length of stroke

I must be really bored tonight because I have spent time watching videos of others shaving!:) The biggest difference from how I do it and most of the videos is the length of the stroke. For a bit of background I have "taught" myself my technique. No one showed me their way so I developed my own. I want to be efficient. For an example of my normal routine. I start with the blade from my nose to the corner of my mouth and do one stroke to my sideburn. I then go lower to my jawline and go from the corner of my mouth to under my sideburn and ear, turn and go down to my collar bone. Two strokes and since I have a mustache and goatee have about 20 percent of my shaving area covered in two strokes. I usually do two passes and for that I essentially do the reverse. I have trouble turning under my ear on the up stroke and usually turn that into two strokes to head towards the corner of my mouth. To each their own and that is what I have developed. 8 - 10 strokes, relather, opposite direction and I am done. Tonight I didn't need a shave but decided to try the shorter strokes. When I got done it wasn't any closer and my cheek burned. It usually doesn't. and I had a couple of weepers. The possible advantage I see to short strokes is the overlap so I was getting what I normally consider two to three passes in one. But that brings up the irritation factor. By lifting and restarting a stroke in what for lack of better term I think of in a "chopping" motion I was relaying the blade to my skin and possibly changing the angle that lead to possible mistakes and grabbing the skin risking nicks etc. I am not one to follow the pack but am interested in the fact that most do it differently than myself, [at least those that do videos!:)] What am I missing?

Tim

In my experience, I've tried those long 'clear the timbers' passes/strokes and only have gotten a removal of bulk hair when I did. It gets the shave started, going wtg. But for xtg, and atg, it's a surgical buffering stroke that gets me where I want for a BBS.

I'm with Johnny on this one.

First pass WTG, longer strokes. Second pass XTG, shorter, more deliberate and definitely overlapping strokes to cut the remaining hair right at skin level.

I've said it before....as long as you're not applying pressure with the blade, there is very little chance of irritation, even with multiple passes.

Just my $0.02 worth (but its Canadian $$$ so its worth more)

Oh, and by the way, I don't do videos. Mostly because I shave with my shirt off and it might just scare the kids and any animals present :)

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Originally Posted by joebehar

Just my $0.02 worth (but its Canadian $$$ so its worth more)

Oh, and by the way, I don't do videos. Mostly because I shave with my shirt off and it might just scare the kids and any animals present :)

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I had to check. You are right but that is only $0.0201095 USD worth!:rofl2:

I tried a 3 pass shave this morning using the short overlapping strokes. The next half hour driving to work I noticed some irritation but the minute I got busy at work i forgot about it. As I was thinking about it though I realized that I had 6 to 9 of my normal passes depending on what part of my face it was with the overlap. I have often wondered why guys get so much irritation out of a 1 or 2 pass shave and if this is the way they do it I now understand why.

The shave was arguably better especially around the edges. I will try this style for a few days but if i do 9 passes with the longer strokes i bet it will be the same.

Another experiment!

Tim

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Originally Posted by 32t

But that brings up the irritation factor. By lifting and restarting a stroke in what for lack of better term I think of in a "chopping" motion I was relaying the blade to my skin and possibly changing the angle that lead to possible mistakes and grabbing the skin risking nicks etc. I am not one to follow the pack but am interested in the fact that most do it differently than myself, [at least those that do videos!:)] What am I missing?

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I think the red highlight may indicate the problem. I don't lift the blade when buffing much at all. It is a very light back & forth stroke much like, well, buffing :) In fact the away stroke reapplies the lather to a degree. In the past I have found a source of irritation to be a slightly rough edge. The blade needs to be well honed & smooth for buffing but I may be interpreting your 'overlapping strokes' as something else.

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Originally Posted by 32t

I am not one to follow the pack but am interested in the fact that most do it differently than myself. . . . What am I missing?

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You aren't missing anything, Tim. Every one of us has a unique facial bone structure, thickness of skin, direction of growth, not to mention facial hair that varies from baby-soft peach fuzz to iron hard bristle. No matter how many videos we may watch, no matter how long we study the Wiki, no matter how many questions we might ask our fellow shavers, we all eventually figure out what works for our individual beard and face.

I wear bifocal glasses as thick as Coke bottles. When I was first learning to shave with a straight, between my glasses and the hand I held the razor in getting in the way, I couldn't see what I was doing in the mirror. I solved the problem eventually by taking my glasses off so I could just concentrate on the feel of my stroke. In fact, for the strokes when my hand gets in the way of the mirror, I close my eyes and do it entirely by feel. ATG from under my right ear, down my cheek and jawline and neck to under my chin, I do with short, overlapping scything strokes with my eyes closed, holding the blade down and the handle up in my right hand. WTG on the left side of my face mirrors that with the razor in my left hand.

I never saw that in anyone's video and I sure didn't read it in the Wiki, but once I had the confidence to trust my right brain, that was the technique I developed that worked for me. Just like you developed the technique that works for you. THAT is what all of us who shave with a straight have in common.

But getting back to your question, the short overlapping strokes you are trying, that you describe as "chopping" and cause you razor burn . . . it seems to me you may be using too much pressure. Just barely touch the skin with your razor and try to work in a bit of a guillotine or scything stroke so your razor just slightly slices through the hairs rather than chops through them like a hatchet.

