"the fools pass"

I have never felt in danger using the fools pass , shaving th upper lip against the grain, upwards towards the nose,as i have laid the razor almost flat and used both hands,but as i am getting older and more stupid
and many instruction videos have advised against it i have started finishing my shave off with my straight,drying my face off,putting some olive oil on my upper lip and doing the fools pass with a Dovo shavette,in the belief that should an accident occur the blade guard would stop a deep cut,certainly not as deep,takes no time as the shavette blade is oiled at the same time.Do you think totaly unnessecary? or not a bad idea,i cant get close enough for me shaving downward alone.

A tip for safer fools pass is to keep the razor still and move your head down with respect to the blade. This way you have very little chance of a shaky hand causing a cut.

When I want to get close on my lip I use a DE razor. I might have been airborne, but I am not totally crazy to go against the grain on my lip with a straight razor.

The Fool's Pass is a part of my regular shave. To help keep it safe, I glance at my footing to be sure I'm secure, and reapply lather to be sure of a good glide.

If I'm having a bad lather day, I'll skip the Fool's Pass, because I don't want the blade to jump and skip. But even then, I'm more worried about nicks to the philtrum than removing my nose. :)

I agree with minimum movement of razor and shave by moving lip or head not entirely,anyhow a de razor would be about as safe as a shavette,,maybe holding the de razor with both hands and not by the handle?

I've been doing it daily for six or so years. Never had an accident or even a small cut. It's probably the only place I've never had a cut or some sort of disaster. I usually do a buffing style with one hand - just gently and light, quite fast strokes. But sometimes use the two hands as X-man so ably demonstrates.
If you're looking for thoughts on making it safer I'd say go get a bread knife, or just use your finger and practice moving the blade with your whole arm. Don't just use the wrist - the arc movement of the wrist is where nicks can start happening, but as you gain confidence with it the wrist can add a little finesse to the arm movement - especially on the sides (and if you follow the moustache line towards the chin).
With respect to the poster who advises moving the head, which is another fine technique, I don't believe it makes anything safer, unless, of course, you suffer a nervous disposition and/or are prone to twitches and shakes.

I do it everyday. I have done the head move way and razor moving way. I am careful. I would not feel fully shaved without it. I think across grain on the upper lip is more dangerous with a straight.

I dont really do this, more from laziness than trepidation But I don't think a second razor should be necessary.

When I first read the term 'fools pass,' I decided there was a warning in the term so decided to disregard it entirely. For the record though I have done a lot of foolish things.
Plus I have a pencil mustache now so I have to shave above the mustache, below (about 1/8") to top lip and I shave out the middle......the FP would for me be unnecessarily complicated.....when and if the mustache goes I will give it a go.

I agree with the above and shave as i always have,as i have never cut myself doing the fools pass.I use the short buffing action an awfull lot elsewhere,as one uses soft hands,i can see this approach being safe for the fools pass.The two handed approach just feels more in controle,but probably isnt.
My whole shaving action could be described as a glorified buffing action in slow motion.

I cannot go against the grain in my mustache area. It drives my skin crazy. I tried it once in the very early and steep learning curve times and again recently. I get irritated skin and a rash. I do a with the grain pass and an across the grain pass and call it good.

I Always do a fools' pass. Curl my upper lip around my upper teeth for a wider angle.

Well I'll admit to popping my nose a time or two when doing a fools pass. The blade never went really deep and was more like a mild paper cut, didn't even bleed much.
My eyes watered up when the aftershave hit it though, and it was noticeably soar for the day.

It hasn't stopped me from doing a fool's pass every time I shave.

+1 on the Fools Pass do it every shave held flat against my lip & as mentioned Mainaman I move my head more than the blade also
I have also found the full hollows like this better than the wedges
I think this is because of the flatter angle I get against my skin
JMHO YMMV

Just grow a mustache and that will take care of your problem.

You men who long for love, you mustn't all despair,
There's a secret you should know,
to capture the hearts of the fair.

You may not have the looks.
You may not have the dash.
But to win yourself a girl,
If you only got a moustache,
a moustache, a moustache
if you only got a moustache.

You may be common folk,
wihout a hint of pride.
But you needin to be a king,
to make any maiden a bride.

