Help me train my non-dominant hand!

[neatokino]

I'm about 5 days into using a straight, migrating from SE razors (GEM damaskeene, ever ready streamline). So far... pretty good. I'm able to do a good WTG pass on the entire right side of my face, neck and chin except parts of the upper lip. Doing this feels very comfortable, and I have no doubt my technique will improve without slicing myself to bits.

The non-dominant (left) side of my face is still a problem. I'm shaving it, I'm trying, I'm not cutting myself too badly, but I'm having a hard time getting the proper angle, and a good clean stroke. I'm still tentative, which is a problem that I will eventually overcome, but I'm also just not as 'strong' or sure handed.

For the time being, I'm doing my best with the left hand, and I just follow up on the left side with my SE.

I'm looking for tips on how to improve my non-dominant stroke. Should I try using the SE with my left hand to train it? Are there co-ordination exercises to try? Should I try writing with my left hand to improve ambidexterity? Has anyone happened upon a good method to improve the non-dominant side?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Chaloney]

Just shave with it. Do it carefully. Consider limiting it to just wtg on your cheeks til u feel comfortable. Take your time. Set the razor flat against the bottom of your sideburn after pulling the sideburn up with your right hand. Slowly move the spine slowly off your sideburn and shave. In a surprisingly short time this will be a comfortable movement. Then add your neck. Do the chin and mustache area with your right hand. After a while you will be shaving and suddenly realize you are shaving this area with your left hand. (I got to this point about a week and a half ago--looked in the mirror and said to myself, "what the heck is my left hand doing!?"). It's a largely unconscious process. Takes some time, but I see improvement pretty much every shave.

 

[Kilroy6644]

Chaloney hit it on the head. You just gotta do it. Take it easy, take it slow. I had a hell of a time with my left hand when I first started, and I considered doing everything right-handed. But all the advice I saw said that it's better to just bite the bullet and learn to use the other hand. Plus, if straight razor shaving is bad-***, how much more bad-*** is it to do it with your non-dominant hand? Just stick with it. It'll come to you. I went from having a left hand that was essentially non-functional for shaving purposes (still is, for safety razors), to finding my right hand to be unbearably awkward for the left side of my face.

 

[dpmtherrien]

The best way is just to shave with that hand. Even though it may seem odd at first, it should become easy to shave with it quite quickly. I had the same problem, but just kept at it and now its easy and no problem. Just go slow and easy and use no pressure.

 

[neatokino]

Hey, thanks everyone for the advice. I took it a little slower today, changed my angle of view in the mirror a bit, gulped and gained confidence, and there was a definite improvement. I'll just keep hacking away with both hands until I get the hang of it... I really appreciate the words of experience here!

 

[Lmarkow]

There's no way around just using it until it gets "smart." Also helped me not to try to change the angle while looking at it in the mirror too much. I would be turning it one way, but the moron in the mirror would get it all wrong.

 

[Luc]

One word : Practice!

Keep at it and it will feel more natural. 5 shaves is not much to be used to it!

 

[sarimento1]

Same experience here. I just finished my third straight shave. I'm only doing the easy areas with the straight, saving the mustache and chin for the DE.
On the 'tough' side of my face, and going with my non-dominant hand (my case, my right), I just take it really slow.
I started using a magnifying pedestal shaving mirror, and that helps a lot.
Great to watch the blade cut down whiskers, row by row, and hear at the same time.
I'll even 'dither' the blade just a little, to clean up a small area.
When I finish each side of my face, I leave the hard parts and cleanup for the DE.
Ended up with the closest shave ever in my recollection!

 

[ANeat]

One thing I noticed when I got a shavette to try out. Without a blade that thing is darn handy to practice with. No lather or "cutting" to worry about, just focus on technique. Good way to develop your muscle memory while your whiskers grow back... Really helped me sort out getting around my chin area.

 

[dparish1952]

@ANeat,

A very interesting idea. Thanks for the tip!

 

[njtnjt]

I am in the same boat as you guys. I chickened out this morning. That blade was just waving around in my left hand. Perhaps tomorrow the room won't be moving so much. I guess just very light, small strokes with the left hand and slowly get the feel for it. Good Luck to you all!

 

[Graybeard57]

I don't straight shave, so I cannot discuss technique. I would recommend that you use your left hand as much as possible in ALL things, whether it be punching in numbers on your cell phone, eating, chopping food, etc. The more you use it, the more confidence you'll have in it. Enjoy your shaves!

 

[strop]

If you still use the SE, try using it with your left hand. Before I started straight shaving I used my left hand with the DE until I could use either hand equally. I think it made a big difference in the switch to straights.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Stick with the straight and keep at it - at about the three week point muscle memory starts to kick in and you don't have to think it through.

 

[ouch]

I'd recommend watching Rocky II.

 

[DirtDiver]

I am left handed and I play guitar on a right handed guitar. you hand dominance is only as dominant as you allow it to be. I use my right hand often, and do a lot of things right handed (golf, baseball bat etc..) but write and trow and things with my left... and I still had a hard time with using my right hand with the straight, but it is getting easier. muscle memory will take over and you will just be able to do it. just dont overthink (sounds like you are) it and you will be fine.