Advanced techniques

[Biltong & Boerewors]

I came across this video on another thread.

1000-Plus straight razor shaves in, I can look back and apart from the initial steep learning curve most of the rest is steady almost imperceptible progress. Rarely something comes up that changes everything and takes you to the next level.

This is one of those moments for me and I feel compelled to share it.

I was watching the Master at work and what caught my eye was the fact that he attacks most of his strokes at an angle with a slicing motion. Makes perfect sense that it would slice the beard easier, but my initial thoughts were that it will also slice skin easier.

Well, I tried it by starting carefully and only holding the razor at 45 degrees from the shaving direction, heel leading, instead of the normal 90 degrees I always thought should be the best. All I can say is "Wow what a difference!". You hardly feel any resistance at all and the resulting two-pass shave was probably one off best ones yet. Zero irritation and very smooth.

As far as slicing skin, one little nick when I was going upwards under my jawline and didn't back off in time to change direction when meeting the pointy bit of my chin.

In all, definitely something I will practise and get good at. Even after my first try I can see huge benefits.

I will probably class it as an advanced technique only to be tried once you are very confident in your abilities to keep the blood inside the skin!

I did my second shave this way yesterday, and with some confidence gained, started to be a bit more adventurous actually pulling to do a bit of a sliding stroke.

Great shave! You barely have to touch your skin with the lightest of pressure and the blade almost flat on your face. It just glides and leaves you with a much better result than the normal straight down stroke.

Love it!

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

Shouting out to some of the old hands, regular contributors, new hands, all welcome of course.

I will appreciate it if you can take one shave off from your normal, settled, comfortable, safe, enjoyable, relaxing shave and give it a go. If you don't like it fine, if you do, thank me!

What may be new to me, may be old news to you, but I will still appreciate your views.

@camoloc @Polarbeard @Slash McCoy @rbscebu @ScottChapin @Tomo @Frank Shaves @Jakebullet @kohalajohn @sexy beast @Doc226 @Steve56 @global_dev @Mouette @Eastcoast30.

Please don't feel offended if I forgot to mention you, these are just the ones that came to mind.

 

[tube_guy]

With a DE, I've always gotten my best results using a sliding and slicing technique. In the past month, I've been venturing back into trying a straight razor after a bad experience about 15 years ago. I figured this would be a great time because I'm working from home due to a COVID shutdown. If my face ended up looking like it was processed through a machine, at least I wouldn't have to go to work looking like that.

Naturally, when I started with the straight, I immediately went to this sliding motion while trying to get a better shave, just based on my experience with a DE. My first straight shave, I cut myself pretty good, so I stopped with the slicing and just used straight-on strokes for my second shave. I still cut myself, although not as bad, but I also found that the shave wasn't nearly as good. There was more tugging, and the shave wasn't nearly as close in my problem areas.

Now, I'm about 20 shaves in and I've been primarily using the sliding and slicing motion. I've found that, if I get my lather right, I can get a completely blood free shave that's very close and very smooth. I'd say my shave with the straight is at least as good as with my DE and my face and my skin feel and look better, too. Even my wife noticed! Out of the blue, she said I look much younger, like when she first met me. I'm using a shavette, so it's not a real straight razor, but I think I'm hooked now.

 

[DrStrange]

I think of it as the "guillotine stroke".

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

With a DE, I've always gotten my best results using a sliding and slicing technique. In the past month, I've been venturing back into trying a straight razor after a bad experience about 15 years ago. I figured this would be a great time because I'm working from home due to a COVID shutdown. If my face ended up looking like it was processed through a machine, at least I wouldn't have to go to work looking like that.

Naturally, when I started with the straight, I immediately went to this sliding motion while trying to get a better shave, just based on my experience with a DE. My first straight shave, I cut myself pretty good, so I stopped with the slicing and just used straight-on strokes for my second shave. I still cut myself, although not as bad, but I also found that the shave wasn't nearly as good. There was more tugging, and the shave wasn't nearly as close in my problem areas.

Now, I'm about 20 shaves in and I've been primarily using the sliding and slicing motion. I've found that, if I get my lather right, I can get a completely blood free shave that's very close and very smooth. I'd say my shave with the straight is at least as good as with my DE and my face and my skin feel and look better, too. Even my wife noticed! Out of the blue, she said I look much younger, like when she first met me. I'm using a shavette, so it's not a real straight razor, but I think I'm hooked now.

I am impressed that you use it with a shavette!

It's challenging enough with a straight that is not as sharp.

 

[thombrogan]

I'd say my shave with the straight is at least as good as with my DE and my face and my skin feel and look better

What you wrote right there, sir. Stuff like that is the lure that brings us DE and SE folks to the edge of the rabbit hole to peer in without steadying ourselves.

 

[Slash McCoy]

With a DE, I've always gotten my best results using a sliding and slicing technique. In the past month, I've been venturing back into trying a straight razor after a bad experience about 15 years ago. I figured this would be a great time because I'm working from home due to a COVID shutdown. If my face ended up looking like it was processed through a machine, at least I wouldn't have to go to work looking like that.

Naturally, when I started with the straight, I immediately went to this sliding motion while trying to get a better shave, just based on my experience with a DE. My first straight shave, I cut myself pretty good, so I stopped with the slicing and just used straight-on strokes for my second shave. I still cut myself, although not as bad, but I also found that the shave wasn't nearly as good. There was more tugging, and the shave wasn't nearly as close in my problem areas.

