Thread: Still working on ATG, but pretty decent

Howdy,
This is probably the first shave where I only used a straight razor, usually I finish up with a DE. I'm using a Torrey Co. Our 136 razor with AOS Preshave Oil, and Cream with a Van Der Hagen boar brush, followed With their After-shave Balm. In an earlier post I mentioned tugging, before I shaved I stroped about 10 laps on the side of my strop with chromium oxide from ruprazor.com, then about 30 laps on the other side. This shave have much better results than previous shave. this shave was more comfortable. A lot less tugging of the razor. I managed to pull the skin tighter. I found the easiest way to shave my chin area was to stretch the skin away from the chin. I nicked myself once or twice, but from the most part no irritations. Wasn't till I tried ATG when I had a problem. I felt to much resistance and it felt uncomfortable so I stopped there. Not sure if I need a few more passes, or If I should just send my razor back to get it honed again. I might of rolled the edge. Could just be my angle or something else. Next time I will pay more attention to the quality of my WTG and XTG, might try and go back to the DE and regular 3 blade razor just to compare how it feels. Actually compare to the DE right now my face feels almost as smooth, just a little rougher when I rub it ATG. Any suggestions for a closer shave?
Thanks & Gig 'Em
Chris

Hey Chris,
I've never done ATG, I get great results WTG- 2 passes; sometimes XTG. Pressure, angle, honed edge, pre-shave prep,,,etc. all effect the closeness of the shave.
Enjoy the ride.

Hi Chris,

Like Hirlau, I almost never mess with ATG passes, unless I know someone will be very carefully feeling my face. That's pretty seldom, though, so I get by with WTG and XTG. ATG requires really steady technique and a properly sharp blade. What is "properly sharp?" The blade is properly sharp when it removes stubble but you only intended to remove lather. That is also the proper amount of pressure to use, by the way. If you need to work harder than that to remove stubble, then your blade probably isn't sharp enough for ATG passes.

The danger there is that the edge isn't sharp enough to sever the hair, so instead may follow the hair down to your skin, which it is still sharp enough to cut. Or, if you're careful with your angle and all that, it'll just tug at the hairs instead of severing them. Tugs, cuts, neither are comfortable.

You can either send out for a honing, or use the blade a while longer but not ATG, then send it out. Do you have a second blade yet? It's a good idea to have one so you can still shave while the other's out for honing.

Good luck, go slow, and Best wishes

When you are starting out it is hard to tell if you dulled the razor or it is your bad shaving technique, poor prep. and or poor stropping. It could be all of that combined and it all gets a little frustrating from personal experience. I am 4 months in and am just starting to get a 3 pass shave that can match what I get from my DE. Getting another freshly honed straight seemed to help a lot so I am guessing I dulled my first razor pretty quickly. All I can say is go slow, short strokes and really concentrate on getting a proper angle on the blade. If it does not feel right or is uncomfortable stop there, like you did, and don't push it. It can take quite a while to start coming together. Sometimes I think SR shaving is more art than science.

Bob

Total n00b here. But I found pretty quickly that ATG doesn't work for me... yet. XTG, however, works just fine. Need to improve my technique WAY more, though. Still, much MUCH closer shave than anything I had from my Sensor Excel!

Most accomplished open blade shavers will attest to the fact ATG is not always possible.

The razor needs to be really sharp. Think about how your DE treats ATG. It prolly wants a fresh blade with less than a dozen shaves on it.

I only do one pass now and it is ATG but it only became a bloodless reality when I got a razor which was several magnitudes sharper than would work well for WTG/XTG and I learned to lay the razor flat against the skin.

You also need to have your skin stretching perfected as well as angle of approach(but you know that already heheheh)

Perseverance and styptic are your friend. Nothing wrong with finishing your ATG pratice with the DE.

It just keeps getting better.

Originally Posted by roughkype

Hi Chris,

Like Hirlau, I almost never mess with ATG passes, unless I know someone will be very carefully feeling my face. That's pretty seldom, though, so I get by with WTG and XTG. ATG requires really steady technique and a properly sharp blade. What is "properly sharp?" The blade is properly sharp when it removes stubble but you only intended to remove lather. That is also the proper amount of pressure to use, by the way. If you need to work harder than that to remove stubble, then your blade probably isn't sharp enough for ATG passes.

The danger there is that the edge isn't sharp enough to sever the hair, so instead may follow the hair down to your skin, which it is still sharp enough to cut. Or, if you're careful with your angle and all that, it'll just tug at the hairs instead of severing them. Tugs, cuts, neither are comfortable.

You can either send out for a honing, or use the blade a while longer but not ATG, then send it out. Do you have a second blade yet? It's a good idea to have one so you can still shave while the other's out for honing.

Good luck, go slow, and Best wishes

I have not yet purchased a second blade, but fortunately the guy from ruprazor.com lives less than 30 minutes from me. When he restored it for me, I dropped it off on a friday afternoon, and I picked it up from the next day around noon, so when I need to get it honed it would probably only take a day. and the rate that my hair grows my face will still me pretty smooth.

but right now I will work with what I got. I'll keep working on angles, stropping, and stretching and what ever else I need. thanks for the tips.

Well, you've got a sharp freshly honed razor now so working on the other stuff should help. I would suggest not to strop the razor after it's been honed for the first shave so you can see what a sharp edge feels like and if you strop it for the second shave and it feels duller then you know your stropping maybe part of the problem. Hope it is getting better for you.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Well, you've got a sharp freshly honed razor now so working on the other stuff should help. I would suggest not to strop the razor after it's been honed for the first shave so you can see what a sharp edge feels like and if you strop it for the second shave and it feels duller then you know your stropping maybe part of the problem. Hope it is getting better for you.

Bob

That's a great tip. Hopefully I can remember that haha.