Thread: Hi from Canada, and a WTG question, and a NZ question

Cheers everyone.

Not sure I'm really a noobie anymore, but am certainly not yet a pro!

Started straight shaving back in Feb/MArch, shortly afterwards made the mitake of forgetting to put my razor in the " checked baggage" for my flight.... The kind agent volunteered to put my razor in the lost+found section for later pickup, but seems that it went to the lost+forgotten section instead.

Bought a couple new razors, which I have now used for a few months. In fact I am on my way to pick them up from a Honemeister; I suspect that my stropping has been sub-par, but hopefully they are cured.

Bow a question. I first learned about shaving from badger and blade (only recently discovered srp), and learned about the different passes: WTG, XTG, ATG. Now in the videos and descriptions I found we are told that WTG means down the face.

After much facial abuse, it finally dawned on me as I was rubbing my chin one day that in fact on my face WTG is kind of all over the place. Down on the cheeks, up on the neck, across on parts and inwards just under the chin. Does this make sense? Or is it just that my shave technique was so sloppy at first? At the moment my WTG follows this rather involved pattern, and the result seems to be much less skin irritation overall. On the other hand, I haven't found any reference to this anywhere else.

Anyone else have a non-straight WTG? Or am I hallucinating? Or is this a well-known fact that I missed out on?


By the way, another thing that took me a *lot* of experimentation to discover is that the angle changes for WTG, XTG, ATG. Having glanced quickly though SRP's guide to shaving one of the first thing I see is a helpful graphic telling me exactly this! So I am wishing I had found SRP a little earlier!


NZ: Hello to any Kiwis on board. I'm heading to Wellington, New Zealand in a bit for an extended stay (used to live there), and am almost out of shave soap. Any recommendations on good shave stores in Wellington?


Well this is probably too long a post.... Anyways I'm glad I found this site!

To answer your question quite simply...yes... WTG can be any direction depending on your hair growth. Mine is different from my cheeks to my neck and then different as well on opposing sides of my neck. You have to figure out your direction of growth and go from there Oh ya...welcome to SRP!

Hi Mike and welcome to SRP.
What Catrentshaving said is absolutely correct - WTG is any direction that the hair grows - whether this is straight up and down is totally dependent on your face.
I recently taught my eldest son to shave and I hepled him 'map his face' so he knew which way to shave and he has swirls under his chin etc which make it a challenge for him to get right.
I have no doubt that your face is similar in that respect (like everyone elses).
I believe it would be a useful exercise for you to use the diagram to map your face as well, to make it easier to plan your shave and get the best result.
Why don't you 'go the extra mile' and come to Australia, it's warmer here ......hehehehe
Don't forget to hang on and enjoy the ride, too

(didn't mean to be gone from srp so long....)

Thanks for the replies. It makes sense of course.
I guess I just interpreted the instructional pictures too literally when I was starting out.

By the way Havachat, I will be in Oz in a couple weeks, but more in the Melbourne end. Looking forward to the trip!

Originally Posted by mike112358

By the way, another thing that took me a *lot* of experimentation to discover is that the angle changes for WTG, XTG, ATG. Having glanced quickly though SRP's guide to shaving one of the first thing I see is a helpful graphic telling me exactly this! So I am wishing I had found SRP a little earlier!

This! I've been straight shaving for only a little while now. As you said, this is documented right here on SRP about the angle changing with the pass. I'm struggling to making this work for me. The blade shouldn't always be at thirty degrees, it matters what pass you're doing and how the hair is lying as the blade moves.

I'm glad to see you mention this, too. Things just have to come together with experience.

Welcome to SRP.