Using One Hand or Both? What kind of Str8 shaver are you??

Hi,

I am having little success so far training my non-dominant hand to contribute significantly to my straight razor shaves.

I would like to see how many folks are one handed straight shavers (one fister) compared to those nimbly using both. If you feel comfortable regularly using L hand for left face and R hand for right face, then you qualify as a 'two fister'. Which are you??

This ain't good science, but it will help get a sense of what percent of shavers use one or both.

thnx

RocketMan said:

Hi,

I would like to see how many folks are one handed straight shavers (one fister) compared to those nimbly using both.

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Me too ... Poll

Its really easy to use both hands, just takes a little practice. I can shave my whole face with only one hand too. I find that the off-hand is really good for only one small spot on the off-side of my face where the best direction can't be achieved with my strong hand.

When I shave my first thought is "What do I want the blade to do?" and that is followed by "Ok, which hand is in the best position to do that motion?".

Once you practice enough that you no longer have weak hand limitations straight shaving becomes a little more fun.

One limitation that you want to break out of is in holding the razor only in the traditional position. Once you realize that you can hold the blade in atleast 5 different grips (or any darn way you want) you'll find both hands becomes even easier.

I think it takes longer and takes more practice to get a great shave using only one hand. Thus, I have always used both.

I've got a bad left hand from a farm equipment accident when I was a child, so I just use my right. Haven't had any trouble, though. Just had to get really creative with grips.

I use both for both sides of my face. Some parts are easier if I use the opposite hand.

I use two hands, and many grips

Both hands.

AFDavis11 is dead on. Shaving with both hands is easy but not without practice. Use your non-dominant hand each time you shave and you will pick it up in no time.

I shaved with the right hand only for 28 years and it never occurred to me to use the other hand until I started to read the Internet forums. It took me about 6 months of trying on and off to get over the awkwardness. Now the ratio is about 60% right/40% left. By the way, I get the best results shaving the left side with the right hand and the right side with the left hand. The reason this came about was that I noticed that I got a longer lasting BBS on the left side (with the right hand) than I did on the right (with the right hand). The reason for learning to shave with the left hand was to shave the right side with it and to see if I got better results on the right side with the left hand. I did and that's why I kept up with it.

I shave with only my right hand. I have used my left hand with out issue in the past, but at the moment I am sticking to single handed shaving.

If I did go to use both hands, then WTG I would use right for right and left for left. ATG I would use right for left and left for right.

I feel like when I shave I always cross my face when starting from my neck going upwards. Meaning I use my left hand going up on the right side of my face and vice versa. And when I go down from top to bottom I use the same side hand as my face. Right hand right face. If I try to do the opposite my knuckles and fingers get in the way i feel. I just havent gotten that creative my grip to do it any different.

As a drummer of many years I have always tried to strengthen my left hand dexterity and independence and have tried all sorts of things from using my fork in my left hand, brushing my teeth, etc. My left hand is almost special needs, I cannot imagine shaving with a straight with it! I am a right hand man all the way.

I use both hands, although the right side is easier for me to do than the left. I can get the right side smooth and clear with relative ease, the left side I can get presentable, but not smooth (yet). I guess I could go more aggressive with the left but I don't like bleeding if I can avoid it.

Right hand only for me...too new to try anything fancier.

I only shave with my dominant hand. I would like to be skilled enough to use both though...

At first, I only used my right hand for both sides, but found it was difficult to see what I was doing on the left side of my face. So I tried using my left hand and, with some persistence and patience, I am now adept at using both hands. Feels quite natural now.

stnlymumford said:

Me too ... Poll

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I hadn't found your poll. Well set up.

I hope people take the opportunity to fill it out if they haven't.

It looks like this may well be a function of experience, but more voters would be great!!!

I started about a month with straight razor shaving, I'm right handed, but I got a really bad accident (nearly died/and luckily enough i didn't cut my tendons) back on 2001. So I'm very bad when it comes to specific and delicate tasks.

Back then it was a learning process once again, and I manged to control my left hand a bit better than I did before.
I use both hands, but I find the most difficult (or at least I get concerned) when I'm just about to touch my face with the blade on my left side, also I cannot shave the chin area with my left hand.

But I guess is all practice.

I use both hands and my left handed technique is decidedly worse, but it does continue to improve

AceBuckeye said:

I use both hands and my left handed technique is decidedly worse, but it does continue to improve

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Exactly.

Some personal experiences:

When I was 10 or 11 A dog bit my right hand and it was bandaged for some time. During that time I learned to do everything left-handed including writing, drawing, eating, and grade school arts and crafts. Once the bandages came off I was back to the right hand pretty quick.

While learning a couple of musical instruments as a kid (piano , accordion) I learned that if you want to get anywhere technique is important and that involves BOTH hands. So for straight razor shaving I am forcing myself to use my left hand where appropriate. For example NS pass on left cheek and SN pass on right cheek. Only the NS pass on left cheek is easy.