Thread: Why 2 or 3 passes?

As for deciding to use the straight or nothing, I'm doing the same as Paul.
Now, I seem to have some slightly different experiences than the other folks above.
When I used my Mach3 or similar, I would do a single pass ATG on both cheeks, and a single pass WTG under the chin. Now, my hair on my cheeks grows down, and under my jawline and chin, it grows up... So, it was basically a single pass shaving upwards from bottom to top. That was all I ever needed for a "normal" smooth cartridge shave.
Now, thus far with the straight, I have not been able to go ATG on the cheeks - too much pull, and pain. I'll likely not often (if ever) try to go ATG on the neck and chin, but I'd like to get that BBS on the cheeks.
All that being said, I don't think my straight is as sharp as it should be, and even going only WTG on my cheeks, I was at least as smooth using the str8 as I would have gotten ATG with the cartridge.

As for your question... LOL, I'm too new to know!! But rest assured, I'll be attempting quite a few options before I decide what's best.

hhmm... I've always for whatever reason shaved wtg and atg with a razor... When I moved onto straight I do the same thing.... I like to get rid of as much forest as I can with the method that will give me the least potential of harming myself... Once the ground is clear, I'll go in an carefully scratch ATG to get rid of the stubs.... I find I need to do short strokes like you do with scaling fish to get at the stubble ATG...

But when I'm done, I have a nice smooth chin and upper lip

I think if it in the same way as mowing the lawn, you go one way and the lie of the grass means some blades are missed. You go across and still some are missed so you do a final pass opposite to the original and the jobs done.

The same goes for my beard. If you can go it in one pass I think you must be one of the lucky ones with nice, uniform hair growth in the same direction. Mine is all swirls and whirls.

It's acknowledged that ATG gets you closest shave but most of us cannot say we have done a true ATG pass as our hair is not that well behaved. Three passes ATG, WTG and XTG will get even the most bizarrely angled hair.

Just my two pennorth

Simon

Does anyone subscribe to this theory.
A straight is not always sharp enough to cut the hair as soon as it meets it
It may slide along the length of the hair before it bites into it.
If you shave WTG XTG then ATG it will gradually reduce the density and average length of the hairs as it slides and catches each one.
If you jump straight to ATG the blade may slide right up the hair and into the skin, causing the burn we experience.
Just a possible theory I was thinking about.