First Straight Razor

[Talltexan]

Good Afternoon and Howdy!

My name is Jerry Johnston and I just purchased my first straight razor from The Art of Shaving

Black 5/8 Blade Round Straight Razor

Enjoy a closer, more comfortable shave with the help of this beautifully-crafted Straight Razor.

www.theartofshaving.com

I am new to using a straight razor. To begin, I would like to know is it possible to shave with one hand? The reason I ask is, I have cerebral palsy on my left side and it is hard for me to hold my skin taught enough to shave.

Second, what type of blades do I need and what brand?

Third what type of stroph do I need?

Any other suggestions please let me know. Thank you so very much!

Jerry

 

[sexy beast]

Good Afternoon and Howdy!

My name is Jerry Johnston and I just purchased my first straight razor from The Art of Shaving

Black 5/8 Blade Round Straight Razor

Enjoy a closer, more comfortable shave with the help of this beautifully-crafted Straight Razor.

www.theartofshaving.com

I am new to using a straight razor. To begin, I would like to know is it possible to shave with one hand? The reason I ask is, I have cerebral palsy on my left side and it is hard for me to hold my skin taught enough to shave.

Second, what type of blades do I need and what brand?

Third what type of stroph do I need?

Any other suggestions please let me know. Thank you so very much!

Jerry

There plenty of videos on YouTube. Keith John and Dr. Matt. They both cover the whole groundwork and it's on video. Both are good in their perspective, and both are slightly different. You can choose the direction on which you want to go from there. I've been straight razor shaving over 40 years, but those two guys really go into the details. They both have a library of videos to go through and that are excellent in my opinion. I even pick up some tips even though I've been doing straight razor shaving for a very long time.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Great price on a well known razor. I shave with one hand, despite knowing there are benefits to stretching the skill.

 

[captaincaed]

I think it'll represent a learning curve. If you're motivated you'll figure it out and be proud. You may even blaze a trail and help the next guy. Maybe an experiment worth doing!

That said I only hold the razor in my right hand, so that part is totally possible.

 

[Tanuki]

Skin stretching can be done by moving your head, neck, and shoulders. And puffing your cheeks. You will rapidly figure out what works for you. I shave right hand only and use my left hand for skin stretching only occasionally in the course of a shave. The left hand is not an absolute necessity for self-shaving. A barber, of course, relies on it.

A Tony Miller beginner strop will get you started inexpensively while you get used to stropping and learn to avoid nicking or cutting it. If your CP is an issue, a bench strop (piece of leather glued to a heavy chunk of wood) will do the job with only one hand working.

If you are not already used to stropping knives, practicing stropping with a fixed blade knife and an old belt is a good way to create the muscle memory.

In my experience, diamond pasted balsa strops are sufficient to maintain a very shaveable edge indefinitely. Check out the threads here. I use mine stropping in hand, but they could be held in place and used as bench strops too.