Technique: Ambidextrous Shaving

[ChriWilson]

I use both hands...
How else could I manage the stretch ?

Seriously, I use only my dominant hand - quite efficient and comfortable doing so.
Maybe one of these days I could experiment with using both to shave, but starting off will take so much longer to complete a shave; I imagine.

 

[TMacpherson]

I’ve always been ambidextrous (golf and lacrosse right handed, baseball and basketball left handed), so I didn’t find it very hard to use both hands. I find the right shaves slightly easier. Glad it’s gotten easier!

 

[SammieM]

WTG - right hand, right side and left hand left side
ATG and XTG - left hand right side, right hand left side. XTG pass is ear to midline

I only use dominant with kamisori and even then the right cheek xtg gets the opposite hand, otherwise it is very awkward.

 

[rajagra2]

It seems to me that if you only hold the razor in one hand, there's twice as much learning to do.

Shaving the left side of your face with your right hand will be a different technique to shaving the right side of your face with your right hand.

 

[steveclarkus]

How many straight razor shavers on this forum alternate hands while shaving? It goes against the advice of the two books I've read on straight razors. I used to only hold the razor in my right hand. Tons of cuts, only one "good" shave, and a lot of headache were the result. Today, I held the razor in the hand opposite to the side of my face that was receiving the blade, and experienced a much better shave. Only one tiny, dot-sized cut on the left side of the upper-sideburn area, which barely produced blood, quickly stopped, and occurred with the razor being in my dominant hand. I would consider myself to be mildly ambidextrous, but nowhere near handwriting level. For example, when wrapping a completed pallet full of product, I walk the plastic in a counter-clockwise circle. I'm interested in the forum's general thoughts on alternating blade hands, since the books on the subject discourage the practice.

I am extremely left handed but I learned to shave with both hands. I've never been able to get a good shave with one hand.

 

[ChriWilson]

I use both hands...
How else could I manage the stretch ?

Seriously, I use only my dominant hand - quite efficient and comfortable doing so.
Maybe one of these days I could experiment with using both to shave, but starting off will take so much longer to complete a shave; I imagine.

I alternate now for both passes; with exception to the precision required at the chin area and upper lip

 

[Trikuha]

With a DE safety razor I only use my right (dominant) hand but I alternate hands when holding a SR.

I use the same system. I don't feel comfortable using a DE with my left hand. With an SR everything changes and it is easy for me to do it with my left hand. I want to learn to use an SR with only my right hand, perfect the technique and then choose the definitive method.

 

[Jakebullet]

Both hands every time.
Once learned it helps with attack angles, stretching, vision even, reaching tricky areas etc.
After a few left handed shaves I would often forget which hand I was using.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Both comfortably.

 

[Stapelfeld]

I'm actually practicing this ambidextrious technique for 30 days with the grain. Im at day 7 and have gotten a lot better since starting. But my with the grain pass ambidextrous was lacking especially on the lef thand in the neck area but slowly but surely making progress.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

I've just started with a shavette, and was pleasantly surprised to find that using my offhand (left) to shave my left side of the face wasn't nearly as awkward or strange-feeling as I thought it might be. I had to think more, and took things slowly, but it wasn't too bad. Curiously, I nicked myself twice on the last outing - not badly at all, and due to me screwing up the angle - both times with my dominant hand on the right side. Offhand and left side was fine an unscathed.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

I'm actually practicing this ambidextrious technique for 30 days with the grain. Im at day 7 and have gotten a lot better since starting. But my with the grain pass ambidextrous was lacking especially on the lef thand in the neck area but slowly but surely making progress.

I agree - it's all about building that skill, confidence and muscle memory. It takes time, but it comes.

 

[Sideburns]

Interesting that you're reading says not to switch, because I'm used to seeing everything saying the opposite, standard guidance tends to be that you should learn to use both hands.

When I first decided to learn how to shave with an SR, I did some online research on the subject. Most of the tutorials said that you can learn how to shave with both hands if you're comfortable with it, but that it's OK to use just one hand if you feel safer that way. Then, I ran across a set of instructions that simply assumed that everybody's willing to be ambidextrous when it comes to shaving, and simply told you to switch hands when doing the other side of the face. As I knew that I didn't want to start off by trying that, I simply left that site because it was clear that whoever wrote it didn't have people like me in mind.

 

[Stapelfeld]

When I first decided to learn how to shave with an SR, I did some online research on the subject. Most of the tutorials said that you can learn how to shave with both hands if you're comfortable with it, but that it's OK to use just one hand if you feel safer that way. Then, I ran across a set of instructions that simply assumed that everybody's willing to be ambidextrous when it comes to shaving, and simply told you to switch hands when doing the other side of the face. As I knew that I didn't want to start off by trying that, I simply left that site because it was clear that whoever wrote it didn't have people like me in mind.

And also I think it’s important to add… this entire topic has nothing to do with what is most efficient. If that were the case we would all be shaving with a safety razor. I know some people might disagree with that but part of the reason we shave with a straight razor is to have fun and enjoy, it’s our time to relax. With that in mind I think people should shave with whatever form brings them most comfort and enjoyment out of this niche hobby. There is no right or wrong way in my opinion.