Thread: ATG is too technical for me yet

I can get a decent enough shave with a couple of WTG/XTG-ish passes (now that I can get a pretty good lather), but ATG is really giving me trouble - my tentative attempts have problems with pulling and suction at low angles. Is there a razor angle/skin stretching technique that helps here?

PS I have started my collection of soaps, creams and after-shaves .

Originally Posted by Sinclsw007

I can get a decent enough shave with a couple of WTG/XTG-ish passes (now that I can get a pretty good lather), but ATG is really giving me trouble - my tentative attempts have problems with pulling and suction at low angles. Is there a razor angle/skin stretching technique that helps here?

PS I have started my collection of soaps, creams and after-shaves .

yes ATG angle will be the lowest comfortable angle you can get which your blade will cut hairs the easiest.
In reality you don't have to shave ATG to get great shave or make couple WTG/XTG 'S?
you will need only wtg +xtg and your shave should be fine enough.
just try to learn how to shave properly.
gl

Pulling at low angles sounds like a non optimal edge. Should actually be less pulling at low angles.

If there's something I have experience with, it's shaving with non-optimal edges. Because you are shaving against the grain on an ATG pass, that is where the less than shave-readiness of the blade shows. When you are shaving with the grain, whether the blade is shave ready or not, it can pass over the whisker whether it cuts it or not. But on an ATG pass, the whisker literally blocks the blade, and if the blade doesn't cut it, the blade will either pull, tug, skip, or just flat stop. Sounds like your blade and your face would benefit from a touch-up.

On touching the edge up, will going back to a 12k SS followed by 0.5 micron diamond spray on leather be sufficient?

I have never had much success with sprays and have now decided, based on recent successes, to stay with stones, linen and leather.

Originally Posted by Sinclsw007

On touching the edge up, will going back to a 12k SS followed by 0.5 micron diamond spray on leather be sufficient?

Give it a try but you may/maynot benefit from looking at the edge under magnification to assess your starting point.

I examined the edge with a x40 25mm illuminated loupe and saw no obvious discontinuities or problems; hopefully any issues are addressable by the normal maintenance cycle.

Originally Posted by Sinclsw007

I examined the edge with a x40 25mm illuminated loupe and saw no obvious discontinuities or problems; hopefully any issues are addressable by the normal maintenance cycle.

V.Good. Let's here the good news when you're done

ATG doesn't work for everyone. It all demands on your beard. Consider the possibility that you're doing things right but your beard is telling you how to shave it.