What Straight Razor did you use today?

. . . all you other SR shavers . . .   — Tedolph 

Kind of begs the question, how many are there, especially on this forum?  It seems to be a minority method, certainly.  Consider cross-posting, perhaps, since folks do seem to silo up into their boards.

Male neck geometry and an inability to execute east-to-west strokes across the hills and gullies in a limited vertical space has kind of forced me into being a dual-modality shaver, something I feel disappointed about.  I'm also not a hardware collector, meaning, how often do folks want to see the same patinated razor with a cracked-off scale tip?

Me too. I have resigned my self into accepting that I can not do an E-W pass on my throat right side. I just don't have the dexterity and flexibility in my spine/neck to do it. Also, I need to do it because that is the direction (W to E) that my beard grows there. So, if I am going to do an ATG pass there, I have to use a razor with a small head. SE preferred. Also, I will not do the back of my neck with a straight (will not use a straight where I can not see). In the old days, I have read that farmers had their wives shave the backs of their necks, or do the entire shave!

So, I use a safety, a disposable SE, or my beloved Valet Auto Strop to do that last pass/back of neck. Still, I find that when I use the SR for the first two passes and the safety for the clean up pass it is still a gentler, closer shave than when I use the safety for all three passes. If I have a very light beard, I just do a safety razor shave. If I have a three day beard, I always break out the SR, the boar brush and a tallow soap. Nothing beats that shave.

I have with a straight razor frequently, but I do not generally post any SOTD posts.

This morning, I shaved with one of my W&B FBU razors. I don't use the larger razors much, but it was nice to dig this one out and use it today.

. . . all you other SR shavers . . .   — Tedolph 

Kind of begs the question, how many are there, especially on this forum?  It seems to be a minority method, certainly.  Consider cross-posting, perhaps, since folks do seem to silo up into their boards.

Male neck geometry and an inability to execute east-to-west strokes across the hills and gullies in a limited vertical space has kind of forced me into being a dual-modality shaver, something I feel disappointed about.  I'm also not a hardware collector, meaning, how often do folks want to see the same patinated razor with a cracked-off scale tip?

Me too. I have resigned my self into accepting that I can not do an E-W pass on my throat right side. I just don't have the dexterity and flexibility in my spine/neck to do it. ........

I also have to do E-W passes one my throat and under my jawline, though I can sort of get most of it done with a N-S and S-N pass with a very, very sharp straight. I have figured out how to hold the straight to do an E-W pass on the difficult areas, but sometimes still prefer to reach for a SE razor instead. '

Sometimes I just want to use my Rolls Razor instead - the straight on a stick.

I have with a straight razor frequently, but I do not generally post any SOTD posts.

This morning, I shaved with one of my W&B FBU razors. I don't use the larger razors much, but it was nice to dig this one out and use it today.

. . . all you other SR shavers . . .   — Tedolph 

Kind of begs the question, how many are there, especially on this forum?  It seems to be a minority method, certainly.  Consider cross-posting, perhaps, since folks do seem to silo up into their boards.

Male neck geometry and an inability to execute east-to-west strokes across the hills and gullies in a limited vertical space has kind of forced me into being a dual-modality shaver, something I feel disappointed about.  I'm also not a hardware collector, meaning, how often do folks want to see the same patinated razor with a cracked-off scale tip?

Me too.  I have resigned my self into accepting that I can not do an E-W pass on my throat right side.  I just don't have the dexterity and flexibility in my spine/neck to do it. ........

I also have to do E-W passes one my throat and under my jawline, though I can sort of get most of it done with a N-S and S-N pass with a very, very sharp straight. I have figured out how to hold the straight to do an E-W pass on the difficult areas, but sometimes still prefer to reach for a SE razor instead. '

Sometimes I just want to use my Rolls Razor instead - the straight on a stick.

The Rolls is a fascinating razor.....like my beloved Valet Auto Strop: 

. . . resigned myself into accepting that I can not do an E-W pass on my throat right side.  — Tedolph

I might be coming along . . . but not quietly.

