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skin stretching

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:20 am
by gil3591
i've heard many times not to skin stretch with a de but yet it's advocated with a str8. why is this? i saw a video from the english barber on utube and his said to always stretch your skin with a de. i have noticed that shaving south to north under my chin is better not strecthing the skin. seems like the razor gets more whiskers with less irritation.

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:37 am
by notthesharpest
I think a little light stretching used in the right places can be helpful. But stretching the skin tight is almost always bad.

Basically, anywhere the skin is folded or otherwise hard to access, stretching it just enough to flatten it out is what works for me. On my own face, that basically means ( 1 ) making a strange face to get at that line dividing chin from lower lip, and ( 2 ) opening my mouth a bit to get the whiskers hiding in the cracks of my very attractive smile. :)

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:42 am
by KAV
Imagine a hilly area with 2 year old Christmas trees being grown. Now stretch the land out flat and all the trees growing toward the sun will have more angles than a used car salesman.

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:45 am
by marsos52
i older i get the more i have to do skin stretching...

actually most is done the same as notthesharpest explains
making strange faces. and/or raising my head to flatten the skin at the neck etc etc

i find no reason to over stretch.

find what works best for you and thats that!!!

marc

p.s. i dont need any comments about; i older i get the more i have to do skin stretching...

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 10:47 am
by notthesharpest
KAV wrote:Imagine a hilly area with 2 year old Christmas trees being grown. Now stretch the land out flat and all the trees growing toward the sun will have more angles than a used car salesman.
Quite right. But if the spaces between the hills are so narrow that a man with a saw can't even squeeze himself in, between trees growing from the left and trees growing from the right, he has to do something.

On a Christmas tree farm, we simply don't grow any trees there next time because it wasn't worth the effort. Now, if I could just manage to do the same on my face... :D

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 10:13 pm
by bernards66
Gil, I don't know who says not to stretch the skin with a DE, but I don't think that it is correct. Traditionally, decades ago, most men lightly stretched the skin in front of the razor ( straight or safety model ), either with the free hand, or by making various facial contortions, or both. Many years ago, when I was lazy, did only one pass, and used canned foam, I didn't bother to stretch my skin. But since I started taking shaving at all seriously I always have. As has been mentioned, with a DE, it can be over done, especially if one's 'touch' isn't that good. But generally a light stretch ahead of the razor stroke, to help flatten the skin, is helpful.
Regards,
Gordon

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 10:54 pm
by KAV
I tried doing an evening touch up after this tread. I've got Monty Python's LUMBERJACK song in my head, stretching my nose out of the way and trying not to laugh. It's O.k. because Celine Dion is having twins. So there \:D/

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:50 pm
by casecracker
KAV wrote: It's O.k. because Celine Dion is having twins. \:D/
This fact is going to make a lot of things I do okay.... O:)

Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 11:58 pm
by notthesharpest
On Wednesdays I go shopping... :lol:

I'm going to have a tough time shaving tomorrow morning. Thanks.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:22 pm
by desertbadger
I picked up skin stretching years ago when I used a STR8 and have done so ever since be it DE or SE. Flatten or stretch the skin "just enough" and wonderful shave are the result. YMMV and all that.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 3:37 pm
by Gareth
Gil, I also stretch the skin a little. Certainly not to the point where it is 'tight', but just enough to provide a smooth, flat surface to shave.

Gareth

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 5:25 pm
by Blue As A Jewel
Gareth wrote:Gil, I also stretch the skin a little. Certainly not to the point where it is 'tight', but just enough to provide a smooth, flat surface to shave.

Gareth
Ditto. I find that if I overstretch, I'm prone to weepers.

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:33 pm
by bernards66
Ravi?....is that really you?....my goodness!
Regards,
Gordon

Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:25 pm
by CMur12
Ravi, I too am glad to see you. I really enjoyed your posts when I was a new member, and each time you reappear, I hope that we'll see more of you.

Since I jumped into this thread, I'll add that I also use light stretching. More aggressive stretching seems to make the skin more vulnerable while adding nothing to the shave.

- Murray

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:09 am
by brothers
I've heard and read about the skin stretching cult, it seems to be more pronounced when they're talking about straight razors. I've never felt the inclination to try it on a regular basis, thus, I don't believe there are any measurable benefits to it as applicable to the quality of my own shaves. I haven't cut myself in a very long time, and I get a great smooth shave virtually every day, while alternating on a daily basis between a straight razor and a DE. When I happen to get a less than smooth shave it is always the result of a hurried shave, and/or a dull razor or blade. If somebody wants to stretch their skin, then it's fine with me. Maybe in a few years or decades, when the skin on my face starts getting all wrinkled and furrowed, I might have to adjust my practices.

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:13 am
by brothers
Twins, huh? Who would have figured it! She can sing really good, and I'm almost able to recall her name at will nowadays. I'm not a name guy.

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:13 am
by brothers
We're talking about stretch marks, right! :lol:

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:59 am
by shavedhead
i believe we all need a little skin streching to get the hairs to stand up straight: especially with a straight

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:21 am
by jww
I am a skin stretcher -- on all passes -- it works for me. ymmv.

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:22 pm
by bernards66
I know from experiance that I can not get quite as good a shave if I don't stretch my skin a little as I can if I do. If someone else is able to, that's fine, but I suspect that most gents can't, which is why it was so prevelent decades ago when everyone was using a straight or a classic safety razor. Same is true regarding using shorter strokes.
Regards,
Gordon