Thread: Moving on from WTG for cleaner finish?

I have now more or less got the hang of doing a full face shave with my Thiers Issard 5/8", shaving downwards all the time, which in most areas is with the grain (WTG). The finish I am getting is better than when I used disposable razors but my standards and aspirations have now risen and I want to improve the quality of the finish.

I have very coarse stubble and I am finding that the WTG does give the closeness I would like. I have watched some You tube videos showing across the grain and against the grain techniques, as part of a two or three stage shave. What you you recommend as the next step? Should I try a two pass shave, and If so should the second pass be across or against to start with?

One of the areas that I need to get better is the chin, but this does not seem to lend itself to anything other than a downward pass. Any ideas here?

The next pass to try would be XTG (across the grain) and leave ATG (against the grain) for last as it is the most difficult pass to learn for most. There is more info here Category:Shaving - Straight Razor Place Library . Just take it slow and easy, eventually it will all fall into place.

Yes, the chin is probably one of the hardest parts of the face to shave because of it's curved shapes and it has some of the toughest facial hair on the face. This is where you find out if your razor is sharp enough and your technique is good enough. All I can say is to look closely at shave vids on how to deal with the chin area using the different passes. Go slowly and you will eventually find what works for you. It may not be exactly as others do it but it will be what works for you. If at any point what you are doing feels uncomfortable to you just stop and try again on a later shave. Sorry to not be more specific.

Bob

XTG would be your next step in a two pass shave. However, it would be a good idea to be sure you're maximizing the WTG pass. Are you utilizing the skin stretch? If you're WTG pass is predominantly a downward pass, you're on easy street. The 'reach over the head and stretch up' move has your name written all over it, and can make a big difference in your WTG pass, if you're not already using it. In general, whiskers will stand up toward the direction of the stretch.. so if you're stretching skin up, whiskers with a downward growth pattern will stand more erect. The WTG pass will clear the upright whisker more closely to the skin.

As far as the chin... Yup, that's a challenging spot and it's increasingly more difficult if you have a more chiseled facial landscape. In this respect, I envy those gents will full round faces that lack corners and hard angles. In any event.. I do my first pass on the chin WTG. The chin area is done from my lower lip to the transition on my chin. I can't make the full turn down my neck without filleting myself. After doing the rest of my face, what is left is a patch of lather on & under my chin; about one inch square. For that spot, I switch to XTG using the very heel of the razor and short staccato strokes. I use this stroke first, left to right, on what is the WTG pass, and then right to left on the next pass, which is XTG on the rest of my face.

To maximize the chin area, my last pass is ATG up my neck to the tip of the chin, and then sort of diagonal around my chin patch, again using the heel.

I never get the point of my chin as close as the rest of my face, but it's very close.. Not quite BBS, but well above a DFS in that area.

I recommend doing a south to north pass on the neck as sideways on the neck is a little more advanced stroke. Above the jaw line I recommend going ear to nose. You can stretch the skin towards your ear with your off hand. See where that leaves you.

I also have coarse whiskers and I've developed this weird 3 - 3 1/2 pass process where the first pass is north to south but the rest depend on beard direction and whether it's a left-hand or right-hand stroke. I try to save time by limiting how often I rinse the lather off the razor and switch hands. One of these days I need to post a video so the long-timers can get a good laugh.