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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
This morning I leaned that I need more practice going XTG with my non-dominant hand.
What Did You Learn From Your SR Shave Today?
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After two and a half years, I thought that the big light bulb moments were over. Then I discovered the “Gillette Slide”.
For the uninitiated, this is a technique where you open the blade up to a toe leading position to the direction of travel. It seems a little dangerous, and it probably is, which is why I left it so long to try. This is an advanced technique that I can not in good conscience recommend any newbie to try at home.
I’ve been playing around with this for about a month now. I first started on the cheeks and have slowly been adding the slide to every stroke in my shave routine. This week I took it all the way with ATG stokes on the neck and under the jaw line.
The results are really impressive. Cutting efficiency and closeness of each pass is increased. Blades hold edges for longer and cutting resistance is reduced. I haven’t experienced any nicks or irritation through the process. The slide is a game changer right up there with skin stretching.
For the uninitiated, this is a technique where you open the blade up to a toe leading position to the direction of travel. It seems a little dangerous, and it probably is, which is why I left it so long to try. This is an advanced technique that I can not in good conscience recommend any newbie to try at home.
I’ve been playing around with this for about a month now. I first started on the cheeks and have slowly been adding the slide to every stroke in my shave routine. This week I took it all the way with ATG stokes on the neck and under the jaw line.
The results are really impressive. Cutting efficiency and closeness of each pass is increased. Blades hold edges for longer and cutting resistance is reduced. I haven’t experienced any nicks or irritation through the process. The slide is a game changer right up there with skin stretching.
Tis but a scratch.
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- #664
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I have been using the Gillette (for want of a better noun) slide for about a year now.
I have a hollow shaped neck with a horizontal whisker growth direction out from the throat. This area was always difficult to shave with a SR having an edge length of about 70mm. I tried, very cautiously, to shave my neck south to north with a sliding motion towards my throat. With a bit of practice and a few nicks, it worked!
For safety, the Gillette SR slide needs to be done with a laser sharp edge. I agree that it is not something a n00bie should try at home. Better for a n00bie to try it at the local ER.
I also use this technique on the hollows in my neck.
@Tomo, Do you think it is the slide (per se) or is it possible that the blade is now traveling in the direction that your hair grows?
@Tomo, Do you think it is the slide (per se) or is it possible that the blade is now traveling in the direction that your hair grows?
This "slide" is the only way I can get those pesky whiskers at the corners of my mouth. I think many experienced straight shavers incorporate a "slide" to greater or lesser extent.
That said, I cannot emphasize enough that it is a very advanced technique. Think about it. This is exactly the motion one uses when cutting meat with kitchen knives. Your face is meat and a razor is a knife. Get the picture?
A strong warning to anyone that has not already "mastered" straight shaving... Don't try this at home!
That said, I cannot emphasize enough that it is a very advanced technique. Think about it. This is exactly the motion one uses when cutting meat with kitchen knives. Your face is meat and a razor is a knife. Get the picture?
A strong warning to anyone that has not already "mastered" straight shaving... Don't try this at home!
The direction of travel matters but the slide definitely takes it up a notch.
Edit - I should have said heel leading strokes in my original post.
I see the "slide" as more of a gentle strategic pivot.
I think you’re right. Most experienced shavers probably do the slide stroke, possibly without even noticing it.
A great SR shave relies on the subtle details. Fine adjustments of the shave angle as you follow the contours of your face, just the right skin stretch in the right direction, strokes that sweep and synth to trace the beard map, confident movements of the blade and a touch of blade slide.
With experience these little adjustments become automatic, the edges improve with better stropping/honing and you eventually achieve shave Nirvana. The new guys proceed slowly and cautiously with basic techniques (as they should) and wonder where the close comfortable shaves are that everyone is raving about. It takes time for it all to come together. I’m still improving two and a half years in.
Exactly like a traditional x-stroke.I assumed the slide was toe leading. Now I get it. Sounds like an x-stroke to me.
The pivot or ‘slant razor’ position that @Titleist mentions is actually the same thing. As far as the blade is concerned you are introducing a horizontal vector to the cut by changing the orientation of the blade to the direction of travel. It’s another away of thinking about it.
I learned that a junk razor that I honed with my new Shapton
glass stones and finished with a wakasa Jnat progression, followed by
a balsa strop progression shaves well...actually, very well. It
certainly does not have the heft and feel of my Filarmonica 14's,
in fact the thinned out 5/8 Merkur blade felt more like a DE, but the
efficiency was there. Almost BBS from a smooth ATG. I did get a
weeper near the Adam's apple but that was just me pushing the limits
of this edge.
BTW Isn't Chimensch doing a Gillette slide in his famous 30th anniversary video?
glass stones and finished with a wakasa Jnat progression, followed by
a balsa strop progression shaves well...actually, very well. It
certainly does not have the heft and feel of my Filarmonica 14's,
in fact the thinned out 5/8 Merkur blade felt more like a DE, but the
efficiency was there. Almost BBS from a smooth ATG. I did get a
weeper near the Adam's apple but that was just me pushing the limits
of this edge.
BTW Isn't Chimensch doing a Gillette slide in his famous 30th anniversary video?
Yup. But he makes it look so normal that it's hard to spot if you're not looking for it.
Today‘s shave reminded me that shaving with a SR on a sunburnt face is a huge no go how good you are at SR shaving. It’s been awhile since I had a slightly sunburnt face, after the shave instant negative feedback. Guess the soap hid the problem until I rinsed off. Yeah still suffering hours later. Thankful my wife had sunburn aloe leftover from a girls trip. Don’t do me this summer.
Even though a coticule edge isn't as sharp as a pasted balsa edge it will still bite you if your concentration lapses for a nano second. Loverly red tricle from the side burn.
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- #676
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I learnt this morning that once an edge gets to a certain level (perfection?), it can't be further improved.
After working on my Titan 1918 ACRO T.H.64 over a few days and shave testing each day, I got the edge to the stage where I couldn't feel it cutting my whiskers in the fool's pass. Further work produced no further noticeable improvement.
The ACRO T.H.64 has given @Slash McCoy problems in honing but it is behaving very well for me. Once the April GRUME is over, I'll order another to make a weekend set.
This SR is now being maintained just on 0.1μm hanging balsa. I has been Renaissance waxed and put away for its Dovo rest.
After working on my Titan 1918 ACRO T.H.64 over a few days and shave testing each day, I got the edge to the stage where I couldn't feel it cutting my whiskers in the fool's pass. Further work produced no further noticeable improvement.
The ACRO T.H.64 has given @Slash McCoy problems in honing but it is behaving very well for me. Once the April GRUME is over, I'll order another to make a weekend set.
This SR is now being maintained just on 0.1μm hanging balsa. I has been Renaissance waxed and put away for its Dovo rest.
Haha - thanks, I had been pondering that for a few minutes, thinking “well I guess I’m not doing a Gillette slide because I lead with the heel!”
I learned that shavettes are so sharp it doesn't hurt when you cut your face. Also, shavettes require a different technique than a regular straight.
I’ve been away for a few days and learned that my Henkles Friodur does not require daily balsa maintenance to hold a nice shaving edge. In fact the edge comfort improves substantially on shaves two and three after which it levelled out. I think I will leave future maintenance on an as-required basis. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Over the last week, I learned that it is possible to manscape a surprisingly large area of your body with a straight razor.
At least it's efficient.
At least it's efficient.
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