And if after a while you still like your original technique better, go back to using it. What ain't broke don't gotta be fixed! :rock:
Namaste,
Morty -_-

Sad to say,,,,,, short stroke.:cry:

I always go with as long a stroke as I can, both on WTG and ATG. I go from the top of the cheek all the way to the neck in one stroke. On ATG, I go from the bottom of the neck to the top of the chin. It saves time and irritation, and I get a fine shave this way in just a couple minutes. Plus, my strokes are all I have that can be described as long.

You will know you have the buffing done right, when you shave, and slide the razor back and it redeposites the lather where you just shave. Not chop chop.

thanks for all the replies.

I see that I am not alone in longer strokes. I also see the idea of buffing and/or redepositing the lather on the return strokes. I think that is what I was missing in looking at this way of doing things. I have read about stropping in the middle of a shave and basically my face is leather so now I know how to do it! :D

here is a video for example that is not to the extreme but may show why i used the term chopping.

Straight Razor shaving demo

Not judging one person but I wanted to show someone that is not considered an "oddball" in this venue.

My way is not necessarily broken but i am am willing to tweak it if I can find better.

Tim

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Originally Posted by 32t

Not judging one person but I wanted to show someone that is not considered an "oddball" in this venue.

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What Lynn's doing there is hardly chopping & it is featherlight contact. You shouldn't have any trouble if you can replicate that.
The buffing being discussed is a separate technique to overlapping strokes.

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

What Lynn's doing there is hardly chopping & it is featherlight contact. You shouldn't have any trouble if you can replicate that.
The buffing being discussed is a separate technique to overlapping strokes.

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He is lifting between strokes. Chopping is a course term i agree. But lifting between stroke leaves open the variation of angle and pressure.

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Originally Posted by 32t

He is lifting between strokes. Chopping is a course term i agree. But lifting between stroke leaves open the variation of angle and pressure.

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Lifting between strokes brings with it no more danger than any other method, in well practiced hands. In fact, I would contend that it is the longer strokes that pose a greater risk to digging in, changes in pressure etc etc.

I feel confident in saying this because I use both short and long strokes when I shave. Short strokes mainly on the face, long strokes mainly on the head. I have videos of both if you would care to watch them. They are posted here at srp, or you can search for the Jimbo-srp channel on YouTube. The two videos in question are titled head shave video and shaving routine. The are both crap videos, but they do show various stroke types and lengths if you can see them through the gloom.... :)

Good luck to you.

James.

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Originally Posted by 32t

He is lifting between strokes. Chopping is a course term i agree. But lifting between stroke leaves open the variation of angle and pressure.

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There are a few factors to consider but no one said it was easy or everyone would do it. :) Ultimately you have to do what works for you but the fundamental principles of optimally sharp blade, good prep & lather, light touch & low angle must underlie all your strokes.

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Originally Posted by 32t

He is lifting between strokes. Chopping is a course term i agree. But lifting between stroke leaves open the variation of angle and pressure.

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At some point, you have to lift the razor off your face, whether its to clean off excess lather or rinse it or change grips...you might as well get used to it and learn to do it right.

a razor is an inanimate object and once that it has cleaved a hair which for all practical purposes is also inanimate the action is done. Cleave the hair is the point.
How is this best done and in the least steps?

This made sense when I wrote it. I hope it does to you also.:)

First pass WTG, long strokes. Second pass XTG, shorter

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Originally Posted by 32t

a razor is an inanimate object and once that it has cleaved a hair which for all practical purposes is also inanimate the action is done. Cleave the hair is the point.
How is this best done and in the least steps?

This made sense when I wrote it. I hope it does to you also.:)

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electrolysis

no hairs take the least strokes to cleave

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Originally Posted by LameBMX

electrolysis

no hairs take the least strokes to cleave

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Ummm . . . sorry my friend. The electrolysis needle has to be inserted (slid) into the base of each individual follicle. THOUSANDS of little strokes!

Nay -- WAXING does the trick with one good yank! :rofl2:

Namaste,
Morty -_-

No. You're not alone. Ive seen old barbers use longer strokes. I do also. You must have excellent technique and an ultra sharp razor but I was surprised to find how close I can get and even BBS with just a few strokes as opposed to buffing away to get everything. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you like but I prefer a BBS shave in as few strokes as possible. Like I said, the technique and the razor have to be superb though.

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Originally Posted by Steel

No. You're not alone. Ive seen old barbers use longer strokes. I do also. You must have excellent technique and an ultra sharp razor but I was surprised to find how close I can get and even BBS with just a few strokes as opposed to buffing away to get everything. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you like but I prefer a BBS shave in as few strokes as possible. Like I said, the technique and the razor have to be superb though.

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Yep, I like the same BBS shave, the razor is most important then the method falls into line to get BBS, lets not forget pre shave prep can go a very long way in getting that special shave too. :D

What I do is, shave from top of cheek to jaw line, and do this for one side, rinse off lather, repeat for other cheek, then do neck. I then re-lather my face and do ATG. The chin is the hardest spot to do, you have to have a very sharp razor to it, IMHO. also I may switch out my razor for a smaller one, Say a 9/16th instead of a 5/8ths or 6/8ths to do the chin area. I find out that sometimes this helps.