Oddly, it only just now occurred to me ask about this matter. I use both hands to shave my face and have done so for a long time now. Just feels right and while it might technically improve the quality of a given shave, that's not not why I do it. I do most things right-handed by nature; some things seem more natural 'tother way round; skateboarding (back in the 20th century!) for one. Anyone else shave using both hands?
I also do alot of things the south paw way, shaving isn't one of them. When it comes to doing anything with a delicate touch my left hand is stupid and won't cooperate with me.
I have found that being an instrumentalist (drums, then guitar) has actually honed my non-dominant left hand for some tasks that require a fine touch.
It's just one of those things, it seems. As the brilliant U.S. philosopher Frank Zappa once observed, "You are what you is."
Speaking of 2-handed technique, with a straight razor, if you have a problem area (like below your jawline), try a WTG and ATG pass with the opposite hand you would normally use in that area. The blade will travel at a different angle and it might help you get a better shave in those problem areas.
That's what I'm thinking. However, I am not going to use a straight razor. DE works just fine for me and I have yet to get everything associated with it nailed down just yet. I'm enjoying the trip!
A carry over from my cartridge days, I shave with one hand when I use a safety razor. I'm righty dominant and some days when I rush using my dominant hand let's me shave almost as fast as I did with my fusion. Like charismata said. Straights change the whole game. For some reason two hands feels natural even though I rarely use my non dominant hand for most tasks.
I use both hands with a straight, but only my dominant with safety razors. Not sure why; just feels right that way.
One of my personal idols is Benjamin Franklin. A lesser-known essay of his is "Petition of the Left Hand". In witty fashion he asks why people use one hand to the exclusion of the other. After all, with training, we ought to be able to use both with similar skill. After reading that, I started developing left-handed skills to the point where I'm adequate with the left in most things. A personality quirk ...
The only time I have shaved using both hands was when I was using a Str8. I am right hand dominant, but used the left hand for the left side just because it was less awkward than trying to dislocate my right shoulder to shave the left side. It felt strange using my left hand but reduced the amount of nicks and weepers than trying it all with dominant hand.
I'm seeing a trend slowly develop here. The straight razor crew seems more likely to at least try using both hands. For very sensible reasons!
Yeah I found out very quick that using my non dominant hand just felt more safe. Crossing over made it hard to get the angle to shave right. and obviously that has a lore serious reprodussions than my slim set on three
We learn to live within whatever limits we set for ourselves. Expand your horizons. Or carry a big styptic pencil!
Right hand only with DEs or SEs. I'm trying to work with both as I continue to learn how to use the str8 properly.
No Choice Left... I'm beset with shaving my entire face closely with a straight-edge in that the majority of the heavily bearded parts of my face's hair direction is slightly downwards and sharply to the right. WTG downwards is kind of XTG on my chin-strap of a beard. The left hand is optimal for the pulling, superior to pushing (which the right is inclined for), for getting a pseudo ATG on the bearded areas. That said, to get a good shave with a straight (for me) means 2/3rds of the shaving is left-handed. I am working out the best way to closely and cleanly, completely shave the part of my beard that is to the right of the right corner of my jaw to the middle of my cheek. It would seem an unconventionally gripped right-handed upwards pseudo-ATG is actually best, other than that I get plenty of shaving time to become proficient with the non-dominant hand.
Wow, gang! My life is so uncomplicated by comparison with many of you. Until I joined in a community I never thought about all the variables endemic to wet shaving. You know, hair is hair, you soak it, you whack it away and that's that. My, was I mistaken! But what keeps coming through to me is the realization that DE or straight razoring may be "old fashioned" but is practically unsurpassed by all the glitz, that ol' razzmatazz, fed to us poor hairy joes -and janes- by manufacturers who have mostly downgraded the quality of the shaving experience while exponentially increasing the out-of-pocket expenditure for us hapless consumers. :mad: I have seen the past! And it's never looked better!
