Shaving with Non-Dominant Hand

[Shangas]

It's been over a month now that I've been shaving with a straight-razor and the results I'm getting and the results I'm *not* getting, have convinced me to adopt this method of shaving for all the other days of my life. One thing that shaving this way has taught me is which way my stubble grows and how to shave in the correct direction to best combat that stubble.

I'm right handed, so I hold the razor in my right hand while I stretch and smooth out my skin with my left hand. Has anyone ever attempted shaving with their non-dominant hand? Is this advisable, safe or even practical and possible?

For me, shaving with my left hand is almost a death-wish. On the very few times I tried it, I find that all my correct angling and smooth bladework goes flying out the window and one time I nearly succeeded in slitting my throat open. Since that rather harrowing ordeal, I've stuck purely to dominant-hand shaving. But does anyone shave (successfully) with their non-dominant hand? Or is it advisable to just let one hand do all the bladework and let the other hand do all the pulling?

 

[kg4ghn]

I shave with a straight using both hands. It is much easier for me to get the directions I need to get for a good shave swapping hands. I started straight shaving that way so both hands learned at the same time.

There are also people on here that gets great shaves only using their dominant hand but I can't do that.

And I shave with a DE/SE only using my right hand. I just don't have to swap to get a great shave with those so I didn't bother to try it with both.

 

[Bertilak]

Has anyone ever attempted shaving with their non-dominant hand? Is this advisable, safe or even practical and possible?

I suspect most straight shavers do it that way. I certainly recommend it. It just takes a little time to train your off hand. Not much really. You will probably never be quite as agile with it but the less-awkward positions you need to contort yourself into will more than make up for the difference.

After a while, I found myself using the off hand for places I could have done with my primary hand but since the razor was already in my off hand I simply didn't go to the bother of switching. It surprised me the first time I noticed myself doing that.

 

[dakotaev]

I also use both hands. If I were to use my dominant hand for the opposite side, reaching that way seriously compromises vision of what I'm doing.

 

[walto]

I only feel comfortable shaving my left cheek with the straight in my left hand. All other I hold the straight in my dominant (right) hand.

 

[Wid]

I too use both hands. Not the easiest thing for me to get used to but now it seems second nature.

 

[ouch]

I never thought I'd be able to shave with both hands. It took over a year to feel comfortable with it, but I don't think there is really any other way to attack all of the angles.

If I can do it, anyone can.

 

[Legion]

I read that you are supposed to use both hands so when I was learning to straight shave I made the effort to do this. It was really tricky at first, but just about everything about straight razors was. Now I freely swap hands as I shave, depending on the side I am doing and the angle of attack.

It really is the way to go. Start practicing.

 

[dpmtherrien]

For the longest time I shaved with my straight using only my right hand. I found that I was not getting everything I should been getting by doing this. At first using my left hand seemed so foreign to me, I was nicking and cutting myself quite a bit. I kept using my left hand, it did get easier, and now I can shave using my left hand without any problem. And the shaves got so much better, because you can get at those hard to get at area's so much better.

Just keep at it, and pretty soon you'll be using both hands with ease, and your shaves will be much more to your liking.

 

[Elmfuzz]

that sounds, imho, terrifying. I'm incredibly un dextrous with my off hand.

 

[Wid]

that sounds, imho, terrifying. I'm incredibly un dextrous with my off hand.

Exactly what I thought too but it can be done.

 

[hmbbone]

I just started this week but am going at it with both hands. I cannot use my left hand for anything but this has gone decently so far and I've found my results with the left hand to be better than those with my right (I think because it's so awkward I have to slow down and think even more about it and really concentrate on blade angle.)

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I shave with both hands, but like you it took me awhile before I felt comfortable doing this...

 

[BEAR DEN]

The correct answer I believe is both hands, I however only use my dominant hand. I should have forced myself to use both when everything was still new. For me now it would be akin to breaking a bad habit which can prove even more difficult.

 

[Shangas]

I think if I shave with one hand, it's my right hand. But I don't know if I can shave with both hand with my left one doing most of the work...

 

[mdunn]

im another who started with one hand but now uses two

 

[Luc]

I use both hands. It was strange for the first 5-8 shaves but then, I wouldn't do it any other ways now. Believe me, my left hand is usually useless for precision work like that.

 

[Shangas]

Had my first shave with my right and my left hand today. The right hand did most of the work, but I shaved my right cheek and jaw with my left hand. It was relatively effective and smooth in execution; I didn't cut myself or injure myself in any way, but it wasn't flawless. I need more practice.

 

[Luc]

Had my first shave with my right and my left hand today. The right hand did most of the work, but I shaved my right cheek and jaw with my left hand. It was relatively effective and smooth in execution; I didn't cut myself or injure myself in any way, but it wasn't flawless. I need more practice.

Good work! It's strange the first time then, it's easier...

If it can help, or not... I use my left hand on the right side when I go ATG (opposite for the other side). It's easier for me to "pull" the razor than "push" it.

 

[Gustav]

I use both hands but I must admit that when shaving the area around my mouth and my chin, i do tend to do it with my dominant hand. I also usually start a pass with my non dominant hand, when the lather is nice and moist, because I am always slower with my left hand. If I do it the other way around, the lather may have dried somewhat, making the non dominant action even more tricky.