Thread: Against the grain: you gotta' be kiddin'!? I hope!?

Okay, so learning to use this straight razor and so far, out of three shaves, I've had zero blood shed. On my neck the hairs change direction and I'm getting a little irritation there because I don't yet know how to handle the straight razor well enough to accomodate the "swirl" pattern that is there, but it could also be because I just shaved three days in a row and I usually just do this every other day.

PLUS SIDE: I am feeling MUCH more confident after only three shaves. I'm not getting careless, but I feel that I'm starting to get a feel fro how the blade should feel when it's cutting.

But in a lot of the videos I've watched to try and figure out how to hold the razor, they guy shaving his face goes in for a 2nd shave in the direction OPPOSITE the direction of the hair growth (a.k.a. against-the-grain). Now, I will usually do a pass on the cheeks and jaws perpendicular to hair growth, but with my Gillette Sensor Excel, I could never get it to move ATG withough snagging on the hair and getting lots of ingrown hairs and causing bleeding (somehow the hair follicles would bleed from ATG). But in the spirit of trying this straight razor out properly, I thought I'd try once going against the grain.

I positioned the blade, pulled the skin taught, tried to move the blade and... nothing. It just wouldn't budge. It was like trying to move the blade through a velcro forest. I could have forced it, but I know the result would have been painful and ingrown-hairs. So I stuck to a perpendicular-to-grain 2nd pass and that went fine.

I don't usually consider myself "heavily" bearded or "bristley"... but I'm beginning to think it might be the case.

Oh well, live and learn!

I probably shaved with my straights for 3 months or so before figuring out the ATG without irritation and blood loss. For me I have to make sure the WTG and XTG are good then I just about lay the blade flat for an ATG. It is a bit daunting when your hold that blade in a slice your neck clean open position but I will say it leaves my face smooooth! I also make sure and do short strokes for the ATG.

It'll come in time...that's the fun part.

ATG passes require technique that doesn't show up after three shaves. The ATG pass does provide a close shave but requires a sharp blade to make it work. If the blade does well on WTG passes and less well on ATG passes, I would suspect the sharpness of the blade is not up to the task.

I agree with the prior post. I will add, though, that if you're not exaggerating the resistance on the ATG pass, is your razor shave ready? Did you buy it from a known good retailer or enthusiast who honed it for you?

Or what Ace said, lol. Guess we posted about te same time.

For successful ATG, you need to have sharp enough razor. A blade can be good enough for WTG and XTG passes and not good enough for an ATG pass

There are certain techniques and tricks to shaving ATG successfully, but it's also very possible that your face simply will not tolerate it no matter what. IMO you should concentrate on getting great shaves going WTG and XTG first. Give it about six months or so for your stropping and shaving technique to improve, along with your blade assessing skills, and try revisting ATG. If it's a no-go by then it is likely your skin and not technique.

Sharp blade, proper prep, lather and skin stretching all need to be there before you can get a comfortable ATG shave with a straight. Until I was ready I did an ATG with a DE razor. Pressure and angle are also very important, if you are coming from a multi blade razor and you are only at shave three, to much pressure is probably an issue, it was for me and probably most cart razor converts

I have the copper wire hair on my neck and moustache regions of my face. It took me a little time to get it, but I had a razor well honed by a pro. After doing a WTG and XTG I decimated the edge on the first ATG pass I did, probably after 10 or 12 single pass attempts(in the beginning I used a DE to clean everything up). I realized that I had to have the sharpest imaginable razor and have to have it stropped properly. I have been shaving nearly every day for the past 20 years (8 while in the Army EVERY DAY)! And I have a super thick neck beard; Just give it time and the ATG will come, you just need a super sharp razor and a little learned technique. Take your time and have fun!

Nothing to add about ATG shaves, everyone who's posted here is right. I'm just chiming in about the irritation on your neck, and adding encouragement to use a light touch. My first pass on my neck happens to be ATG, it just works out best that way. I'm lucky that the hairs there aren't too thick or dense, and they don't come out too flat to the skin.

I do two things consciously to minimize irritation: shave with cold water (prewash, lather, rinse, everything, as cold as the tap will run) and while shaving, aim to gently scrape off the lather. With a shave-ready blade, that's all the pressure it should take. The hairs come off as a by-product of scraping away the lather. Its when you aim to cut the hairs instead that you're likely to use too much pressure and give yourself a razor burn. Instead of increasing pressure, slightly increase your blade angle. If that doesn't help, your blade may need a little touchup on the hones, or a longer preshave stropping.

Best wishes

Originally Posted by Yochatman

I realized that I had to have the sharpest imaginable razor and have to have it stropped properly.

May I ask you how do you ensure your razor is super sharp? Do you hone it yourself? How often? And finally, what do you mean with "stropped properly"?

Thanks.
I'm learning everyday.