So I just attempted my first straight shave and it didn’t go so well. The plan was just to do my cheeks just to get a feel for the absolute basics. The problem as I can see it is I keep rolling my wrist ( I think) and keep bringing the blade vertical to my face. In starting out should I put the blade flat against my face and slowly improve the angle until cuts properly? Or Any suggestions on how to go about starting out and getting the proper angle? And any thoughts on how to stay at the proper angle ? Am I locking my wrist?
My 1st Shave - Angle Problems
- Thread starter Yoteboy
- Start date
Don’t lock your wrist. Using your wrist will soon come into play. Shaving should be done relaxed. I assume you are only shaving your cheeks at this point. Just lay the blade gently against your face and hold the spine about one spine width from your cheek then move the razor down your face. Do this daily and finish with your usual equipment until you lose you intimidation of the blade which won’t take long.
Roll the other way or toward your face.
Focus on the feel, maybe by leaving some contact points of the shaving hand to glide across your face or scalp as you make your strokes. Look at it as staying “three points on” in contact with your face if needed (blade and two finger’s knuckles or tips), rather than relying largely on the image in the mirror. That helped me.
A barber’s guide shows a with the grain (shaving in alignment with the angle of hair growth) pass suggested at 30°, across (xtg-sideways to hair growth) the grain at 15°, and an against the grain pass (atg) to be angled at/around 5° to the skin surface.
A barber’s guide shows a with the grain (shaving in alignment with the angle of hair growth) pass suggested at 30°, across (xtg-sideways to hair growth) the grain at 15°, and an against the grain pass (atg) to be angled at/around 5° to the skin surface.
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