You may not have the name,
You may not have the cash,
But you'll make that girl your own.
If you only got a moustache,
a moustache, a moustache,
If you only got a moustache.

You be big and fat or uglier than seen,
all the ladies shut you out, you wonderin
how to get in, well here is my advice
for how to make a splash,
You can have your pick of girls

If you only got a moustache, a moustache, a moustache,
if you only got a moustache, a moustache, a moustache, a moustache, big moustache , thick moustache
My moustache, your moustache, say the word, the word
Moustache: A moustache, a moustache.
Now we both have said moustache,
a moustache, a moustache.
If you only got a moustache.

It is a routine day of shaving for me! And I know through one time not following the right way of moving your head up and down what can happen if you just move the razor!!!!!

I do the fools pass every morning. Use two hands on the blade and move your head and not the razor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r24ar_SSGVo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Just grow a mustache and that will take care of your problem.

...

My moustache, your moustache, say the word, the word
Moustache: A moustache, a moustache.
Now we both have said moustache,
a moustache, a moustache.
If you only got a moustache.
...

---

...You get the point.
A big thank you to thebigspendur for the Seth McFarland reference!:popcorn::bow:rofl2:

And it was in context!!! :roflmao:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao

Remember a moustache is a very expensive assessory and you are just a sheep farmer Bah bah bah a bah ahahah LOL
I love that movie also:rofl2: LOL

yes i have a Tiers issard heavy grind horrible for this, dont use it now,full hollows best

I use the two hand grip and move my head as well. I've never had a problem doing it this way, I just make sure I have a good lather and have removed most of the hair with previous passes.

Watched your video Feltspanky,cant shave myself like that,arm shaving straight the blade at 90 degrees to the direction of the pass.I always understood the theory as applied to the slant bar de razor is that a straight 90 degree cut was an invalid pass, only a guillotine or sythe action would be ok,you have proved it wrong,also your honing video which explains that however rounded the edge becomes the bevel does not ever need to be reset if it has been set from the beginning New Dovo razors with factory edges/bevel to me is a De Facto rounded edge,and to me every time a razor is used from a perfect bevel/ edge the further
away thet razor gets from a perfect v/bevel,again wrong.A well think ill just carry on the way ive been doing it i know its wrong but works for me .
The way i hone it wouldnt make any difference if the razor didnt lie flat as i always use 2xhand and always apply slight pressure either end of the razor never the centre.The only razor i have that was pre honed was that Tiers Issard i mentioned and it doesnt get used left in the drawer only like full hollows,which are dead easy to keep sharp,even if touching up doesnt constitute reestablishing the perfect v/bevel i believe it does
people believe all sorts of things dont they.

Your a bit of a salesman i think

I'm glad I have a goatee so don't need to do my upper lip!

I never do it...

I do take an ATG buffing stroke on the corners of my upper lip, but never in the center..

I spelled Seth MacFarlane's name wrong. :banghead:

More on topic now. As said by others, I do a few fools passes every shave. I too do not feel completely shaved without it. I'm a special kind of crazy, I guess :borg:. Most do an extra half pass or somethin on their neck, but what bothers me more is stubble around my mouth right after shaving.

I do WTG, and two XTG passes. Those go away from the nose, towards the corner of my mouth; and then toward the nose. ATG is done "touch up" style. With the exception of WTG, freshly applied slick lather is required for these maneuvers.

I have a goatee and mustache, and the problem I had shaving those areas is one of the reasons! The upper lip always made me nervous for no real reason, it is all in my head at this point but I can not get past it. The name alone is enough to make you pause...

Never do it...Barbers back in the day never did it either. The upper lip and nostril area is full of nerves and infections in that area can be quite hazardous.

I always do it. You can of course go across the grain a bunch of times and you'll end up with the same result, but I found it works very well for me. Of course I don't have very heavy stubble on my upper lip; the heavy growth starts below that.

It also works for me for edge evaluation. When I get nicks or irritation on my upper lip, I know it's time for a touch-up.

I do never use the fools pass.

Always do the pass two handed, never had an issue. I think the two handed technique gives me the control.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mainaman

A tip for safer fools pass is to keep the razor still and move your head down with respect to the blade. This way you have very little chance of a shaky hand causing a cut.

---

apply thick lather and you won't feel it