Thread: 3 Pass Shave Failure

I been doing 3 pass since I started as in my eyes - practice makes perfect. Plus I feel it helps conquer fears sooner than later.

I tried doing it like most videos show and i had a hard time. Than I tried using 2 hands on my chin and upper lip, and I still do on my chin as the stubble there is super thick.

Now I find when doing ATG, I lay the razor flat on my face and start sweeping in fast short strokes working my way across the area. So far this has done the best for me and I can achieve BBS now after roughly 7 or 8 shaves. This is really only used for the first ATG pass. I do a second using longer strokes to catch anything sticking up after and recive no irritation, which my cartidge can't even match now. And believe me... I used to get LOTS of irritation - whole neck was red and covered in pimply bumps - NOW NONE!!!

Oh and for the cheecks, puff your cheeck up. I couldn't get the hairs their pulling the skin (which is awkward in that area) or using pressure to flatten it out since my have deep contours.

Don't forget scooping motions... they work to in contoured areas.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by LoganAtw

Hmmm, I can shave my entire face no issue WTG/XTG a deficiency there was never even posed in this thread. You know all this information is great I just don't buy into the idea that I need take 6/8 months to start shaving with a 3rd pass ATG. The old adage walk before you run is fantastic but in the real world as circumstance would have it, its the other way around much of the time at least I know I didn't come into this world with a silver spoon in my mouth.

Shaving with a straight razor is not rocket science as many would have us newbies believe. In fact the process is quite simple hence my upset at the ATG pass. No worries though there are plenty of other USEFUL sources on the web. PEACE.

Than with your mindset,Avail the other sources you site.Good luck.

Also like to add, IME, if by any chance your wiping the cream off your face before doing a pass to "see the hair", don't lol.

Your razor's going to do that for you and take hairs with it. takes 3 swipes to equal a mach 3 in blades crossing your face so souldn't be an issue.

This will also keep your hands clean

Don't give up yet, but don't expect the ATG pass to come easily and with little experience. The ATG pass stacks all the odds against the new shaver. The blade has to be sharp. It can seem sharp when doing WTG and XTG passes, but it may just seem sharp because many whiskers get bent over during these passes instead of cut. In the ATG pass, either the blade is sharp and cuts the whiskers or it doesn't and shows you that it is lacking. The ATG pass shows this because the whiskers don't bend over if they don't get cut. They don't because their grain is literally "against" the direction you are shaving, and either they are cut off or they guide the blade into the skin. The blade may not be sufficiently sharp to cut them, but it will be sharp enough to cut you.

As for how long it takes and how much technique, knowledge and skill are required for an efficient, blood-free ATG pass, I can only say that I dabbled with it as soon as I started, but it was not until I was about three months in that I gained the ability to do it well and get good results. Your results may vary. If you get it quicker than I did, more power to you. If you expect to be able to accomplish it within the first few shaves, or first twenty or so shaves, then I think you are asking for too much too early. The ATG pass is the money pass, and, when done well, it leaves you with a smooth face. But, being the money pass, it requires a lot of experience and technique to get it right. A sharp blade makes the battle easier, but it doesn't guarantee success.

A 6 speed 427 cubic inch Corvette should do a quarter mile in less than 13.5 seconds, but in the hands of a driver who has never driven one it is likely to result in spin-outs, a blown engine or poor performance. It's not much different with straight razor shaving.

Originally Posted by ace

Don't give up yet, but don't expect the ATG pass to come easily and with little experience. The ATG pass stacks all the odds against the new shaver. The blade has to be sharp. It can seem sharp when doing WTG and XTG passes, but it may just seem sharp because many whiskers get bent over during these passes instead of cut. In the ATG pass, either the blade is sharp and cuts the whiskers or it doesn't and shows you that it is lacking. The ATG pass shows this because the whiskers don't bend over if they don't get cut. They don't because their grain is literally "against" the direction you are shaving, and either they are cut off or they guide the blade into the skin. The blade may not be sufficiently sharp to cut them, but it will be sharp enough to cut you.

As for how long it takes and how much technique, knowledge and skill are required for an efficient, blood-free ATG pass, I can only say that I dabbled with it as soon as I started, but it was not until I was about three months in that I gained the ability to do it well and get good results. Your results may vary. If you get it quicker than I did, more power to you. If you expect to be able to accomplish it within the first few shaves, or first twenty or so shaves, then I think you are asking for too much too early. The ATG pass is the money pass, and, when done well, it leaves you with a smooth face. But, being the money pass, it requires a lot of experience and technique to get it right. A sharp blade makes the battle easier, but it doesn't guarantee success.

A 6 speed 427 cubic inch Corvette should do a quarter mile in less than 13.5 seconds, but in the hands of a driver who has never driven one it is likely to result in spin-outs, a blown engine or poor performance. It's not much different with straight razor shaving.

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense about the hair being laid down I never though of that. I appreciate the post. Peace.

The hair lying closely to the skin going ATG is the reason you have to have the spine close to your skin. You are trying to get under the hair to be able to cut it and it is already short from the two previous passes. This may help Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki .

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

The hair lying closely to the skin going ATG is the reason you have to have the spine close to your skin. You are trying to get under the hair to be able to cut it and it is already short from the two previous passes. This may help Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki .

Bob

Yeah, I've read that before I just never connected the dots. Thanks for the reference, everything is starting to make sense at least now I know how to tackle the ATG pass. Everything from that point on will be a learning experience.

It also helps if your first 2 passes are as efficient as they can be. Mastering a slicing motion, rather than just mowing straight through the beard really did the trick for me. I really don't need an ATG pass, but if I do one, there's almost nothing there, so the ATG is a piece of cake. Happy shaves.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

It also helps if your first 2 passes are as efficient as they can be. Mastering a slicing motion, rather than just mowing straight through the beard really did the trick for me. I really don't need an ATG pass, but if I do one, there's almost nothing there, so the ATG is a piece of cake. Happy shaves.

That for me is the key for a true two pass BBS shave,second XTG scything pass,is nothing more to cut.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

That for me is the key for a true two pass BBS shave,second XTG scything pass,is nothing more to cut.

Thanks for the feedback, the thread turned out to be a success.