First REAL str8 shave

[damooshki]

Got in my razor from Larry Andro today and gave it a go. Did two WTG passes. Paid close attention to blade angle and pressure and took it nice and slow. I was a little intimidated by the razor but ended with not quite a DFS but passable. I figured I should just take my time and concentrate on technique and worry about BBS later. I barely nicked myself on my left jaw line. It bled for maybe 15 sec. before it stopped on it's own. Overall I will say it was a success. It's pretty cool to do and learn something that is a lost art and most people consider to be crazy.

One question though, Do most people switch hands for each side of their face and if so which hand with which side, or do you just do the whole shave with your dominant hand?

Sitting here typing this reminds me of something a motorcycle instructor told the class I was in. "You should have a heathy fear(respect) for the motorcycle or you will find yourself in trouble. Master the basics first and then once those come as second nature you can move on to more difficult and skilled maneuvers." I think the same holds true for shaving with a straight.

Thanks for any feedback to my question in advance.

 

[johnmrson]

Personally I don't switch hands. I can comfortably shave both sides of my face using one hand. I find it's like tennis, I use forehand and backhand strokes. It sounds like you made a good start. Just take your time and enjoy the experience. Don't worry about quality of shave yet, even if you have to clean up with a safety razor.

 

[DavyRay]

I switch hands. It does not take long to learn to use the sinister hand as well as the dexter hand.

 

[Gustav]

Congratulations on your first successful shave!

I also switch hands but on some parts of my face such as the mouth area and the corner of the jaw on the right side of the face, I use my dominant hand because I have more dexterity with it.

 

[BladeRunner001]

Got in my razor from Larry Andro today and gave it a go. Did two WTG passes. Paid close attention to blade angle and pressure and took it nice and slow. I was a little intimidated by the razor but ended with not quite a DFS but passable. I figured I should just take my time and concentrate on technique and worry about BBS later. I barely nicked myself on my left jaw line. It bled for maybe 15 sec. before it stopped on it's own. Overall I will say it was a success. It's pretty cool to do and learn something that is a lost art and most people consider to be crazy.

One question though, Do most people switch hands for each side of their face and if so which hand with which side, or do you just do the whole shave with your dominant hand?

Sitting here typing this reminds me of something a motorcycle instructor told the class I was in. "You should have a heathy fear(respect) for the motorcycle or you will find yourself in trouble. Master the basics first and then once those come as second nature you can move on to more difficult and skilled maneuvers." I think the same holds true for shaving with a straight.

Thanks for any feedback to my question in advance.

Congratulations ...it gets easier. Muscle memory and coordination will set in due course. Just keep doing what you're doing

I switch hands for each side of my face. I find it easier. It's something to be learned if your one hand dominant, but IMO, well worth the effort.

You have a wise instructor. Same exact rules apply. Get cocky and Wham! The blade gets you...

 

[Defend Tacoma]

Welcome to straight razor shaving! I use both hands when using a straight razor, but not when using a DE razor. I started using both hands as I figured it would give me more flexibility in shaving with such a long blade.

Definitely concentrate on your basics for now. Shave quality will be along soon enough! I decided to use straights exclusively for the first month without using a DE for cleanup at all, as I thought it would help me 'home' my skills faster. Not sure if it worked, but it seemed tom work for me! 1.5 months in now, and slowly creeping up on the elusive BBS shave. BBS for me isn't the goal for now, I'm getting great shaves every time, still just working on my technique!

 

[damooshki]

Thanks everyone for responding with your personal experiences and techniques. It's so great to have a community like this with people who take the time to help out and share what works for them.

I also am planning on using the straight exclusively for at least a month until I have learned better technique. I'm looking forward to the shave after work today.

 

[jpb286]

I switch hands, but being left-handed, it's not that hard using the razor right-handed. Keep at it and take it slow, it takes a little longer to learn how to shave with a straight than a DE but your DE technique should improve also.

 

[NBT]

I do not switch... yet. I'm working on it. Larry Andro is wonderful to deal with, and I still use his some of the product's he sent to me. The brush is still one of my favorites.Congrats on your 1st shave...it only get's better with time, and welcome to B&B.
This link is for you, as I am not sure proper blade handling has been reviewed by you...but this WILL help.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=430644

 

[sanfranciscian]

congratulations, I definitely urge you to take this opportunity to learn to shave with both hands now while learning the whole process as it will just come naturally as opposed to later when you will have to fight with established habits. Hope you have fun and i think your analogy with bikes is spot on.

Ian

 

[LarryAndro]

Got in my razor from Larry Andro today and gave it a go... I barely nicked myself on my left jaw line. It bled for maybe 15 sec. before it stopped on it's own...

Everyone, don't hold it against me and my honing. I will do a better job of creating a sharp edge next time!

 

[damooshki]

Everyone, don't hold it against me and my honing. I will do a better job of creating a sharp edge next time!

Not at all Larry, That edge is wicked sharp! As careful as I was being and as little pressure as I was using, I was really surprised by the nick. It was so sharp there was no pain at all, I could just feel that the blade broke through the skin. The jaw line is tricky to keep the proper angle, and I'm pretty sure that's why I got nicked.

 

[Wid]

Having owned a couple of Larry blades I can attest to they're sharpness.

Congrats on your first shave.

 

[Luc]

Good work on the first shave!

I switch hands, it's easier for me. You can use 1 hand only if it's easier. It takes a few shaves to get used to it. Believe me, I can't do much with my left hand but shaving, I'm fine now.