The blade is willing but the hands are weak

[Stygo]

As my honing skills have improved, I'm finding that much more the quality of my shaves is limited by technique. On my shave today, the ATG pass on my neck/jawline was like wiping with a towel, yet on my more fleshy cheeks I'm still working out how to best to skin stretch + light touch to get the same ATG smoothness. I know the blade is capable, but I find it much easier to stretch my neck by tilting my head then contorting my arms and making strange expressions to get my cheeks taught. Usually I need an extra pass on my cheeks to compensate. I used to be more likely to attribute this to the quality of the edge, but now I'm learning its mostly shave technique.

As your honing skills have improved, has this exposed any shaving technique weaknesses for you?

 

[DesertIguana]

Hands can be improved with one of those STRESS BALLS with Rice or Sand inside, most places like CVS Sell.

 

[Legion]

First of all, are you practicing shaving with both hands? You should.

Then with your empty hand start by reaching over the top of your head to stretch the cheeks. It should work for ATG as well, you just hold the razor differently.

 

[rbscebu]

Try flattening the shave angle a bit more. It will feel counterintuitive but should give you a closer more comfortable ATG pass.

Fortunately everyone's face is different, otherwise we would all be as extremely handsome as @FarmerTan. You will need to determine yourself what works best for you, your face and your shaving style. You'll get there. We all have to go through the process and most, including myself, are still learning.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I get what you are saying. Like anything, my honing and shaving have improved with experience, but the improvements seem to show themselves in spurts. My advice is to focus on aspects that you can control - like skin stretching, using a smooth motion, light touch, etc. There is also something to be said for trying to turn off the conscious mind and just go for it and enjoy the experience.

The one problem with shaving is that most of us were not able to learn it when we were one, two and three years old.

 

[Stygo]

First of all, are you practicing shaving with both hands? You should.

I'm using both hands, and do practice this behind the head stretch. Some days I find it works really great, and other days not so much. I have less issues with The area closer to my ears than the center area. Sometimes I'll try pulling to the side and puffing up my cheeks a little, and this can work. Just haven't landed on something consistently great.

Typically I use RH / LH for left and right side of face (WTG) respectively. For ATG I prefer to cross my right hand over and do my left side, because otherwise it feels too "bunched up" doing same hand/side. I don't quite have the comfort with my left hand to cross over, and I notice a difference in the result. Learning to do the crossing though is just not being lazy and committing. Similar to when I started shaving my head with the SR by feel (also use both hands, one on each side respectively) - was awkward at first but now much more comfortable.

Anyway - I'm somewhere around 60 shaves so am still learning something every day. Most recently is that I can get the cleanest and more comfortable shaves by almost just using "weight of the blade" during the strokes (no or extremely little against skin pressure needed).

 

[Frank Shaves]

Sounds like have and are making a lot of progress.

 

[Gamma]

Shave and stropping technique, along with lather quality are 3 huge components in the shave that don't get enough 'press'.
A lot of new users blame edges for being dull, and maybe sometimes they are, but often the case is that the lather is like mud, the stropping was terrible, and the skin stretching non existent.

We learn as we go. It's not about being perfect though. If the shave was a good one, then we done good.