It's not your razor. It's you.

I meant to write this post forever ago but forgot. For the longest time I thought my razor and the honing I did was faulty. Every time it hit the mustache against the grain I would get this pulling and skipping feeling. Like the blade was bouncing across the area all the time. Eventually I gave up and start using my DE again. One day I realized my DE, even with a new feather blade, was giving a very similar feeling. Not the bouncing due to its weight, but the catching, pulling feeling. It was just less noticeable because a DE has more weight and less feedback than the straight. So if you are concerned your blade on the straight isn't up to snuff try the DE. If it's the same feeling in general it's your technique that's at fault not the blade. I found skin stretching, proper angle and good forward pressure helped fix my issue.

You've got a good point there. (no pun) So many guys think 'it just couldn't be me, it must be the razor ..... strop .... whatever'. I've been shaving for 50 years, the past 7 mostly with straights. I couldn't do an ATG on my mustache for love nor money, with any razor known to man. :p If you're able to do that with any razor you've got me beat. :)

Mustache area is one of the few places I don't go against the grain.

I work straight down on the first pass, then I use the toe of the razor working in at a 45 degree angle to the nose but still working down but more to the opposite corner of my mouth on the second pass. If I do a third pass then it's across the grain, working from one corner of my mouth to center.

I have done against the grain passes on that area, And I have found that it always ends up with the shave been so close that it causes some skin damage, normally making you look like you used a dull razor.

I never do ATG pass on my upper lip.....I like my nose where it's at LOL

I generally use two hands and stretch my lip over my teeth for the atg. What can I say I'm bbs obsessed.

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Originally Posted by Trimmy72

I never do ATG pass on my upper lip.....I like my nose where it's at LOL

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LOL here also. Thankfully my wife won't let me totally shave my mustache and beard. I just have to worry about slicing my cheeks or slitting my throat! ;)

Thank goodness for square points and spikes :) I used to nearly kill myself trying to "fine tune" with round points...

I recently watched a video of someone shaving with a straight razor. Can't remember who. I'm sure someone will chime in. When he got to the upper lip he did not go against the grain. He did say that going against the grain on the upper was called the "fools pass". You can probably guess why.

All love and respect to those who can do it, but definitely no ATG for me on the upper lip! Like Iceni above, when I need a little bit of extra closeness or follow-up, I use an extremely light XTG stroke.

This is why mustaches are so popular.

Personally, I feel the mustache is pretty straight forward ATG. I can't do ATG on the tip of my chin at all. It is always two passes XTG and I am done. I would grow a mustache if I could! My mustache is terrible looking; super whispy and no growth inbetween the cupids bow. Like I should buy a panel van and starting offering candy to random kids bad.
Attachment 170357
This is basically what I look like with a mustache.


Attachment 170358
If only I could grow this kinda mustache....:boohoo:

I do the fools pass (ATG on the upper lip) every shave,
I find the heavier grinds do it easier than the full hollows for some reason,
it may be the flatter angle the full hollows get than just grabs a bit more when holding them flat on the lip.
But definitely must be sharp and the skin tight works best with any blade

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Originally Posted by mglindo

I recently watched a video of someone shaving with a straight razor. Can't remember who. I'm sure someone will chime in. When he got to the upper lip he did not go against the grain. He did say that going against the grain on the upper was called the "fools pass". You can probably guess why.

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Are you referring to X?

One Handed Straight Razor Shave, pt. 1. - YouTube

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Originally Posted by aa1192

I generally use two hands and stretch my lip over my teeth....

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Leaving the third hand to hold the razor?

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Originally Posted by aa1192

I meant to write this post forever ago but forgot. For the longest time I thought my razor and the honing I did was faulty. Every time it hit the mustache against the grain I would get this pulling and skipping feeling. Like the blade was bouncing across the area all the time. Eventually I gave up and start using my DE again. One day I realized my DE, even with a new feather blade, was giving a very similar feeling. Not the bouncing due to its weight, but the catching, pulling feeling. It was just less noticeable because a DE has more weight and less feedback than the straight. So if you are concerned your blade on the straight isn't up to snuff try the DE. If it's the same feeling in general it's your technique that's at fault not the blade. I found skin stretching, proper angle and good forward pressure helped fix my issue.

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"Forward pressure" I like this. Personally I think the angle of a DE's handle encourages forward pressure while minimizing the downward pressure into the face. Kind if like a lawn mower handle. Of course that just my in uneducated guess.

Attachment 170368

This solution has work for me....for decades...

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Originally Posted by aa1192

Like I should buy a panel van and starting offering candy to random kids bad.

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I feel ya. Cops, and these guys...
Attachment 170381

(BTW-Ex military cop here...just kidding, no bashing ):overkill:


Unless you can grow an EPIC mustache...

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Originally Posted by MJC

Attachment 170368

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If i'm trying to really get the UL clean, I'll "overstretch" it with my tongue and use WTG/XTG very very lightly. Otherwise it's all WTG/XTG.

I used to have a problem with the upper lip area as well, especially when using a DE shavette I sliced my face to pieces. I'm using true SR's for about a year now and the lip area doesn't give me any trouble anymore. What I do is indeed stretching the skin realy light pressure and when the razor skips I pick it up, put it back a cm or so and go at it again, basicly using a lot of realy short and light strokes

I guess I'm lucky to get a BBS upper lip just doing one wtg an two xtg passes. I have far more trouble with my neck, even when I go atg. I rarely get BBS on my neck yet.

Watch your noses,
OldSalt

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Originally Posted by OldSalt

I guess I'm lucky to get a BBS upper lip just doing one wtg an two xtg passes. I have far more trouble with my neck, even when I go atg. I rarely get BBS on my neck yet.

Watch your noses,
OldSalt

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My trouble spot has always been an area about the size of a match book on the left side of my adams apple.
One of those swirly areas.
My best results come by using my extended thumb and forefinger to "pin and stretch" the area, and shaving in between my fingers in a buffing pattern.
Got the idea watching a video of a Japanese barber shaving a client with a Kamisori. And I first tried it when I was trying to learn how to shave with a Kamisori style asymmetrical blade.

Moved that technique over to my daily shave with great results.
I was pulling the skin in the wrong direction, making the hair lay flat instead of stand up.
You just have to mind that finger that is in the path of your razor...baby.

Smooth Shaving...

stretching the skin is key

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Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Leaving the third hand to hold the razor?

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Bite your lips and hold the razor with both hands.

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Originally Posted by Frankenstein

Are you referring to X?

One Handed Straight Razor Shave, pt. 1. - YouTube

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Nope, different one. The one I saw he was talking and mentioned the fools pass.

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Originally Posted by wyldr

stretching the skin is key

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I found that out the hard way.

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Originally Posted by inspector710

I found that out the hard way.

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We all do...the sooner the better...