Thread: 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.

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.

+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

Originally Posted by stfuracing

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

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.

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.

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.