how many passes?

I've been shaving with nothing but a straight since Christmas and I'm stubborn to become a pro as I've said in an earlier post a month or 2 ago. My question is...How many passes do y'all make? How close do y'all get it? When do you call it quits? Sometimes I'm fine with leaving some stubble here and there that you can feel but not see. Here lately I've been challenging myself to make it skin everywhere.

I shower, soap face, pre shave, lather for a minute or so and make my first pass WTG and XTG on the chin area. I repeat with pre shave and lather and attempt ATG. I found I have the most problem on the right side of my neck with it wanting to cut me. Possibly the blade is pulling and not sharp enough but I don't have that issue anywhere else, so I'm leaning on technique. Anyway, when all said and done I usually want to attempt a 3rd pass but I get too much irritation when I do so I've convinced myself, if I can't get it in 2, I can't get it. for now anyway.

any ATG tips. I'm attempting to do a lot of small strokes.

Three passes is my normal. You gotta stretch you skin while shaving.

BBS is something you'll always be chasing. Figure out how you like your face to feel and enjoy the wet shaving journey.

I normally do three passes, but I can get by with just two (wtg and xtg).
For ATG you need a sharp blade and a low angle. For areas where I get irritation I will drop the angle to where the spine is nearly touching the skin.

I do well on my chin and cheeks but my neck is where I have most problems.

BTW, off subject, Charles Bukowski wrote some great stuff. lol

2.5 passes. Clean, close and comfortable. Basically you cannot see that my shave is not perfect you would have to feel that, and there is a very small number of people who are permitted to stroke my face. For a true 100% BBS shave is takes some monkeying around on my neck with a razor that is pretty much fresh off the hones. I am very happy with a close and comfortable shave, heavy on the comfortable.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

2.5 passes. Clean, close and comfortable. Basically you cannot see that my shave is not perfect you would have to feel that, and there is a very small number of people who are permitted to stroke my face. For a true 100% BBS shave is takes some monkeying around on my neck with a razor that is pretty much fresh off the hones. I am very happy with a close and comfortable shave, heavy on the comfortable.

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+1 & Well said.
Getting to this point just takes practice and great edges.
And then one day your first pass is DFS and the second leaves you in wonder.
That 1/2 pass for most is the neck - those swirly patches.

Remeber comfort.....close will follow soon.

Smooth shaving

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Originally Posted by stfuracing

I do well on my chin and cheeks but my neck is where I have most problems.

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As do many. I have learned how to do a scything neck stroke over time and along with normal type strokes, I do alright. Necks are toughies as are the lip strokes like right in that soul patch area.

And, as for the main question @stfuracing. Decent shave is like 3 passes. A great shave about 2 and excellent 1 but that's not always gospel depending on your skin ,technique etc.

To start with I tried for 3 passes but found i got too much irritation so went to 2 with cleanup now with better technique I do 3 with cleanup and no irritation but am always chasing bbs. For the neck it os always trying something new to get that elusive bit where direct atg is not possible. Good luck finding what works for you.

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Originally Posted by stfuracing

I've been shaving with nothing but a straight since Christmas and I'm stubborn to become a pro as I've said in an earlier post a month or 2 ago. My question is...How many passes do y'all make...
any ATG tips. I'm attempting to do a lot of small strokes.

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Sharper blade; better stropping; slicker lather - figure 100-150 shaves to get darn fine.

There was a major leap of faith for me to first put steel down my cheek and up my throat. Around shave 300 came a similar leap of faith in the use of more advanced technique. BBS without irritation all around is possible with good focus, two passes and touch up ( in 10-12 minutes) but you can't rush it. You'll know when you get there.

FWIW, using a Gillette Slim Adjustable and a Muhle R41 DE razor for a while opened me up to what technique can accomplish with a straight. When I got a Gillette adjustable I thought any setting above five was nuts; now I use it at eight or nine in complete comfort. Practice, technique and trusting my skill level got me slowly to excellent shaves.

