Go with what works. Explanation inside.

**maxman** · 04-19-2011, 06:37 AM

Ok, so there was a post the other day from a fellow who was asking about his grip. He posted a video and all that. I'm too lazy to find it right now, but it was only a few days ago.

I hold my razor pretty much the same way and get great shaves. Not exactly the same way, but close enough to illustrate my point.

Today while shaving (and having a great one at that) I start thinking about how I grip the razor. I stop and change my grip to what is "proper" (notice the quotes?). So I put the blade to my face and POW! I have a 1.5 inch cut on the side of my face.

So what went wrong?

I wasn't comfortable with the "proper" grip. I'm more comfortable and have better control of the blade (that's the key) when I hold it my way.

So let this be a lesson to you. Go with what works. The most important thing is that you have firm control of that blade. It is an extension of your own arm. Lose control and bad things will happen.

Agree/disagree?

**Wid** · 04-19-2011, 07:10 AM

Totally agree. If it work; it works.

**Gustav** · 04-19-2011, 07:11 AM

Sure I will second that, go with what works for you. A good firm grip on the razor is very useful regardless of how you hold the razor. Some of the strokes I do are very untraditional but they work fine for me, like for example the inverted XTG stroke from ear to mouth on my right cheek holding my razor upside down in my right hand. This stroke allows you to stretch your cheek and neck skin upwards so that you can shave the elusive area under the jawbone.

Gripwise, I tend to hold my razor in the tradtional way with the scales at 270 degrees from the edge. Apart from a firm grip, it also helps to lock your wrist and do the strokes with your arm, that way you can keep a more consistent angle than if you do the strokes out of the wrist.

**Go West Young Man** · 04-19-2011, 03:30 PM

Whoever said any one grip is 'proper' is an idiot - any good tutorial out there will show you at least a half dozen different grips that all work in different circumstances.

**SharpClaw** · 04-19-2011, 10:21 PM

I also agree that you must hold the razor in a way that is comfortable for you.
I think that the "proper grip" is flawed, since we are shaving ourselves and thus we have to compensate for that. What is the proper grip for a barber is not necessarily the right grip for a shelf shaver.

and thats all i have to say about that :P

**Munxcub** · 04-20-2011, 10:40 AM

I'm sure this is a situation where there are no wrong ways to do it, but only 1 "right" way. If that makes sense...

My Karate instructor years ago told us there are no wrong places to put a kiai in a kata, but only 2 right places (or however many there were in the given kata).

**global_dev** · 04-21-2011, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by maxman

I wasn't comfortable with the "proper" grip. I'm more comfortable and have better control of the blade (that's the key) when I hold it my way.

So let this be a lesson to you. Go with what works.
Agree/disagree?

i wasn't aware there was a "proper" grip, so maybe my comment is not exactly on point but, i think there are some exceptions to this "lesson". I was clearly uncomfortable at first using my non-dominant hand to shave a side of my face.. it took me a while to gain confidence and the touch to leverage the advantages of using that hand. Additionally, there have been some experimentation into changing my grip based on movements that earlier, again, i didn't have the confidence for..

**Luc** · 04-21-2011, 04:09 AM

The "proper" grip is something that you have to find out yourself. As mentioned above, a tutorial isn't your "proper" grip. It should give you an idea on what you can do. Is it the solution? No.