Thread: your technique?

[quote=kd5tmu;99158]I also enjoy letting it go for a few days before I go to the barber. Shave and a haircut!

quote]


Two BITS

Three passes here. WTG , across, against

Originally Posted by BrianB

I've always thought that when shaving it's not the goal to get all the hairs in one pass. I've always looked at it like lessening the amount of hair with each pass. So I usually go with the grain, across the grain and on the weekends or when I head out for the night I take a third pass and go against.

Once you get more experienced you will get most, or all, of the hairs with one pass. A second pass will be required only if you want an extra close shave. But for most days, one pass should do. If it takes you more than one pass to get a good shave, then you should consider your technique. Multiple passes usually indicates that you failed to do the first pass well, or, your razor is not sharp enough.

Remember that every time you shave you are removing not only beard, but also a layer of skin cells. And the more skin you remove, the more you increase your chance for razor burn/irritation.

Aim for the one pass shave. It will come with practice.

Scott

I usually do 2 passes every day. No burn no irritation. Sharp razor you can do 100 passes. well at least 3 without razor burn.

Cheeks one pass, back of neck one pass (all against the grain), chin 1st with, 2nd against the grain, area around Adam's apple two passes: one across and one against the grain. Upper lip one or two passes depending on the result of the 1st pass, usually both against the grain. Area around the Adam's apple very hard to get exactly against the grain as the hair grows east to west.

I do just like xman: "across/with the grain pass first and then go ATG", except that I add a final "touch-up" pass, using cool water only, to get those tiny little spots that need a little extra finishing, but not the whole face, though; usually just two or three spots with few missed whiskers like under the nose, under the ears, and around the chin.

brush in one hand, blade in the other, and I like to shave, relather and go at another angle, as I go around my face, using the back of the brush hand to tighten the skin a bit, I don't need to do that much.
I guess it'd add up to on average three full passes, but I only go once wtf on my upper lip and add a few small strokes at varying angles on my chin. I don't switch hands.
also I sometimes strop halfway through, not sure that's needed or very useful

i use one hand only too... my left hand ain't steady enough, it scares me to use it... it's hard to go with the grain from left side with right hand...

I first go with the grain, always using very light pressure and short passes. I take care to get those small hairs under the nose. Then I relather and go against the grain on my neck, under chin and left to right on mustache area. Funny thing is that shaving is one of the few things that I can do with both hands.
I don't mean to brag on myself but I think I have my routine done pat. I am able to hone & strop my razors to my satisfaction and my medicine cabinet has become a decent looking man's cabinet.
Ernest

The most important thing that i have learnt shaving with a straight is that there is no answer as to what the right way is.
Everybody has a different technique, and mine changes as i get better.
My first routine was WTG then ATG, which was not very good. then i did two WTG passes followed by an ATG. Then WTG, XTG, ATG and now just XTG and ATG.
My technique improved to the point that you realise you do not need to do as many passes if you attack the hair in the right direction. Now I just need two passes, maybe with a touchup, but this is getting less and less necessary the more i practice the second pass.
Experimentation is definately the key to a smooth and comfortable shave.
Nick