An angle on straight razor shaving

[Polarbeard]

I just checked YouTube to see how people shave with a straight razor. What caught my attention is that they often shave with a rather large angle to their skin. The reason as to why I checked this out is that I over the years have seen many posts where men ask about the appropriate angle to use when shaving with a straight razor. The answer usually is along the lines of: “put it flat to your skin and then raise the spine from your skin until it starts cutting the stubble, which happens about a 10-15 degree angle”. It makes sense.

To me the answer is different though. I don’t raise the blade but let it slide along my stretched skin with the spine still attached to it. In other words; just like when honing. The only time I actually raise the spine is when I can’t manoeuvre without doing so (WTG under the nose) or when I feel need for more aggression (mostly under my cheekbone going ATG). Using this approach means that I eliminate potential skin irritation and it seems to work well since I always get a full BBS shave.

I don’t say that my way is the only way, but I’m curios on your angle on the matter, especially if you’re a veteran with some years of shaves over the belt.

 

[ScottChapin]

When I watch barbers use a shavette, they use an angle of about 30°. I’m at about 10-15° almost always.

For whatever reason, when shaving N-S on my neck, which is ATG for me, I’m at a good 30°. I don’t know why, but it sings and shaves then. If I go shallow, the blade just tops the whiskers.


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[Somerled]

I just checked YouTube to see how people shave with a straight razor. What caught my attention is that they often shave with a rather large angle to their skin. The reason as to why I checked this out is that I over the years have seen many posts where men ask about the appropriate angle to use when shaving with a straight razor. The answer usually is along the lines of: “put it flat to your skin and then raise the spine from your skin until it starts cutting the stubble, which happens about a 10-15 degree angle”. It makes sense.

To me the answer is different though. I don’t raise the blade but let it slide along my stretched skin with the spine still attached to it. In other words; just like when honing. The only time I actually raise the spine is when I can’t manoeuvre without doing so (WTG under the nose) or when I feel need for more aggression (mostly under my cheekbone going ATG). Using this approach means that I eliminate potential skin irritation and it seems to work well since I always get a full BBS shave.

I don’t say that my way is the only way, but I’m curios on your angle on the matter, especially if you’re a veteran with some years of shaves over the belt.

I've been thinking about this very thing myself recently.
I started straight shaving about a year ago and, for the most part, I think I'm getting pretty good at it.
But the quality of my shaves can be rather inconsistent.
Rulling out the differences with blades and edges, one other variable is the angle of the shave.

With last nights shave I made a concious effort to keep the angle very shallow, and it paid off with the best shave I've had in days.
Reading what you say about keeping the blade flat against the skin with the spine not lifting, is something I'm going to have to try.

Thanks for bringing this up Arne.

Watching all those youtube videos when I was just starting out was very helpful at the time. But they probably taught me some bad habits along the way.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

One spine widths space between the spine and skin. Whatever angle that is im not sure but i bet its around 10 degrees. Keep the spine and edge on the skin makes the blade stick to my face. When i feel this i know im too shallow.

Id never put a blade on my face then lift the spine. Sounds like a good way to cut yourself. When the blade touches my face its moving, than i adjust the angle. This is my way about it.

 

[steveclarkus]

I just checked YouTube to see how people shave with a straight razor. What caught my attention is that they often shave with a rather large angle to their skin. The reason as to why I checked this out is that I over the years have seen many posts where men ask about the appropriate angle to use when shaving with a straight razor. The answer usually is along the lines of: “put it flat to your skin and then raise the spine from your skin until it starts cutting the stubble, which happens about a 10-15 degree angle”. It makes sense.

To me the answer is different though. I don’t raise the blade but let it slide along my stretched skin with the spine still attached to it. In other words; just like when honing. The only time I actually raise the spine is when I can’t manoeuvre without doing so (WTG under the nose) or when I feel need for more aggression (mostly under my cheekbone going ATG). Using this approach means that I eliminate potential skin irritation and it seems to work well since I always get a full BBS shave.

I don’t say that my way is the only way, but I’m curios on your angle on the matter, especially if you’re a veteran with some years of shaves over the belt.

I have wondered why I get closer smother shaves with 4/8 and 9/16 blades and recently came to the conclusion it had to be blade angle and my theory is that the angle is more difficult to determine visually with narrow blades causing me to shave by feel rather than by sight. I now shave the same way with 5/8 but not with 6/8 and larger resulting in my ridding myself of all but three I’m attached to - Heljestrand, Berg and Bengall.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Flat on the skin. If I have to lift it, the razor is dull.

