How to hold a straight
- Thread starter Luc
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Nah, it's growing back. I had to shave the full hand at one stage... SWMBO laughed at me for a week at least...
No, you aren't the only one
So much fun, So little face...
I'm starting to look at my legs, wondering if I can use them for the extra practice!
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- #26
So glad to hear I'm not the only one - my girlfriend is always checking my arms for bald patches and laughing at me
Hands are easy to shave... legs too... It takes a while to re-grow...
Think about it before you shave any of those places... Specially if it's summer!
This is probably overkill, but here's what works for me.
Conventional grip: Used for i) N to S everywhere (left and right hands) and ii) XTG left side (ear to center), cheek and jawline. I tend not to do XTG center to ear.
XTG right side (ear to center), cheek and jawline (low angle):
Under the neck (S to N):
Neck XTG (downward slant, center to side) and touchup:
BTW - I didn't mention, but I shave in the garden...
EDIT: One more thing to mention. Finding the grips that work for my own 'face map' was one of the most helpful (and difficult...) things in my learning to get
consistent, reliable shaves. The other things are i) really diligent skin stretching, and ii) use of an alum block for 'traction' as learned from
Chimensch's excellent video. These 2 things are critical for me, FWIW....
Conventional grip: Used for i) N to S everywhere (left and right hands) and ii) XTG left side (ear to center), cheek and jawline. I tend not to do XTG center to ear.
XTG right side (ear to center), cheek and jawline (low angle):
Under the neck (S to N):
Neck XTG (downward slant, center to side) and touchup:
BTW - I didn't mention, but I shave in the garden...
EDIT: One more thing to mention. Finding the grips that work for my own 'face map' was one of the most helpful (and difficult...) things in my learning to get
consistent, reliable shaves. The other things are i) really diligent skin stretching, and ii) use of an alum block for 'traction' as learned from
Chimensch's excellent video. These 2 things are critical for me, FWIW....
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- Thread starter
- #28
Great pictures! 
Great post, Woodash.
I hold it similarly to the way I hold Ch. D'Yquem - pinky extended and parallel to the scales.
when in doubt... pinky out.
A slight variation. I picked this up from the 1905 "Shaving Made Easy" book that I came across in another forum recently.
My photos are quick and nasty, but I think you'll grasp (pun intended) the difference right away. My thumb does not rest on the underside of the shank (where the jimps might be), but on the side of the blade.
Being a lefty makes it a little harder to explain, but my thumb rests on the "outboard" side of the razor - the side away from my face. My index finger rests on the side/spine opposite the thumb. My thumb will extend further toward the toe of the razor (going more horizontal) if I'm doing detail work with the toe, but the index finger stays pretty close to the heel end of the cutting edge (but above the cutting edge).
The net effect is that I have a very controllable but relaxed pincer grip on the blade between the thumb and the index. My second and ring fingers rest on the top of the shank. The pinkie rests on the the tang.
Variations:
1. When I'm working with the with the heel of the blade, the pinkie finger drops off and the ring finger moves to the tang.
2. At times my pinkie moves to the same side as the thumb, either on the tang, or supporting the handle just above the pivot. This works well when rolling over the chin or jaw line.
I think you'll get more out of this by looking at the photos. This is an alternative "first position" grip. It doesn't mean that I don't straighten the handle for areas of my neck.
Cheers,
Ian
Going to clip my nails now ... yikes!
My photos are quick and nasty, but I think you'll grasp (pun intended) the difference right away. My thumb does not rest on the underside of the shank (where the jimps might be), but on the side of the blade.
Being a lefty makes it a little harder to explain, but my thumb rests on the "outboard" side of the razor - the side away from my face. My index finger rests on the side/spine opposite the thumb. My thumb will extend further toward the toe of the razor (going more horizontal) if I'm doing detail work with the toe, but the index finger stays pretty close to the heel end of the cutting edge (but above the cutting edge).
The net effect is that I have a very controllable but relaxed pincer grip on the blade between the thumb and the index. My second and ring fingers rest on the top of the shank. The pinkie rests on the the tang.
Variations:
1. When I'm working with the with the heel of the blade, the pinkie finger drops off and the ring finger moves to the tang.
2. At times my pinkie moves to the same side as the thumb, either on the tang, or supporting the handle just above the pivot. This works well when rolling over the chin or jaw line.
I think you'll get more out of this by looking at the photos. This is an alternative "first position" grip. It doesn't mean that I don't straighten the handle for areas of my neck.
Cheers,
Ian
Going to clip my nails now ... yikes!
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You'll put your eye out.
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Don,
more appropriately ~ Tom Petty & Jeff Lynne
Too few people give the writers of the song credit for the lyrics; Jeff Lynne co-wrote this with Petty. I really like the recent Dale Ann Bradley bluegrass version.
Mike
I use two fingers blade side . . . Woodash pic 3 for xtg on my left side and Woodash 4 rotated 180 for the xtg on the right side. Woodash 1 blade up for right side mouth to ear and left side ear to mouth. Woodash 1 blade down for ear to mouth right side and mouth to ear left side.
Good pics woodash. I have the same perennials in my garden but I have perennial thistles as well . . . dang things can grow half a foot in a week and you need thick gloves to pull them out.
Mike
Good pics woodash. I have the same perennials in my garden but I have perennial thistles as well . . . dang things can grow half a foot in a week and you need thick gloves to pull them out.
Mike
Nice catch, Mike. Now I've got to find that old Move album. It's around here someplace.
No sir, you are not alone. I guess this is what happens when we have spare time, beautifully sharp straights, and have run out of facial hair.
I'm starting to look at my legs, wondering if I can use them for the extra practice!
Our group's technician originally went to barber school in the 1960s - she said she saved her legs with a straight for practice, since she couldn't shave her face. She never barbered professionally since she wanted to not have to work weekends.
FWIW, she still has here complete barbering kit - all Dubl Duck, including the straights. Virtually untouched since barber school and in excellent condition.
