Head Shaving

[Proinsias]

I've never taken a blade to bits of my head I can't see before but have become sufficiently annoyed with my clippers to consider it.

I imagine I just lather up, say a small prayer, and go for it.

Reckon I'll reach for a safety razor to clean up but I've not used one of those on my head either.

Any suggestions or tips for head shaving with a straight razor?

 

[gwsmallwood]

Lots of tips around the forum. Just go slow, don't use a mirror for the back, do it by feel, and do it a few times before deciding whether you enjoy it or not. The first time is always a bit rough just because of how long it is, even after clippers at 0.

 

[jholen]

Just switching over to SR after having used a DE for 10+ years. Top of the head is really easy... Almost seems less prone to nicks than the DE.

Back of the head isn't bad apart from the dominant hand ear side.

Had a pretty good shave last night with minimal irritation. Enjoying it.

 

[Bakker1964]

Would recommend you start in the middle of your head (at the back) and either go WTG from crown to nape, or ATG from nape to crown. I always used my "off" hand to track the edge of my blade path and moved out to the sides with each successive pass.

 

[Proinsias]

Thanks.

I'm still alive, which is nice.

DE clean-up ended up being shaving large swathes of the back of my head I'd missed.

Confused as to how I shave behind my ears without removing them.

Pleased overall but a lot to work on.

Initials fears of exiting the bathroom like something from a Clive Barker novel have been put to bed but will be aiming for a little less blood ongoing.

 

[jholen]

Thanks.

I'm still alive, which is nice.

DE clean-up ended up being shaving large swathes of the back of my head I'd missed.

Confused as to how I shave behind my ears without removing them.

Pleased overall but a lot to work on.

Initials fears of exiting the bathroom like something from a Clive Barker novel have been put to bed but will be aiming for a little less blood ongoing.

I've tried a few techniques and still quite new at it. A few things I've found with my dominant hand ear is similar to shaving the mustache area -- place near the ear perpendicular and scoop out. Had some decent success with it.

And not worrying about going ATG as I normally do with DE and just going XTG or WTG to clean up.

 

[Scarry Knight]

Go by feel as well as sight. Map your growth and attack it in strips advancing from the mown area toward the unmown.
Use short buffing passes as you approach the ear, incrementally advancing toward the fold as you go. You will get used to the feel of being “almost there” to “there”, in short order. Buffing towards the ear will become second nature and you wont even need to watch one day. Or you get a narrow blade ( narrower spine to edge, and if needed), fold the ear, and with a light touch plant the razor behind the ear, lay it at as low an angle as folded ear allows, and now press lightly as you rotate the razor along the axis of its tang/spine, starting your cutting of hairs with the rolling of the blade moreso than the forward movement of it.

 

[Rogan7]

Enjoy the process for sure and take your time. I use warm towel, lather, and multiple passes. The back sometimes is almost inevitable to still have some minor stubble if I go rub against it, but still closer than any shave I've done with anything else (maybe with more time and practice i can get it down to BBS against the grain). But as others have shared, go by feeling and don't rely on mirror so much and try different angles with both hands.