OK...I have been STR8 shaving for about a week now...still have irritation but getting better at the shaves. My problem is holding the razor correctly to get the right angle. I wear glasses and have ambliopia in my left eye (cannot see clearly) so I struggle to place the blade so that my "good" eye can see what I'm doing. I've been using the feel and sound method and hoping I have the right angle. Does anyone else suffer the same as me? What should I do to improve my technique?
Do you have to be ambidextrous to shave?
- Thread starter Derrells
- Start date
I'm not and I'm making out pretty well. I do it all right handed and I'm missing my ringfinger due to a tablesaw accident. 
I change my grip for different sections and it works out fine. Eventually I'll try the other hand, but not just yet. My left hand scares me too much right now.
I change my grip for different sections and it works out fine. Eventually I'll try the other hand, but not just yet. My left hand scares me too much right now.
I guess it will come with practice.
My vision is pretty poor in both eyes. If I do not have my contacts in, I am in trouble. Shaving with glasses on is a pain.
I'm tempted to have a go at shaving "blind", just to see if I can do it by feel. Last time I did it I ended up so close to the mirror I bumped the scales on the glass and cut myself.
My vision is pretty poor in both eyes. If I do not have my contacts in, I am in trouble. Shaving with glasses on is a pain.
I'm tempted to have a go at shaving "blind", just to see if I can do it by feel. Last time I did it I ended up so close to the mirror I bumped the scales on the glass and cut myself.
- Thread starter
- #4
I guess it will come with practice.
My vision is pretty poor in both eyes. If I do not have my contacts in, I am in trouble. Shaving with glasses on is a pain.
I'm tempted to have a go at shaving "blind", just to see if I can do it by feel. Last time I did it I ended up so close to the mirror I bumped the scales on the glass and cut myself.
ROFLMAO....
I don't switch hands to shave or brush my teeth. BBS for both...
...Ray
...Ray
I'm pretty stubborn so I forced myself to use both hands. It's been 4 months and only now I often forget which hand is my dominant hand since the razor feels natural in both. I have shaved with my glasses, but prefer not to.
Strangely it's not mentioned much in the history books, but before the invention of the safety razor, almost all males were born ambidextrous.
However just a few years after King Gillette patented his razors, most men lost their ability to shave with both hands. The scientists are still puzzled....
Seriously, IMO you will get the best shave from using both hands. But it's not necessary.
As for eyesight it's highly overrated when it comes to shaving.
I'm blind on my left eye & don't see a squat when shaving my left side.
But it doesn't matter at all.
The hand & your face will tell you everything you need to know. Just listen to them.
Oh, & watch out for that mirror with your good eye
However just a few years after King Gillette patented his razors, most men lost their ability to shave with both hands. The scientists are still puzzled....
Seriously, IMO you will get the best shave from using both hands. But it's not necessary.
As for eyesight it's highly overrated when it comes to shaving.
I'm blind on my left eye & don't see a squat when shaving my left side.
But it doesn't matter at all.
The hand & your face will tell you everything you need to know. Just listen to them.
Oh, & watch out for that mirror with your good eye
I have been trying to use both hands for a bout a year without much succuss, so still using my right hand for my shaving.
I'm a right handed shaver only. It feels very comfortable.
I tried to use my nondominant hand, but was so clumsy with it I quickly gave up.
I tried to use my nondominant hand, but was so clumsy with it I quickly gave up.
You don't but I'd recommend it. I am not ambidextrous in the least. Somehow, against all odds, I figured out how to shave with both hands. I am very glad I did.
I'm left handed, but would not consider myself ambidextrous. I was able to pick up switching hands when shaving with a str8 pretty quickly. I started out trying right from the start, when it felt equally awkward to both hands and my nose and ears are still in tact. 
It still feels a little strange for my ATG passes, but its getting better.
I suspect that left handed people my have somewhat of an advantage because as a kid you are forced into using right handed sporting equipment, etc. and having people try to teach you things assuming that your right handed. At least that was my experience.
It still feels a little strange for my ATG passes, but its getting better.I suspect that left handed people my have somewhat of an advantage because as a kid you are forced into using right handed sporting equipment, etc. and having people try to teach you things assuming that your right handed. At least that was my experience.
i have the same eye affliction in my left eye (not strabasmic issue), but don't wear glasses. i don't know the relative difference between your eye strength and mine though... sounds like yours might be worse.. i think using both hands, not concentrating too hard on what you see and looking for a decent line of sight that works with the strong eye is how i managed and after a while it just came together...
btw, don't look too close into a wall mirror while using the straight, i at least 2x bumped the tang/tail or scale into the mirror and while i didn't cut myself I was nervous and shaken.
No you don't need to be ambidextrous but you will find some places on your face somewhat awkward to shave. Using both hands takes a little time but ultimately helps.
Mike
Mike
I was far from ambidextrous, and I do shave with my glasses on.... I tried using both hands at first, but that failed horribly, so I stuck with my right hand only. It was a bit hard with some spots as my glasses would get in the way, so after a while, I tried using my left again. It started off horrible, but I was stubborn this time... now I'm getting a hang of it, and my left is doing much better than my right for those trouble spots. I think it's just a matter of not giving up and getting used to it.
I'm right-handed and I shave with my right hand all the time. I'm hopeless with my left hand.
No but it sure helps. It is a skill easily learned.
Not really, I was born with one arm and manage just fine.
I'm left handed, but would not consider myself ambidextrous. I was able to pick up switching hands when shaving with a str8 pretty quickly. I started out trying right from the start, when it felt equally awkward to both hands and my nose and ears are still in tact.
I suspect that left handed people my have somewhat of an advantage because as a kid you are forced into using right handed sporting equipment, etc. and having people try to teach you things assuming that your right handed. At least that was my experience.
Yes, that and a computer mouse is usually a right handed operation, or at least they were when I learned. I give my "mouse dextarity" some of the credit for both hands being about equal for shaving.
+1
My left hand is worthless for pretty much everything, but when I started I devoted myself to using both hands. Now it is just natural and I'm glad I struggled through it initially.
Same with me,except I use my left hand.I have shaky hands but my right hand is difficult to keep steady so I only use my left hand.
Paul
