“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”
I haven’t minced words in my previous posts about whether or not it’s worth it to learn how to shave with a straight razor (spoiler: it is).
That said, it is imperative you know how to hold the razor so as to exhibit the necessary control over it as well as to avoid cutting your face.
Here’s your primer.
The Standard Grip
Pictured above is the way that most straight razor enthusiasts will tell you to grip the straight razor. In this configuration, your ring finger is braced against the tang of the razor and your thumb against the jimping on the shank, which provides control.
In this grip you can shave most of your face without making any serious adjustments.
Other Angles
While I can mostly execute a shave using the “standard” grip described above, for odd angles and to get into tight areas, such as behind my left ear, I need to adopt different grips.
One of these is as pictured below:
As you can see, I am holding the straight razor in more of a pinch grip. This gives me greater control over the blade, especially near the heel closest to my thumb.
I also sometimes hold the razor in this “reverse” grip that you can see in the image below.
In this grip, I am still pinching the hollow grind near the blade’s shoulder, but the edge of the razor is facing up, towards the back of my hand, rather than down, towards my palm.
I rarely use this grip, but I find that it can be useful for against the grain shaves on the far (left) side of my neck.
The Test to See If You Are Ready
The angle at which you hold the straight razor matters. Most will tell you it should be about 30° to your skin. I don’t disagree with that. Any deeper or shallower and you risk cutting yourself or just not getting a good shave. Neither of those is a desirable outcome here.
But if you really want to see if you are ready to start shaving with a straight razor, here’s a test. Blow up a balloon, get some lather going, spread it on the balloon, and see if you can shave it off.
When you can shave all the lather off the balloon without popping it, you’re going to try a live test, on your face.
The Importance of Holding a Straight Razor Properly
Let me close out with a quick word on the importance of holding a straight razor properly.
Naturally, you want a good, close, smooth shave, and holding a straight razor as I have instructed will help ensure that.
More importantly, holding a straight razor properly is a prerequisite to a high standard of safety. Held in one of the grips I have enumerated here will result in a lower likelihood of slippage, which is when cuts occur.
So practice, practice and practice some more. Eventually you’ll get the hang of it.
Be Safe and Enjoy a Better Shave
All that you need to do now is try shaving with a straight razor to see if you like it better. I am confident you will.
And, I’m also sure that once you get proficient with it you will find that you actually nick your face less than you did with a straight razor, so that’s one more bonus to enjoy.
Be safe.
~The Eclectic Outfitter