching will get you there if you don't want to learn the other hand. Good luck!

The biggest advantage to being able to learn to use both hands is that you increase your field of vision when using the opposite hand vs. reaching around your face. I normally recommend putting the razor in the opposite hand and try to duplicate the strokes you want to use without touching the razor to your face until it starts feeling comfortable for you. The more you fiddle around with the razor in your opposite hand, the more comfortable you become in using it.

Good Luck.

Lynn pretty much said all that needs to be said. When i started off i went straight at using my off hand. after a year, there's no difference in my left or right hand.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. To confirm, is going from chin to cheek/sideburn the right way to go across the grain or are you better going from cheek/sideburn to chin? I've had my fair share of slip ups going both ways.

The right way to go against the grain is going the direction in which the hair grows, I'm being facetious but seriously, it's diff for everyone, you should let it grow a few days and have a real close look at the grain pattern before you lather up. Amongst the many things in straight shaving, knowing your own face is vital. Also i wouldn't try and take it off in one big stroke, try for little short strokes

Edit: My bad, didn't read what you said properly

Originally Posted by Straightrazzin

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. To confirm, is going from chin to cheek/sideburn the right way to go across the grain or are you better going from cheek/sideburn to chin? I've had my fair share of slip ups going both ways.

Either way works to go across. Against is just one direction, but I'd go with whatever direction works the best and/or whatever you're the most comfortable with.

Originally Posted by Straightrazzin

To confirm, is going from chin to cheek/sideburn the right way to go across the grain or are you better going from cheek/sideburn to chin? I've had my fair share of slip ups going both ways.

I've done it both ways, and didn't notice any difference. TBH once I got my technique down better I was pretty much able to eliminate XTG. Since I now sport a mustache and goatee I do go XTG from the beard toward the back of my jaw just along the jaw line, but that's it. The rest is WTG and ATG.

I hope you'll persevere with learning to use your left hand. It was weird and scarey to me at first, but after a couple of weeks, it felt normal.

Originally Posted by Jimbo7

I'm a one-handed shaver...I don't trust my left hand.

Lol, this made me laugh, maybe because I'm at the end of a 12-hour night shift, but I imagine you eyeing your left very suspiciously during the shave, "don't you dare move"

My brother-in-law is right handed only. He's a noob like me so has not been doing very well on the left side of his face.

I told him to start drinking beer with his left hand only to start getting it in training.

I figured that was something that he does a lot.