A Scything Stroke

[Spivey]

I’ve been shaving with straights for about 6 months now and things are going pretty well (a LOT better than any other shaving method).

For the past week, I’ve been experimenting with a scything stroke and I believe that I’ve got a handle on it. Even with a blade that needs to be honed, my irritation has diminished significantly. Additionally, my WTG-only shaves have gotten closer and more comfortable.

How many of you employ a scything stroke? How long until you were comfortable?

 

[volleykinginnc]

I'm scared to death to try one....soooo not yet from me.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I acctually just started trying this stroke as well only a day or two ago and im amazed at well it works. Not only does it cut closer as well but theres almost no irritation and i can get a DFS with only two passes, Although i do still need to work on the chin area. Also ive only using a straight for two months or so before i felt comfortable to try it.

 

[Spivey]

In general, I've been surprised at how quickly I've taken to straight shaving.

This stroke in particular had me worried, so I didn't even make an attempt. I didn't really make a conscious decision to start, I think that I did it accidentally and then tried to employ it all over.

 

[honed]

I use it on my neck every shave, it's a must to catch all the whiskers.
Seems like they grow in any direction they want on the neck. No pattern at all. But they can't outrun the scythe

 

[Slash McCoy]

It shouldn't be strictly necessary to ever use any sort of scythe or slide stroke with a good sharp razor, so don't sweat it if you aren't up to it. But it can be useful and effective. Just watch your blade angle because it can give you a nasty slice if you aren't careful.

 

[sanfranciscian]

In general, I've been surprised at how quickly I've taken to straight shaving.

This stroke in particular had me worried, so I didn't even make an attempt. I didn't really make a conscious decision to start, I think that I did it accidentally and then tried to employ it all over.

That was my path to using it also, though i never made a conscious decision i noticed one day that i was using it. I have yet to push myself to accentuate the motion to see what it really is capable of and can only blame it on my complacency with the quality of my shaves which has been very good lately. but i do need to get back to doing some homework to see where i can take this.

Ian

 

[Mink]

You can watch Chimensch in his video use it in several places. Later on in the thread he has a link to a barber video that discusses it (point first !). Granted, that's shaving someone else but it's the explanation about why it's easier to slice a tomato using this motion than just forcing the blade straight through.

 

[Spivey]

You can watch Chimensch in his video use it in several places. Later on in the thread he has a link to a barber video that discusses it (point first !). Granted, that's shaving someone else but it's the explanation about why it's easier to slice a tomato using this motion than just forcing the blade straight through.

That video has helped me a LOT. I go back to it every so often as I notice something new with each viewing.

 

[norton]

Do you mean this video?

 

[Spivey]

Do you mean this video?

That's the one.

 

[Luc]

I use it on my right side of the neck every shave. I think it took me ~3 months before I tried it. Works well.

 

[Chimensch]

A closely related stroke, which will help you ease into a sliding stroke, is the guillotine stroke. Instead of holding the blade at 90° to the direction of motion, hold it at 45°. It has almost the same effect and is easier to control.

 

[Munxcub]

So is scything like doing a Gillette slide with a straight? That was my neck saving stroke with the DE.

 

[grump]

I guess I have been in spots because it works well on areas of the neck and lip.

 

[BladeRunner001]

I know it's weird, but scything felt natural to me from (almost) the get-go. Hands felt comfortable doing it . Can't explain it. Never sliced myself

 

[gull]

I tried scything but it didn't seem to help at all. Maybe I'm doing it wrong...

 

[Drybonz]

From watching the video, I think I have been doing it since my first straight shave, but didn't realize it was an actual technique, with a name.

Maybe I'm not sure exactly what the stroke is though.

*edit* Are we talking about kind of a reverse " j stroke" on the neck?

 

[mdunn]

i love the scythe, veeeery smoooooth

 

[Chimensch]

From watching the video, I think I have been doing it since my first straight shave, but didn't realize it was an actual technique, with a name.

Maybe I'm not sure exactly what the stroke is though.

*edit* Are we talking about kind of a reverse " j stroke" on the neck?

We're talking about pushing in the direction of the point so that the blade traces a parallelogram instead of a rectangle /_/