Thread: stretching the skin when the skin is...well lubricated

I have an interesting problem. I just got my first straight, a vintage kamisori, and love how sharp it is. I have no problem shaving places that my bone structure holds straight like my moustache area. I have problems shaving any area I would need stretch for the simple reason that my tobs shaving cream makes my skin to slippery to hold. How do the experienced users get around this problem?

I have heard of guys using a little alum block on their finger tips and that it holds very nicely, haven't tried it myself but I should.

+1, just wet your fingers and dab them on a block of Alum, works a treat.

I've never had an alum block so I don't know about that. If you've got one give that a try. If you don't ..... I start by having a dry stretching hand. I keep a towel near so that if I do get lather on my fingers I can wipe it off. My first pass is always a down pass on the sideburn/cheek area and I stretch pulling up above the area where the lather is. I just work around the lathered areas and as I remove lather with a pass I use the areas the lather was removed from to anchor my fingers for another pass. BTW, I'm relatively skinny so I have few flat spots. Everything is hollows, nooks and crannies and I have to stretch them to get them flat. It can be done, you just have to figure out what works for you and keep your fingers dry.

I keep a small hand towel near the sink and use that.

+1, on the block of Alum works like a charm

No Alum block, but I've just been lathering the areas that I'm immediately shaving leaving the rest so I can pull the skin taunt as needed.

+1 to what Jimmy said, I shave down the sideburn and hold the just shaved skin. If it gets slippery I grab an ear...(maybe that's why they're so big...)

I use two solutions: 1) I grip with a washcloth when the skin is too slick for fingertips, and 2) I start my shave at the base of my neck and work upwards. That way my first stretch points are at my upper chest (no lather there) and subsequent ones are almost always where I've finished shaving.

does your facial hair grow S-N? How do pull down on your skin and properly expose the hairs by stretching?