How close can you get with one WTG pass?

Hi guys.

So, I've been shaving with the straight on my cheeks and neck (and letting my goatee grow out) for a week now, and things have improved substantially since my first attempt. However, I feel that my technique is greatly lacking, because after one WTG pass, I still have an awful lot of stubble.

I have heard many people say that one should endeavor not to shave over the same place twice on the same pass -- that instead you should properly shave each region WTG, then reshave each region XTG, and then, finally, if appropriate, ATG.

I have heard many people say that one should not expect the first pass to be completely smooth, as a straight razor pass really reduces the amount of stubble rather than cleanly removing it. The XTG and then, optionally, ATG passes will catch any remaining stubble left behind. Is this true?

Right now I feel like, unless I pass over each region on my face several times WTG, I don't really get much stubble off at all. This can't be ideal, because the first time I pass over a region, the lather comes off my face, so on the next "scrape" I am basically shaving dry.

I don't mind the goatee but I don't think I look particularly good with it, and would like to have the option of shaving it off -- but at the moment, if my technique isn't good enough to even cleanly shave my cheeks, I'm hesitant to attempt my chin or upper lip.

I don't want to have unrealistic expectations. For those of you with stellar technique, how smooth are your cheeks after a single WTG pass on typical day old or two day old stubble?

Just wondering what my goals should be...

Thanks a bunch,

Alexander

My strokes overlap previously shaved areas by quite a bit. There isn't a problem with that if you keep the pressure light and you had a decent lather to start. When I take the first stroke that removes the visible lather, I'll go back once or twice more depending on the way the beard grows and on the current sharpness of the blade. I find a fresh honed razor reduces the need for a second or third swipe across the same area but doesn't always eliminate it.

To get perfectly smooth aka bbs, I do need to do three passes + a bit extra on one cheek that grows in a spiral pattern. To get a perfectly presentable shave for work, all I need is a careful first pass, but it does involve the going over the same area more than once without re-lathering. While a single pass shave passes inspection at work, it does not pass the Rolling Pin Dept. standards.... :D

If I use my Feather AC with a fresh Professional blade, there is no need to go over the same area twice and I never do, without re-lathering... The Feather blades are wicked sharp and there's no lubrication left after the first swipe. :eek:

Hope this helps

Regards

Christian

How close can I get with 1 WTG pass?


Answer: not very

I need to do at least two passes. The first is WTG and the second is ATG. I don't do more than two strokes over the same area. I get razor burn if I do. The WTG is just to chop down the growth and the ATG is what gives me the BBS :D

With practice it will be possible to get very close. I get as close with my straght as I used to in about a two passer with a DE onceI go XTG I will be close enough for public exposure all day. My strokes are very similar to those I used to use with the DE as well short and easy with some overlap.

I would not worry too much about overlapping strokes or even going over the same stop twice on a single pass, as long as it is very shortly after you first went over it there will still be some lubrication for you, just make sure that your angle is good and that you are not using too much pressure and you will be fine.

Chief

I practically only ever have time for single WTG shave and I'd say that I get at least as close a shave as I ever did with either an electric or a sensor excel.

If you consider a "pass" to be defined by which direction you shave (eg;WTG, ATG) then I get pretty close to bbs in one WTG pass on the sides of my face. The goatee area usually takes two as does my neck. Except for touch ups (usually jaw line and neck) I typically only do two passes. Truthfully I'm probably OK for work, etc. after one pass, but hey, I made all this lather, I'm going to use it.

As a couple of posters have pointed out, each pass is made up of several overlapping stroke. No problem with losing lubrication.

Good luck. I'm sure it will fall into place soon. Keep working on the angle you use. It seems like my razors each have their own optimal angle and when you find it, you're home free.

I don't consider my technique "stellar", but I can typically get very close on my cheeks with 1 WTG pass. My second pass is another WTG, but using a scything motion, and I find that's all my cheeks need to be smooth.

The chin is a completely different story, and I would wait until you are sure the technique is down. The contours of the chin can make it difficult, and it seems that hair is a little more rough and stubborn there. Follow the instructions in the 1961 Barber's Manual (in the documents area under Shaving) and you should be good to go.

~Chris

I'm also a bit of a newbie, but I can get pretty darn close on my cheeks & upper lip with one pass WTG.

The hair on my jawline is a lot more wiry than on my cheeks & upper lip, as is my chin hair, so that usually requires another XTG or ATG pass.

The hair on my neck grows in like 50 different directions and I have yet to get the perfect BBS shave there, although I'm getting a better shave than my Fusion ever gave...

1 WTG pass can get you close, dont worry about overlapping I think most of us do it. I do 3 passes, WTG, XTG, ATG butthats becuase I have to since I am in the Navy and dont want the Chief all over me :nono:

With the right razor, with the right prep, and with a scything stroke, pretty freaking close....

My metric for my razors being sharp enough is that the WTG pass should end up as close as what I was able to get with my old cartridge razors. Then the ATG pass makes it BBS and way, way past what I could ever get with a cartidge razor.

That said, I do have a few areas that the WTG can't quite do--a few small areas near my goatee and my adam's apple.

Dan

If you have a good lubricating lather you can overlap several times without irritation, just so long as your razor is good and sharp, and you don't apply pressure.
I can get very close on my WTG pass, but with overlap, I probably hit every hair at least twice...
There's an art to straight shaving, and we are all students. I don't care if it's shave #1 or #10,000 There is always something that you haven't tried, or mastered yet.
I remember when I started, it took me 3 months before I could get a close enough shave that I wasn't touching up with my Mach3, and another 3 months before I was confident enough to throw it away.
If you still have a disposable, don't be ashamed to clean up with it, do what you can with the straight, don't torture yourself. There is no shame in learning, and if you do it in a fashion that keeps your confidence and comfort level high, you will be successful.

I find it interesting that the commonly used 3 Pass close shave is not the recommended Barber's shave in the manuals.

Barber shaves in the manuals appear to be predominately WTG with lots of skin stretching.

This discrepancy makes me wonder about whether I'm simply doing it wrong and making up for the poor technique with extra strokes or whether Barber shave were generally unacceptable by current wife standards.

-Bob
:w

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RobertFontaine

I find it interesting that the commonly used 3 Pass close shave is not the recommended Barber's shave in the manuals.

Barber shaves in the manuals appear to be predominately WTG with lots of skin stretching.

This discrepancy makes me wonder about whether I'm simply doing it wrong and making up for the poor technique with extra strokes or whether Barber shave were generally unacceptable by current wife standards.

-Bob
:w

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I watched Scott ( honedright ) shave at the Southern California get together, and he pretty much follows the barber manuals technique to a T. His shave was a one pass and very close from what I can see!

I should add that while I can get a good one pass shave I still have areas that can be a bit better. I think I'll try Scott's way and see what I think.

I get extremly close with a single pass, though I do have considerable stroke overlap. In fact, I probably cover my entire face twice with a slight directional change between strokes. It is also important to use a proper sything motion do that the edge slices through the wiskers instead of chopping. My typical single pass shave last about 36 hours.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

With the right razor, with the right prep, and with a scything stroke, pretty freaking close....

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I agree totally...

-Pary