blade angle up or down?

[imatabor]

I keep seeing everything about blade angle. I have presumed that a shallow angle was figured from the handle pointing to the floor and swinging up to parallel to floor. But lately I have been reading and it seems that they are talking starting parallel to the floor and going down.

I have been starting handle down and swinging up till I feel the blade. Should I be starting handle out and swinging down till I feel the blade?

Sorry for the stupid noon question.

 

[engblom]

Keep the handle parallel to the floor and the move the handle down until the blade is barely touching the skin (assuming you are going to pull the razor down). That is the shallow angle.

There is also an unorthodox way not recommended for beginners. You keep the handle parallel all the time and add pressure until the blade is barely touching. It will touch with right pressure as the skin is shaping according to the razor head. This gives even more shallow angle than the normal way.

 

[redrider_99]

I have used a version of the second method when going ATG to clean up my chin. It seems to work pretty well despite me thinking "...this is wrong, I shouldn't be applying pressure like this" but it didn't hurt and cleaned up very nicely so I did it anyway.

 

[Luc]

Have a look at this page : Blade Angle

It's really about the blade, not the handle of the razor.

 

[imatabor]

Figures I was doing it backwards.
Been using an OC and thought I read that you could use the rake marks left you face as a way to know the angle was wrong. This seemed to make sense if I was going up with the handle.

 

[Copierguy]

I have used a version of the second method when going ATG to clean up my chin. It seems to work pretty well despite me thinking "...this is wrong, I shouldn't be applying pressure like this" but it didn't hurt and cleaned up very nicely so I did it anyway.

Yes the blade pressure is the critical element, cap or door pressure, not so much.

 

[jamesspo]

For most razors, you'll end up at the same spot either way. However, the more blade exposure, the less true that is. I start with handle parallel to floor, and move down. This results in the shallowest blade angle, which is best in most cases.

 

[imatabor]

For most razors, you'll end up at the same spot either way.

I have been fine using very mild razors and this explains why. It also explains why I killed my face moving to the Aristocrat from a Tech.

 

[DrAwkward]

For most razors, you'll end up at the same spot either way. However, the more blade exposure, the less true that is. I start with handle parallel to floor, and move down. This results in the shallowest blade angle, which is best in most cases.

+1
I struggle with blade angle on some razors. When I do, I revert to the method described by jamesspo, especially on ATG passes on my neck (which are most likely to cause me problems).

 

[Roughneck12]

I really haven't paid too much attention to the angle but after reading that article it makes sense why my shaves with my adjustable a have hacked up my face and neck. I was using the same angles that I would use with my EJ89 or other less aggressive razors.

 

[Icebear]

For me the sound of the blade indicates if I have the proper angle to cut through the whiskers.
Therefore no music in my bathroom and tab water off when the razor hits the skin.

 

[Haegar]

the handle pointing to the floor and swinging up to parallel to floor.

That is the way I approach the right blade angle. Why not the reverse way round? Not with all razors (especially not with the aggressive ones) I would end up at the same angle. While a shallower angle (between blade and skin) may provide a smoother cut through the whiskers, it is also more likely that it will smoothly cut the skin. that's why I prefer the steeper angle (blade-skin) if there is such a one, and you find it by approaching it the first (here cited) way you described. I think it does not matter which way round you do it when using mild or very mild razors.

 

[mblakele]

Have a look at this page : Blade Angle

It's really about the blade, not the handle of the razor.

For me the sound of the blade indicates if I have the proper angle to cut through the whiskers.
Therefore no music in my bathroom and tab water off when the razor hits the skin.

Keep these points in mind and you cannot go far wrong.

 

[Beard Dregs]

I thought to find right blade angle, you just lightly stick the top cap square against your face, then over a couple passes slowly rotated handle away from perpendicular until top cap and blade touch face and cuts hair. Maintain that angle of handle to face along the face curves. Go too far and the safety part pulls the lather away before the blade hits.

Your way sounds more complicated, gotta worry about the floor, and my face, and the razor, and the blade in my razor, the pressure, and the spin direction of molecules in a vacuum, and she turned me into a newt.