Thread: Shaving Against the Grain

I started right off trying an atg pass, but it probably took 2-3 months and a truly shave ready razor to get a bbs shave

When I started to get comfortable going ATG with a straight, I took slow and short strokes and making sure I did not add any pressure to the razor. Now it's become second nature to me.

This thread is quite pertinent to me as I feel like i am right where guitarguy is. My WTG and XTG passes are quite acceptable, but in order to get BBS or as close to it as possible I must go ATG on the neck and jawline, which I have been resorting to my trusty DE for this final pass.

I would like to get to the point where I don't need the DE, but I'm not there yet!

All of the comments here are greatly appreciated and will help to remind guys like me to have patience and use the flattest angle possible and to have no pressure on the blade for ATG.

I have only been using a straight since February and when I was a couple weeks in to this a member suggested that I get rid of my old razor and not to use it as a "crutch". I did that and for a few more weeks I did not get as good of a shave as I would have if I did the touch up but it forced me to concentrate even more on how I used the straight and to experiment, when I felt comfortable enough to do so, with new techniques.

I still am trying new angles, different hands on different passes (use both equally well, now) to get a different angle, etc.

I do against the grain on my entire face now for a finishing pass and get really great shaves that are mainly BBS.

I'm only five months in, so it will come very soon for you, too.

The keys when going ATG for it to be smooth:

1. Lay the blade almost flat against your skin. A very shallow angle when doing the stroke.
2. A truly shave ready edge. The ATG stroke is my true test for a blade's shave ready status.
3. Stretch the skin and keep it flat in front of the blade by pulling on your skin from the opposite direction the stroke is going. Or puff out your cheeks, pull your mouth to the side etc.
4. As always, watch your pressure and don't bear down on the stroke. Let the razor do the work which it will if the edge is good.

Eventually you will master this stroke as well. It's just a question of time.

It was probably a month or two after I started that I was completely comfortable with the ATG third pass. What really helped me was watching Lynn's video. If you study it when he is shaving ATG, he is keeping his arm and hand very still and almost making the strokes with his shoulder. I concentrated on that movement and in no time ATG was a piece of cake. Good luck!

Pete <:-}

Originally Posted by Guitarguy118

...My question for those of you who shave against the grain, how long did it take you to develop your skill to do so comfortably

It took me as long as it took to learn how to strop like a champ and keep an edge really crispy. I stropped a nice edge near to death for at least a month and then another six to really find a rhythm, the good flip, the light touch aand know a sorry strop from a great one. By then my first strop was shredded like cabbage for coleslaw and I had to break in another; between figuring out how to flatten what skin where, keep soap from drying out and not slicing off my ears, that used up at least another month. All the while I thought I had a pretty good shave and maybe I did.

Within three months or so I was shaving every which way and still trying to get shave strokes coordinnated with a face map. Shaves were OK; not much blood.

I'd say after 200 shaves I finally kept blades sharp enough to exercise a decent three-pass shave including effective scythes and, after 250+ shaves I discovered a BBS was easily in my power with 2 1/2 passes and a handful of guillotine strokes. I'll concede I am ham-handed, a slow learner and can barely drink water and breath without choking. YMMV but, I propose, no major shave if no major sharp until every razor you pick up passes a HHT in three places on the blade or, at least, pops standing arm hairs like crazy from heel to toe.

The first time I shaved ATG was with a wedge razor. It helped compensate for all the mistakes in angle & shave readiness

If you are worried that your blade may not be quite sharp enough, do about 5 passes on a CrOx strop, wipe the CrOx off the blade, and then strop and shave.
I had to use CrOx about once a week for the first couple of months.

Originally Posted by criswilson10

If you are worried that your blade may not be quite sharp enough, do about 5 passes on a CrOx strop, wipe the CrOx off the blade, and then strop and shave.
I had to use CrOx about once a week for the first couple of months.

This is about where I think I am now. I definitely notice a difference after using CrOx to refresh the blade. Anither question I have now is how big a difference does a strop make? I have one of the whipped dog strips now, but I've been thinking of a SRD strop. Does it help the edge that much? I think I have my stropping down, I haven't knicked anything and my razor is still shaving a month and a half in of near daily shaves.