Thread: First pass WTG or top down?

I'm getting ready for my first shave with a straight. In various articles I've found online it suggests making the first pass WTG, but in most of the videos I've seen the first pass is just straight down (never any mention of grain.) But if I do this the first pass on the neck would be XTG.

My first thought was that for newcomers going straight down is the method that's best to suggest, my second was that I'm just weird in that my neck hair grows sideways.

Thoughts? Comments?

I know, I know. Now try to figure out how to shave curly hair. Ephemeral ain't it?



I really don't think it's all that important to do down the cheek and down from the chin to your throat if you can get the basic idea of hair growth direction from rubbing your face with your hand and, knowing that, shaving in the direction of least resistance. The WTG shave is done to minimize discomfort with the first lopping off of stubble. The subsequent passes are done on shorter and shorter (and stiffer) stubs which offers greater ease in getting a closer and closer shave. Personally, I do mine in 2 passes: with and across. It works just fine for me; may not be smooth as the proverbial butt, but it gets me through the day in the time I've allotted myself for the morning's ablutions et al.

WTG for me, which means a downward pass for all of
my face except for a portion at the bottom of my neck,
which grows outwards and upwards. I do an upstroke
here.

- Scott

I do WTG the ATG and occasionally XTG but tnot too often.

I'd go top to bottom first pass. Go slow, don't use any pressure and remember that it's just the first pass. Don't get discouraged when your done with the first pass and still see stubble on your face. By the time your done, it will all be gone!

I've always thought of WTG as top to bottom, ATG as bottom to top and XTG and East to West (or vice versa). There are places on my neck that grow out in weird directions too however, I just try and adjust my shave to take that into account.

Let us all know how that 1st shave goes and good luck!

-Pary

First pass is always WTG does not matter which direction it might be.