Straight Razor Place Forums

afrokamel · 11-06-2008, 04:55 PM

Hey guys!
I learned about this forum yesterday and I have been reading up some and checking out some videos and how-to´s and I have learned lots. Today, when I attempted to shave with my straight razor for the first time, it went quite well, but I had some trouble shaving the right side of my face.

I didnt really have all that much trouble with the chin and the area below my sideburns, most of the trouble was the area underneath the chin and right of that. I couldnt really get a good angle on the razor, I just kept pulling it arround untill my skin became quite red, but I sucessfully removed most of the beard.

I washed my face with hot water while showering before I started shaving, i also used shaving foam, and shaving oil. Overall it went quite well, I didnt even cut myself once!

So, I would appreciate some tips on how to shave the right part of your face with your right hand, because that was the only trouble I was having, the rest went real smooth!

//Afro

AusTexShaver · 11-06-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afrokamel

So, I would appreciate some tips on how to shave the right part of your face with your right hand, because that was the only trouble I was having, the rest went real smooth!

//Afro

My advice would be to study the different types of grips used in the videos and some of the old barber manuals and experiment until you find the one that works best for you.

The neck is a little tricky when you're first starting out because there are very few flat spots...so what you have to do is create flat spots by stretching the skin. A trick I use is to put my left hand on the left side of the adams apple and pull the skin towards my left ear while pushing the adams apple to the right. What this does is create a huge flat spot under my right jawline. The rest I get by either stretching the skin up or down. So by a combination of moving the skin up, down, and sideways you should be able to flatten the skin enough for a good shave...all you have to do then is figure out what grip makes it easiest, and that will depend on your hair growth pattern.

afrokamel · 11-06-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AusTexShaver

My advice would be to study the different types of grips used in the videos and some of the old barber manuals and experiment until you find the one that works best for you.

The neck is a little tricky when you're first starting out because there are very few flat spots...so what you have to do is create flat spots by stretching the skin. A trick I use is to put my left hand on the left side of the adams apple and pull the skin towards my left ear while pushing the adams apple to the right. What this does is create a huge flat spot under my right jawline. The rest I get by either stretching the skin up or down. So by a combination of moving the skin up, down, and sideways you should be able to flatten the skin enough for a good shave...all you have to do then is figure out what grip makes it easiest, and that will depend on your hair growth pattern.

Thanks for the tip! I´ll try it out tomorrow =)

JimmyHAD · 11-06-2008, 09:27 PM

Welcome to SRP. My first few weeks I did what I could with a straight and then finished up with a DE. Once I put the DE away and started shaving only with the straight it took some more time to for me to get better coordinated at manipulating the razor but it came to me. Many guys shave ambidextrously but I am not there yet.

AusTexShaver · 11-06-2008, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afrokamel

Thanks for the tip! I´ll try it out tomorrow =)

If you still have trouble it's also useful to do a "dry run" and practice stretching the skin in front of the mirror with a dry face. It's kind of hard to see what's going on when your face is covered with lather.

Another tip is if you're having trouble doing the "stretch" try lathering your face in sections...in other words lather and shave one side of your face from the sideburn to the jawline, then wipe that area with a towel and lather and do jawline to bottom of neck on that side. It's easier to get a grip and your lather won't dry out as it tends to do when you're are learning and taking a long time to do a complete shave.

Robert1988 · 11-06-2008, 10:34 PM

Hello...
I'm still new in straight razor shaving, but I shave with shavette for a month now and I use one-hand technique because I don't trust my left hand...

When I shave my right side, I turn my head for about 15 to 20 degrees to left, so I can see my sideburns clearly... Then I use my left hand to stretch the skin... I put my left hand over my head, just above right sideburn and pull... The trick is that with this 15 to 20 degrees turn you'll be able to see the edge of your blade, but you'll not be able to see the angle of your blade because your right hand will mostly block the view... I practiced this maneuver without the blade in my shavette and it became quite a routine now...
After all, practice makes perfect...

Hope this helps...

afrokamel · 11-07-2008, 10:17 AM

Thanks for the tips guys!
Think im gonna start with shaving the left side of my face for a while now, to practice some, and finish the right side with my gilette. The reason to the trouble im having while shaving the right side of my throat/neck is a birthmark like in the middle of evrything, and this makes it kind of hard because you have to shave arround it.

Been thinking about going to a plastic surgeon or something to have it removed, because its even a problem while shaving with a safty razor, i have cut my self quite bad there sometimes.

//Afro