 

[Basil]

Usually shave with the blade almost flat against my face too.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I prefer to not have the spine actually drag on my face. It can give the razor a bit of a jerky motion. I like to have the spine not quite dragging, with shavette or with a straight razor. A dull razor will not shave at that angle. A very sharp one, will. That same very sharp razor, when used at a very high angle, will generally exfoliate too aggressively and leave a rather tender face.

The practice of using one spine thickness of gap between spine and face is a good general starting point. If a razor is too dull to shave at that angle, well, it is too dull. For a Method edge or any other particularly sharp edge, decreasing the angle will give you a more comfortable shave. However if you go to the extreme of dragging spine on face, all bets are off. It may work okay for you or it might not. A very slick lather would help.

 

[Twelvefret]

Just recently noticed my angle was too steep. I had started out flat and now I’m back.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I'm only maybe 220 or thereabouts straight razor shaves into it. My razors are sharp (that wasn't always the case). I've noticed that my razor has become more flat against the skin. There might be as much as a spine's width of space between the spine and my skin, but not more. Oftentimes less.

Some places and times I notice what I just said is not true. The angle is bigger. I'm not sure there's much consistence. I'm fine with anything as long as the shave is good, the comfort is great, and I'm not cutting myself.

I'm only going by feel and feedback and observing what I see. I'm not trying to do anything except fumble along paying attention to what's happening. Is that right? I have no idea.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Slash McCoy]

I'm only maybe 220 or thereabouts straight razor shaves into it. My razors are sharp (that wasn't always the case). I've noticed that my razor has become more flat against the skin. There might be as much as a spine's width of space between the spine and my skin, but not more. Oftentimes less.

Some places and times I notice what I just said is not true. The angle is bigger. I'm not sure there's much consistence. I'm fine with anything as long as the shave is good, the comfort is great, and I'm not cutting myself.

I'm only going by feel and feedback and observing what I see. I'm not trying to do anything except fumble along paying attention to what's happening. Is that right? I have no idea.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Rules of thumb are good starting points. What works for you personally could depart somewhat from those rules of thumb. Whatever works or whatever seems to work for you, are good. For you. If it feels like you got an excellent shave, who has any business arguing with you?

Most of this stuff is not absolute. Most is general. A raw newbie should stick with generally accepted practice, to increase his chances of a reasonably successful shave. After the initial learning phase, not a thing wrong with experimenting. And there is no requirement that you be objective in your findings. It's your face. Do it like you feel it.

 

[Deelyte]

The art of the shave for me is a ten to twenty degree angle shaving WTG and as I do my second pass XTG the spine is flat against my face and I only shave in a upward motion on my neck in which I employ the blade flat against my face.

It works marvelously for me as I haven’t had a rough or unpleasant shave in quite some time. Knock on wood

 

[stone and strop]

The angle varies at different places on the face for the most effectiveness.
There are some that advocate flat to the face like honing but in reality it is not. If it was truly flat there would be suction and the razor would grab and stick. Its a concave surface on a wet soft substrate.
How many people talk about suction on a hone and the surface is hard!
A little off flat is a good starting point. Adjust as necessary.

 

[Bob L.]

The blade's spine lightly slides against my skin and the skin is pulled taut for each short stroke. The lather is very wet and slippery. I increase the angle when going from ears to nose until I have room to lower the spine. My beak is large, really large. I have a very large angle when I start the scooping / meister stroke from nose to chin. I flatten the angle as quickly as possible.

 

[ScottChapin]

The art of the shave for me is a ten to twenty degree angle shaving WTG and as I do my second pass XTG the spine is flat against my face and I only shave in a upward motion on my neck in which I employ the blade flat against my face.

It works marvelously for me as I haven’t had a rough or unpleasant shave in quite some time. Knock on wood

Dittos on the neck. I continue up the submandibular and well onto the lower cheeks. It’s amazing. Some XTG on the jaws and upper cheeks and I’m there.


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[Christian1212]

Sort of depends on the razor but usually the spine is about as far off my face as it is thick. Never really focused to much on it though usually just what feels right for the razor.

 

[Twelvefret]

Do all razor need the same angle?

 

[dundak]

Don’t pay attention. It’s pretty flat. Spine does not touch. My face is not flat enough for that, generates more friction and it takes up a lot of real estate esp with larger razors. If I had to guess probably width of a dime or penny. Wedges probably a little larger and it gets larger for wider razors

There are areas where you have to edge or cut in, i.e sideburns, where it is much larger.


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[Polarbeard]

Fascinating reading thanks all of you for sharing

 

[Namkcakram]

Depends on topography blade width and soap, but probably on the shallower side of that 10-15* window. Going along the curve of my jaw N->S I’d bet with the spine against my skin it’s still actually a 10* angle.

The angle I find makes more difference when and where it’s needed is the blade skew relative to direction of stroke.