Here is the first question in our DE Technique study. Describe the first stroke of your shave. Provide whatever details you think appropriate. For instance, where does the stroke start and end? Is there anything different about this stroke than the ones you make next? What are you concentrating on as you start? Is there anything about your first stroke technique that would be good or bad for someone else to consider?
I start my first stroke at the sideburn with two or three short hacks at the margin before running across the mid section of the cheek and ending at the side of the chin. Pressure is moderate. I start here because this us the easiest area to shave for me and thus the most forgiving. It affords me the opportunity to calibrate pressure and angle to set up the rest of the shave. Another reason I start here is that cutting the sideburn is an operation that is different from the rest if the shave, and this gets it out of the way early.
Coming from straights to DE which I admittedly struggle at, my first stroke and all strokes that follow are the same path as I would take with my straight razor. I start at my left sideburn and work down the that path to the bottom of my neck.
I'm an ATG shaver, so I doubt if I'm any help. First stroke is lower neck going straight up toward ear. I like to angle my stroke in a sort of Gillette slide, as far as the rest of the strokes, there about the same, all mapped out years ago, Usually my only thoughts are what to do to keep myself busy that day.
The idea is to get feedback from a variety of perspectives, so your input is actually very helpful. When you say you are an ATG shaver, does that mean that you do just one pass, against the grain?
I had never considered that a straight razor shaver would approach DE shaving differently. Of course he would! Very interesting.
It's 2 passes plus touch up, each of us is different, Always almost no pressure of the razor, just enough for control. weather it be a Gillette Adjustable or Weber PH, ATT or even an SE Happiness is a BBS, Denis
One of the game changers for me was riding the cap. A few razors, like my late 40s Aristocrat, I can hit it right away. Others, especially ones I hadn't used in a while, I would take a little trial to hit. I would start with a very shallow angle, one that likely wasn't going to cut, and drop the handle a bit until I got the velcro like sound. From there I just worked to maintain that angle for the rest of the shave. The very shallow angle was the biggest key for me in getting BBS (or very near) and minimal irritation.
I always start with upper lip area. N to S. Chin area always the last part as it is too difficult to get a BBS there.
Mine's not much different, but I continue down my neck after switching blade sides at the jaw line. Shave down WTG, rinse the blades, then up ATG.
This one doesn't. My DE shave and str8 shave all go the same way for all three passes - first stroke: start at right sideburn, down about 1/2 - 3/4 inch, lift razor, next stroke... And if you read ARGH's statement, he approached the DE the same as with his str8s.
Interesting how many of us start at the right sideburn, presumably because of right-handedness. I start with one or two short strokes to set the sideburn, and then do 1-2 inch strokes down to the jawline. It does, as you say, give me an opportunity to set the angle of the razor.
Left cheek right under the sideburn. One short stroke and then move down the cheek with short strokes until I hit the jaw line. Then repeat on the right side.
