Thread: Not Close Enough

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Do you go ATG? Or do you only do a WTG pass?

I cannot get a close shave without going ATG, as my whiskers like to lay flat like enemy commandoes sneaking up underneath barbed wire.

Ha, you an the picture just described a fairly small portion of my right cheek just past my chin; the whiskers there lay so utterly flat against my cheek that no amount of prep or scrubbing with a lathered brush even come close to lifting them anywhere. To top it off, they grow horizontally toward my right ear. The only way I can get a smooth shave there is very carefully go ATG toward my chin. Even the sharpest razor resists there.

With a feather light touch and very short well lubricated strokes I can get the area almost BBS; Micro-stubble is still viewable in that area no matter what.

Here's my point; with a multi blade cartridge razor or an electric, getting the same closeness in that area results in hamburger like carnage and ingrown hair disaster. Another reason straights are superior to any other shaving method for my face.

Chris L

There is a lot more to shaving than just having a sharp razor. Make sure that other aspects are taken care of: proper reparation, angles, consistency of the lather, etc...

Al raz.

Shower (at the end of the shower I apply conditioner to my face)
Hot Towel
Pre-shave oil
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave WTG
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave ATG

I shave with a DOVO Bismark 6/8 pre-sharped from Classic Shaving. I purchased the starter kit from Art of Shaving which included: Cream, Pre-Shave Oil, Brush and Aftershave Balm.

Originally Posted by jessew35

Shower (at the end of the shower I apply conditioner to my face)
Hot Towel
Pre-shave oil
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave WTG
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave ATG

How long does it take you to shave?!

Originally Posted by jessew35

Shower (at the end of the shower I apply conditioner to my face)
Hot Towel
Pre-shave oil
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave WTG
Hot Towel
Warm Lather
Shave ATG

I shave with a DOVO Bismark 6/8 pre-sharped from Classic Shaving. I purchased the starter kit from Art of Shaving which included: Cream, Pre-Shave Oil, Brush and Aftershave Balm.

Thats about five more hot towels than I give myself if I'm going to be shaving straight after my shower.

In my experience, pre-shave oil can also interfere with proper stretching keeping a shave from being as close as possible, but I can't imaging there is any left two hot towels later. I also think the oil can act against the lather kind of matting the hairs down rather than helping them stand straight.

The only other thing I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned is the brand and type of soap. I have some soaps that allow me a closer shave than others. Some seem to provide so much cushion that they don't allow me to get as close as I know I can with other types of lather.

I am a one hand shaver, a newbie. I am still trying to figure out the best angles and grips and motions. I was not unhappy with my results but I've been guessing the results could be better. Yesterday I tried a bit more aggressive scything motion on the right side of my chin. I nicked myself a little; but besides that the result is a superb close shave and my best result in that area so far. I got surprised how close I can get there. Obviously that taught me how a technique makes a day and night difference and what to strive for. Now I know how badly I suck and how much space for improvement there is for me!

It is frustrating to find that you can get a better shave with a mach whatever then with a straight while you read that others are getting bbs with theirs. It took me many shaves and a truly shave ready razor to get my technique to where it needed to be. It just takes time to learn stretching, and as was said before, blade angle and strokes.

If the razor isn't really shave ready it can skip over the hair. Some will be cut some will not. A sharp razor should whip through your chin whiskers easily. If it doesn't do that it isn't sharp enough IME.