Now, I'm about 20 shaves in and I've been primarily using the sliding and slicing motion. I've found that, if I get my lather right, I can get a completely blood free shave that's very close and very smooth. I'd say my shave with the straight is at least as good as with my DE and my face and my skin feel and look better, too. Even my wife noticed! Out of the blue, she said I look much younger, like when she first met me. I'm using a shavette, so it's not a real straight razor, but I think I'm hooked now.

The slicing stroke increases cutting power. It really helps if your edge is mediocre. With a sharp edge you need to be using a very low shave angle. Almost dragging on the face. And good tight stretching. That includes shaving with a shavette, with a fresh blade.Keep the angle low and the skin should always be tight no matter what.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

The slicing stroke increases cutting power. It really helps if your edge is mediocre. With a sharp edge you need to be using a very low shave angle. Almost dragging on the face. And good tight stretching. That includes shaving with a shavette, with a fresh blade.Keep the angle low and the skin should always be tight no matter what.

Right, as usual Mr. McCoy!

About the mediocre edge...

I got a Fili13 through the post from Japan today.

The seller gave some info about honing and stropping on Crox, then on several clean leather progressions, so I thought I will give him the benefit of the doubt and try his edge. After all, he shaved with it and said it's a excellent shaver.

It showed some promise when tree topping, but after the first few strokes I have made up my mind that it will have to be a start from scratch honing.

Using my new found technique instead of reaching for the Feather SS, always at hand for such occasions, I got a very reasonable shave. The alumn block showed that I needed a bit more pressure than usual, but all-in-all not a bad experience.

 

[camoloc]

I use the choppy strokes occasionally when going North to South. South to North not often and if so, usually near the jawline or when hitting a problem area.

either way not utilized frequently.

camo

 

[McBlade]

Slicing strokes with a razor are so dangerous I cut myself just thinking about it.

Definitely an advanced technique with little margin for error.

 

[DrStrange]

I use the choppy strokes occasionally when going North to South. South to North not often and if so, usually near the jawline or when hitting a problem area.

either way not utilized frequently.

camo

I only use it on the easy parts.
Not on the hair of my chinny chin chin.

 

[Hachet]

I make it a point to never slide any blade sideways. It has always resulted in a skin abrasion. I think I'm lucky... or "a natural" or whatever... Shaving with a straight feels like nothing. Almost as easy as a DE which I also took to quickly. Most people tell me that's unusual but I suspect a great number of guys get along just fine with new hardware. The ones that don't necessarily, wind up here discussing it, so it appears as though most go through a long learning curve.

 

[Cahoots]

The learning curve for me switching from carts to DE was like 3 shaves before I was doing as good or better than I had been with carts. My learning curve with a SR as been considerably more difficult and the shave goddess has been much more demanding in the amount of blood she has required.

 

[Dualist]

I'd say I use a slicing motion comparable to his where I fell like I can get away with it. And where I don't I instead hold the razor at a slight angle for a better slice. Of whiskers! As was mentioned, using a flat angle and holding tight the skin makes it doable. It's a gentler, irritation free shave.

 

[rbscebu]

I have been using a slicing motion with my SR when shaving kind of ATG on the hollow of my neck under my jaw line. This is where my grain goes from throat to the rear. It is the only way that I can get a good shave results in that area.

It does take some skill/practice to successfully SR shave with a slicing motion but it can be done and can help in achieving your desires result.

 

[ScottChapin]

I’m not so sure I’m not doing so now. Not everywhere, but particularly on XTG strokes where perfectly perpendicular is a little tough to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[global_dev]

I’ll have to watch the video again to see what the motion is. I use a diagonal slide or leading heel along the jaw. Also a arc wiping motion on my chin.

after ten years i was looking at some areas and shaving them slightly differently but nothing revolutionary, just evolutionary based on effort, potential irritation and ease.

 

[Herrenberg]

If I wielded my blade with that much abandon, I could swim in the pool of my own blood.

 

[Mouette]

Even with just over 70 shaves under my belt, I still feel like a learner and don't have the confidence to try some of those advanced techniques. Maybe when I have a bit more experience.
cheers
Andrew

 

[RumpleBearskin]

After seeing the original post, I have been trying to observe what the heck it is that I do. I think the two main components in describing my strokes are the direction of travel of the edge and the angle of the edge relative to the direction of travel.

Based on that categorization I use a variety of strokes in each shave:

1. Edge remains perpendicular to the direction of travel. This is the "traditional" stroke and I use it on WTG passes on my cheeks and for most of the ATG strokes on my neck.
2. Edge remains at a constant, non-perpendicular angle to the direction of travel. These are either heel-leading or toe-leading strokes and comprise probably about 90% of my strokes for the XTG pass.
3. Arcing or scything strokes where the angle of the edge rotates around the pivot to some extent. Some overall travel of the razor is generally also included so it's a "sweeping" stroke rather than just a rotation. These are most common in my ATG pass.
4. A "Sliding" stroke. This is a variant of the heel-leading stroke that also incorporates a *very* minimal travel perpendicular to the direction of travel of the razor (not motion parallel to the edge). As with the heel-leading, this is most common during my XTG pass.

And yes, I would consider the Sliding stroke to be an advanced technique. I never "tried" to do it, it just kind of evolved unconsciously over the last three years.

All the above is FWIW and YMMV, but y'all got me curious.