Small strokes vs long ones

Modern wisdom says that when using a double edge safety razor, you should take short, repetitive strokes.

I find it interesting that all of the old commercials for razors and creams show them shaving in long strokes.

 

It depends on whether the goal is cutting hairs or removing lather. When I first learned to use a DE razor Ike was still President and I learned short strokes on a diagonal.

 

Short strokes on the first pass, then longer on successive passes.
Read that somewhere when I first started this journey. Been doing it that way ever since. Works for me.

 

Good blade - > long strokes.
Poor blade or dull -> shorter ones until I give up the blade. Yeah, that frugal.

 

Ads are designed to make shaving look fun, not teach optimal technique.

@Fly2High also

Long strokes are a detriment. When the shaver swings the razor over a long arc, it causes loss of angle control, as the blade attack angle is constantly changing throughout the stroke. Short strokes with a stiff wrist easily address this issue, allowing for more control and easier shaves.

 

I do start with short strokes on my first pass. But they do get longer on my second pass.

 

It depends on the surface. Short strokes are useful only in that they allow you to change the blade angle for different angles of the face. If used too vigorously they can result in irritation due to overlapping strokes on unlathered skin and blade pressure changes.

If I have a long even angled area of face, I shave the stroke to match it, knowing that the correct angle is set. I use shorter strokes on more angular areas around chin, neck where angle changes are necessary.

Otherwise you are using the picking motion of the stroke to cut and not the unassisted smooth motion of the blade itself.

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I've always used long strokes on my cheeks to nose, and the throat, and short strokes near the jawline, chin, and upper lip. Watching people hack at their face has always made me wince - I have a flexible wrist for that

I can pull from the top of my ear (sideburn) all the way down to below my jawline with a single stroke, and all of the hair is removed without any muss or fuss. If I'm doing an evening "going out" shave after an early morning shave, I'll even extend that stroke down all the way to the bottom of the throat (ATG), because I know the blade won't have any clogging/binding issues.

 

I've done both and honestly I see no difference. Long strokes. Yeah.

 

I think in most of those shaving commercials, they are not using a blade at all. They are just scraping off the lather.

 

Same here. Short strokes on my first pass but longer ones on the second pass.

 

Long strokes down the cheek and neck. Short strokes on the goatee area.

 

Use whatever works best for you... There are many paths to the same result, a good shave.

 

At least you didn't say YMMV. Thank you!

 

Chris,
This is what I tend to do. Long where possible, short in compound changes in angle.

Also, I find when the blade is not as sharp, I cannot put up with a long stroke and am forced to shorten due to the pulling or resistance.

I was just commenting on the last part since most have already covered what I do

 

My shave strokes are so short, they look up to see the bottom of Herve Villichez' shoes.

 

That's short, considering that Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize was cremated.

 

Yep. Short.

 

Long shaving strokes photograph better and make the procedure look easier for advertising purposes.

In the real world of shaving, short shaving strokes are more efficient and are the preferred technique.