Thread: Against the grain

Ok, I know this has been covered before, but I'm wondering: is there anyone else who just connot get a good shave without going against the gram?

Yesterday I for the first time matched my DE shave (btw, thanks everyone for all the amazing advice here. I'm shure it would have taken months otherwise). I have been trying to finish by only going across the grain, but I just could not get smooth. So yesterday, getting pretty confident in my technique, I went against the grain and got to where I was very comfortable with the shave. It was a close shave, and a very comfortable shave, and my first with no nicks or cuts.

But I hear the advice time and again "Don't shave against the grain". Am I missing something? Or do some people just need that.

And I do know the grain of my face. Its a crazy grain too. I have the equivilent of cow-licks on each side of my jawbone. My beard hugs my face very closely.

So, am I just using against the grain as a crutch for bad technique? Or are there some other out there who require the against the grain treatment?

Don't shave against the grain with a multiblade disposable cartridge. Your face will be a bloody mess. But with a straight it's common to shave ATG on the 2nd pass. Many people here do it including me. (don't do it if you're prone to getting ingrown hairs, tho).

After my first pass WTG, the shave is acceptable (i.e. I don't look like a wino) but not really good--I can do better with a new Mach3. The ATG pass is what really gives that BBS shave. FWIW, I think heavier beards need the ATG pass more than light beards do.

The not shaving against the grain thing comes from the training of barbers, who were cautioned against shaving their customers against the grain because they couldn't know if there would be ingrown hair problems. When I shave I make three passes, WTG, ATG and XTG.

I shave ATG usually for my second pass. Then a little clean up and I'm done.

Raf

Same here - one pass with, one against = BBS goodness. Still haven't quite figured out how to go ATG in a couple of spots on my neck but that's life. Thinking about looking for a quality blade w/a chip out of the toe that I can get cheap and trim down to a shorty for those spots.

If shaving ATG works for you....keep doing it.

Going directly ATG gives me problems in some spots, so I kind of go half way between ATG and XTG - at about a 45 degree angle.

Jordan

Originally Posted by Chimensch

The not shaving against the grain thing comes from the training of barbers, who were cautioned against shaving their customers against the grain because they couldn't know if there would be ingrown hair problems. When I shave I make three passes, WTG, ATG and XTG.

Against the grain was actually taught in barber schools, and is covered in the Standardized Textbook of Barbering. As Chimensh states, students were cautioned to only do this if requested by the customer, as some customers cannot tolerate it due to sensitive skin.

The "Once-Over" is with the grain, one pass. The "Close-Shave" is the second pass, ATG and XTG.




I do not do ATG in my mustacios or sides of my chin, as these are places where I can get ingrown hairs.

I do ATG on my cheeks and neck because it is easy and leaves a nice comfortable feeling.

I did ATG in the same places with my Gillette Mach III Turbo.

same here, can't get smooth without an against the grain pass, in fact nowhere near, still can't do it good on the chin though.....!! :-)))

Thanks Everyone. I had begun sabotaging my shaves by trying too hard to avoid the against the grain shave. You've all made my life a lot easier.

As weird as it seems, when I use a straight, I go N-S down my cheek and neck, which on my neck is ATG. I get NO irritation this way! When I use a DE, even after a WTG pass first, if I go ATG on my neck, I'll sometimes get irritation. So far (a couple months into it) with a straight going ATG on my neck, I have yet to get ANY irritation. So YMMDV! This is one of the things that sold me on straights.