How close is a 'close' shave?

I've only been str8 shaving for about 2 months now, and before that it had always been crappy cartridge razors. I see people talking about BBS shaves, and I'm not really sure what a close shave really means...

When I give myself a close shave, it feels super smooth (BBS) when i rub my hand WTG along my face. But as soon as I move my hand against the grain, my face feels like some serious sandpaper! This has been true ever since I started shaving (cartridge and str8).

no matter how many WTG and XTG passes I do, I've never been able to get a smooth feeling when I rub my hand against the grain. Only when I shave against the grain, which is never ever comfortable for me, can I get that entirely smooth feeling. How are people able to get BBS without shaving against the grain?

I'm wondering if it's the way my whiskers grow. Especially around my neck, my whiskers grow at a very shallow angle. My skin is pretty taught to begin with, so stretching against the grain can only do so much...

Am I cursed to never be able to get a BBS shave??

I don't know if anyone can answer that ? We all have different skin and beards. I know that it took me awhile to get the same level of smoothness with a straight as I could get with a Merkur Slant and a Gillette Swede or a Feather.

Even when I was getting 95% of my shave bbs there was a spot on either side of my windpipe that I had to learn how to get smooth. That was with a combination of blade angle and stretching in alternative directions. If you've never gotten a smooth ATG with any type of razor I wouldn't know what to tell you. :gl:

There are more than a couple members who say you can't be truly BBS without a full ATG pass, but I digress.

I say don't be so worried about what others consider to be BBS, and concentrate on smooth, COMFORTABLE shaves for YOU. Comfort comes before closeness for most people.

FWIW there are areas on my neck that will not tolerate ATG no matter what. It will look smooth, but not feel smooth. Does it matter? Probably not. But I only save true BBS shaves, and the neck irritation that comes with it, for very special occasions, like my wedding last month.

I hope this helps.

If I rub the back of my fingers against the grain, with a little pressure and I don't feel any stubble whatsoever is a BBS shave (for me anyway)
I can get a BBS on the cheeks, a little spotty on the neck, and almost there in the goatee area.
I have been shaving for about two months also, but I'm not to worried about getting a complete BBS shave just yet. I think I'm still in the learning stage, and from what I've read from other members posts, I don't expect to get a really good handle on it for about 4 more months, even though I feel that way right now.

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Originally Posted by DanS

When I give myself a close shave, it feels super smooth (BBS) when i rub my hand WTG along my face. But as soon as I move my hand against the grain, my face feels like some serious sandpaper! This has been true ever since I started shaving (cartridge and str8).

no matter how many WTG and XTG passes I do, I've never been able to get a smooth feeling when I rub my hand against the grain. Only when I shave against the grain, which is never ever comfortable for me, can I get that entirely smooth feeling. How are people able to get BBS without shaving against the grain?



Am I cursed to never be able to get a BBS shave??

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Sorry to say i think you have some sharpness problem. if your blade sharp enough you shouldn't feel uncomfortable while go ATG.
I am the person against to go ATG but you can if you like to. You should be able to get a good shave with wtg and xtg.
while you use your hands atg won't feel like sandpaper.

You might also have an angle issue. ATG can be very uncomfortable if you have the blade at too steep an angle. Stretching your skin ATG is also important. Make sure you are stretching the right direction or it will make the issue worse.

BBS is a term that gets used very freely on shave fora (forums ?)
I doubt anyone that's been Str8 shaving for 2 months is achieving BBS & if they are I bet they're definition will change in another 12 months.
Sounds like you're doing ok at this stage but just need to work on the ATG pass.
For that you will need a well honed razor & an accumulation of skill. The former can be achieved quickly but the latter takes time.
Keep at it.

For me and I don't use str8's yet just DE's and my jaw line is still a trouble spot,like said before comfort is key,and I get a better shave now than ever,not just to me but my wife likes it as well.So like siad above COMFORT is key.You can keep trying to achieve this bbs but your skin will tell you otherwise, listn to what your face tells you while your shaving,it'll let you know when enuf is enuf.

As already stated, I guess BBS is whatever we personally want it to mean. For me, BBS is two things:

• Feel no stickers or hair, no matter which direction I move my hand on face.
• Feel no stickers or hair, no matter which direction I move my hand on face for several hours.

I hate for my face to feel smooth now. But, in 30 minutes start to feel stickers.

For me,on my neck,I have to START with the ATG pass and have the blade ALMOST flat against the skin.