With very good technique and a very keen edge I can do a five pass shave with no irritation but usually only need three and a couple of touch ups on problem spots.
I love to hone so my edges never get very far off, so keen is not a problem. I always strive for a 96% to 99% BBS and usually I only need to shave every other day with a shave like this.
It's taken me over 150 shaves to reach this level and I still do a fare bit of experimenting with different technique to better my shaves. Just found out the other day that if I skip WTG and go right to ATG on my first pass on my neck I get a better shave and as long as I have done a good job on the hones I get very little irritation.

It takes a good long while to get really decent shaves from a straight. The learning curve is much longer than most would think or want to admit. The last thing you want to do is push it with something you are uncomfortable doing. You have the right idea in not doing the ATG pass as you are not comfortable with it at the moment. When you try the ATG pass try using very little gap between the spine and your face. It will eventually click.

Don't worry too much about how many passes others do, they are not you. Just do what you are comfortable with and eventually the shaves will get better. Personally, I don't shower before a shave, do not prep, just wet face lather up and do a 4 pass shave. Wouldn't you know it with all that effort there still is a spot under my chin that defies complete smoothness, maybe some day. No I would not be doing a 4 pass shave if the shave at the end of it was not comfortable and I sure did not start off with 4 passes. Starting out it was hard to do 2 passes without irritating the heck out of my face.

Just enjoy the ride you will get there at your own pace.

Bob

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Originally Posted by BobH

It takes a good long while to get really decent shaves from a straight. The learning curve is much longer than most would think or want to admit. The last thing you want to do is push it with something you are uncomfortable doing. You have the right idea in not doing the ATg pass as you are not comfortable with it at the moment. When you try the ATG pass try using very little gap between the spine and your face. It will eventually click.

Don't worry too much about how many passes others do, they are not you. Just do what you are comfortable with and eventually the shaves will get better. Personally, I don't shower before a shave, do not prep, just wet face lather up and do a 4 pass shave. Wouldn't you know it with all that effort there still is a spot under my chin that defies complete smoothness, maybe some day. No I would not be doing a 4 pass shave if the shave at the end of it was not comfortable and I sure did not start off with 4 passes. Starting out it was hard to do 2 passes without irritating the heck out of my face.

Just enjoy the ride you will get there at your own pace.

Bob

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+1. Good advice here I think. I have found that more passes with LESS strokes are easier on my neck. Instead of 9 strokes over 3 passes (3 strokes per pass. 2 of which are without any lubrication) I have less irritation and a closer shave with 1 long stroke per pass. 3 strokes over 3 passes. Then I clean up on the 4 th pass with maybe two strokes in that pass for a total of 5 strokes per section per shave (4 of which have water/lather for lubrication). Much less irritation and a closer shave. Ok now. Clear as mud?

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Originally Posted by Steel

Ok now. Clear as mud?

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:rofl2::rofl2::rofl2:

Bob

2.5 passes.

WTG, ATG and then ATG for the wild hairs on the neck. Stretching, a sharp edge and knowing which way your beard grows are key. Shave WTG and the rub your face. Feel which direction has the most stubble and shave that direction. Rub your face again and shave the remaining stubble in the direction that feels the roughest. If you are prone to irritation lighten up on the pressure. The other change I made to get a better shave was using both hands. Some angles cannot be made if you shave with only your dominant hand.

One pass with maybe a touchup on the chin sides.

All I need.

Bob is right. It is your face and all are different.

After 300 shaves I have finally felt comfortable with the 3rd atg pass with no touch up - all of my razors will not comfortable do that so have to pick up a
W&B sometimes for my third pass if using another blade!!

just read the beginner guide in the library last night and found out that WTG you want 30 degree angle XTG you want 20 degree and ATG you want about a 5 degree angle.
these are average degrees as every face is different and every razor. the advice I've been getting is take your time. get to know your face, how your beard grows, and find a way to hold your razor thats comfortable. i've watched a lot of videos and every person has a different way of holding their razor for the different areas of your face. hope you find a way to shave that is comfortable and i agree with
QUOTE=greatbolo;1471635] all of my razors will not comfortable do that so have to pick up a
W&B sometimes for my third pass if using another blade!![/QUOTE]
there are many variables in str8 razor shaving you could try changing Razor for 3rd pass, changing soap, changing the angles you shave at.

im a one pass , maybe 2 in areas where i know i dont get as close on the first ... i dont have to shave so i have no reason other then for enjoyment ..lol

3.5 passes
WTG, XTG, ATG
Cleanup pass : lower part of neck, detail work around stash and goatee.
Close to bbs daily.

