Thread: East to west pass across the neck

Originally Posted by outback

I have the smashed wire brush hair growth, as well.
Thru trial n error I came up with what I call the X pass.

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Ya just have to experiment till you find what works for you. But I'll say this...the older we get, the more skin stretching comes to play. Even more so for me. After loosing 100+ lbs.and having my rotten teeth pulled I was left with lots of loose skin, and a lot more contours in my face.

I skin strech what I can , not a lot to stretch . And I mean my south to north pass removes the bulk of it , then I try to go south east to north west and it gets a lil more. It's just not as close as if I take my de and go east to west.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

https://sharprazorpalace.com/shaving...ml#post1028898

I'm gonna play with that grip thank you

Originally Posted by CrescentCityRazors

Everybody has their own way of doing this thing, usually after trying a billion things to find out what REALLY doesn't work, and what's left is what sorta does.

To me, an extremely sharp razor is essential. I use a single pass shave, generally. I stretch the skin really tight and keep my shave angle very low, almost dragging the spine. As long as I stretch hard, and keep the angle low, I get a very comfortable shave and close enough for my purposes.

A perfect BBS is simply not needed, unless you are in military boot camp and your drill instructor likes to scrape his ID card over your face to test your shave. Especially on your neck, nobody notices.

The direction of the stroke doesn't have to be exactly WTG, XTG, ATG, whatevah. The sharper your razor is, and the better your stretching and shave angle and stroke technique, the less it matters, and conforming to precisely the correct direction is pretty much impossible in places. Just approximate WTG as close as you can, given the limitations on this imposed by your topography, and you will be okay. Sometimes my stroke ends up being almost exactly ATG in the interest of convenience.

As you will see in the video below, many factors can be ignored or discounted or compensated or compromised, as long as the razor is nice and sharp and you exercise firm control over those factors that you can easily adjust, such as pressure, stretching, and shave angle. You don't even need an expensive razor. A $15 ebay beater, if it can be honed properly, can deliver a great shave. A $20 Titan. A $4 Gold Dollar. And exactly following the classic instructions to go precisely WTG then XTG then ATG is not sacred dogma that you must follow to the letter to avoid the flames of shave hell.

Great video , thank you for posting that. Believe me I know you are correct with not chasing the bbs shave . I don't know why I care as much as I do. Im just obsessed at being better I guess.

I can achieve it, no problem. But I don't see the need of it for me, in my line of work, and lifestyle. Two pass, or BBS, I will still need a shave every two ta three days, anyhoo. I get better results from a bit more beard growth,over everyday shaving. YMMV

Originally Posted by outback

I can achieve it, no problem. But I don't see the need of it for me, in my line of work, and lifestyle. Two pass, or BBS, I will still need a shave every two ta three days, anyhoo. I get better results from a bit more beard growth,over everyday shaving. YMMV

That's about it for me as well. Two and three days and it's ready to mow down. Like I said I don't know why I'm obsessed the way I am with a perfect bbs shave. I guess that's how I'm measuring how successful my shave was or how perfect

I'm no different. Always looking to best myself at what I put my mind to. At least, to my abilities at what's at hand, and with what I got.

Originally Posted by Axeman556

Can you elaborate on what that is exactly?

The best way to describe the scything stroke is to think of the kind of stroke you use while honing but on your face. Instead of the edge being at a 90° angle to the direction of the stroke it is a much more acute angle; not necessarily 45° or any particular angle but drawing the edge not only across but along the hair.

I say it is an advanced technique because, although it is not hard to do it requires good muscle memory so as not to get "cixelsid" with the direction and cut the nonsense out of yourself.

Originally Posted by Axeman556

Can you elaborate on what that is exactly?

Like Paul said.

Think of it as an X stroke on your face. I call it the slice stroke. But don't actually slice your face with it. Requires good stretch and low shave angle, light pressure. Some DE shavers do similar and call it the "Gillette Slide" stroke.

I do a 4 pass shave every other day. And I know I'm not going to get BBS on one area of the neck. Its just how it goes. Sithing strokes can sometime get it but I find to lather only the side that needs touched up, then pushing in on the other side of the neck bulges the lathered side out. Then with the stretching it gets very close. But as with Mikes X pattern, it takes practice.

I can see where that x stroke could dive you pretty nice if not careful. I gotta be honest with myself that maybe far more advanced than I am right now. I will give it a go and report back to you guys on how it went. Worst comes to worst I just touch up with my de until I'm more seasoned. Although that makes me feel like a amateur.