Is starboard the side of your dominant hand and the hand holding the razor?  (Possible hypothesis: cross-reach using non-dominant hand could be an eventual, partial solution.)

Back-of-neck, I'm succeeding with the straight.  The odd scratch occurs, but, for perspective, scrapes happen with the DE, too.  I think I'd feel like an angry, transitioning werewolf if shaving the neck "six" were not done.


I have figured out how to hold the straight to do an E-W pass on the difficult areas . . . — yohannrjm

Please share this potential Grail information, if you would.

...


I have figured out how to hold the straight to do an E-W pass on the difficult areas . . . — yohannrjm

Please share this potential Grail information, if you would.

I don't think this is really 'describable'. I just kept changing grip and attack angle until I figured out what works for me. I have no idea if it will work or anyone else. 

What I do is use a very light (almost 3-fingered) grip to allow the razor to move in my hand, and then I kick my elbow out and up and it seems to work. There is still one little hollow on the lower right side of my neck where I have to settle on a guillotine stroke and hope that's enough because I cannot to a true ATG there.

Regular SR user here for almost 5 years, just never felt the urge to document every single shave. My fallback tools are the Kai Captain Standard kami style or the Blackland Vector.
I only got a few straights mostly because:
- never been a collector* in my life;
- had the luck to try basically all I was interested in this world thanks to a lot of generous addicted friends, so I found my sweet spot pretty quickly and just enjoyed it (same goes for stones).

Sure, there are still a few unicorns out there I’d like to try one day, just out of curiosity.
And to keep it in topic, that’s what I used yesterday:

Iwasaki Tamahagane nichogake (60mm)
Probably not my absolute favorite but certainly the most important little piece of wetshaving history in my drawer, so glad to have it.

PS: E-W pass for full ATG on the neck was also my ultimate challenge and, as said above, can attest that it’s totally possible: reverse grip (chin up, elbow aiming to the ceiling and razor tip pointing to the floor), short slide movements and skin stretching are the keys - along with patience and perseverance, of course.
Practicing with a shorter AC shavette has been incredibly helpful to me.


*except for Asterix comics, I got them all!

. . . resigned myself into accepting that I can not do an E-W pass on my throat right side.  — Tedolph

I might be coming along . . . but not quietly.

Is starboard the side of your dominant hand and the hand holding the razor?  (Possible hypothesis: cross-reach using non-dominant hand could be an eventual, partial solution.)

Back-of-neck, I'm succeeding with the straight.  The odd scratch occurs, but, for perspective, scrapes happen with the DE, too.  I think I'd feel like an angry, transitioning werewolf if shaving the neck "six" were not done.


I have figured out how to hold the straight to do an E-W pass on the difficult areas . . . — yohannrjm

Please share this potential Grail information, if you would.

If I understand your question correctly here is the answer: on the starboard side, neck my beard grows W to E so I need to do an E to W pass ATG. I use my non-dominant hand on that side to get a good viewing angle. No way I can use my dominant hand on that side-I don't have the flexibility in my right shoulder due to injury. Even with my non-dominant hand crossing over (sight lines are fine) I can't get my neck flat (can't raise my chin high enough) to eliminate the concavity. For some reason, I can do it on the other (port) side. It is that "kicking the elbow out" on the right (starboard) side that causes the problem.

In any event, rather than trying to be the contortionist that I am not, I just use an SE safety razor for that pass. It is so much easier. I have to use it to do the back of my neck anyway. I much prefer an SE to a DE for a variety of reasons, one of which is that the head is much smaller-easier to see and easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

A further thought. An Italian barber standing outside of your body has the luxury of moving all around you and getting the best angle, reclining and tipping you back in the chair to get a gravity assist in your position, etc. That is why I think it is counter productive for someone learning to SR shave to watch video's of Italian barbers shaving someone else. It may be very impressive but the mechanics and dynamics are completely different.

One thing (among many things) that I love about the SR is that if you learn to shave with both hands, you are never shaving blind and you can always see what you are doing.