Pete <:-}

If I don't cut my face in the first pass, I usually try once or twice more... :gaah:

For me, a single pass WTG shave is better than I'd get with the Sensor XL cartridges I used to inflict on myself. It looks perfectly good too. I could stop there and be happy enough with the result. My second pass is always ATG and that always results in a DFS. If I make a third pass XTG, it tends to be just under my neck/chin where my whiskers grow with a directional mind of their own. Preparation is everything. I can't even remember the last time I had razor burn.

2 passes, sometimes a partial 3rd on chin and under jaw. I find a diagonal path rather than true ATG works best for me.

Mine grows pretty thick on the chin and jaw line, and unfortunately it seems about six different directions, bit for daily shave I get by pretty well on one for the cheeks. On the jaw line it usually takes two, but the chin sometimes takes three. Stretching as much as you can is definitely key. And be careful not to mistake more pressure for stretching cause thats when thing get real uncomfortable real quick.

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Originally Posted by petercp4e

3.5 passes
WTG, XTG, ATG
Cleanup pass : lower part of neck, detail work around stash and goatee.
Close to bbs daily.

Pete <:-}

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Similar here; three passes (WTG, XTG, ATG), and and use the remaining lather for a final ATG touch-up along the jaw line in pursuit of that elusive daily BBS.


B

Steal a newbie but for me 3 pass and few touch up on the chin and mouth area is more then enough. For me it's a great shave.

1 pass short strokes (scything on jaw bone), clean up XTG as I go if required DFS - BBS with a bit of a fiddle on the neck area. My aha moment was shaving for comfort and not BBS to develop technique. With slow growing thick hair I can usually shave every second day and get away with it unless going to a meeting. Touch up on Crox/Irox every 2nd to 3rd weekend (because I can & I like them uber shave ready) when the razors come home from work. A quick slap on the hone every six months or so seems to work with only two used in the rotation.

Normally 2 gets me to where I am smooth on all but a few trouble spots, those are not visible but can be felt.

If I desire a really close shave that I can't feel as well, then a 3rd pass in spots as needed.

Normally 2 plus minimum clean up on trouble spots does the job at Verrrry least its dfs

I have found that for me I am comfortable with 3 passes, Cheeks top to jaw with a stretch for the jawline, Nose to ear XTG, and ATG up along the neck up the cheeks. This gets me about 2 days between shaves and I love it already !!! Need to work the neck a bit more in my case.. The whiskers there appear to grow forwards making getting that really smooth a bit of an effort. the up or down strokes are not bad but if I sweep back from the front away towards the edge its can still be rough, If that makes sense LOL!

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Originally Posted by Draggyn

I have found that for me I am comfortable with 3 passes, Cheeks top to jaw with a stretch for the jawline, Nose to ear XTG, and ATG up along the neck up the cheeks. This gets me about 2 days between shaves and I love it already !!! Need to work the neck a bit more in my case.. The whiskers there appear to grow forwards making getting that really smooth a bit of an effort. the up or down strokes are not bad but if I sweep back from the front away towards the edge its can still be rough, If that makes sense LOL!

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Is it sad that it makes perfect sense?

I almost always do only one pass; I haven't done more than one for AGES, though I used to do a second pass on my neck. Actually, the first pass in places is actually a ATG pass (jawline) with a sweeping motion, which works for me.

I've got quite a light beard growth; other than the beard thing (sort of a van dyke with a soul patch I think you'd call it) I couldn't actually grow a real beard...

One pass, with and across are part of the same pass and when I really like my lather, I treate myself to atg

I always do 2 passes with lather, and then touch up any missed spots with just water. 2 passes is all I need, and I won't leave the bathroom until it's BBS in all directions.

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Originally Posted by Firefighter2

I always do 2 passes with lather, and then touch up any missed spots with just water. 2 passes is all I need, and I won't leave the bathroom until it's BBS in all directions.

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how long does this take to creat lather to BBS?

About a half hour. If I'm short of time and would have to rush, I won't shave with a straight, I'll use a DE. The DE shave takes about 15-20 minutes.