shaving against the grain

hey everyone, I posted a topic about this a while back, however acting upon the advice i still had the same prob, so i stopped. However last week i decided to have a little practice, I can finally shave against the grain on both cheeks, however when i go to shave above my lip its almost impossible, the razor just stops, I try to gently apply force but it wont move so I lift the razor and try again, still nothing. So obviously eventually I cut myself, so I havent tried yet ATG on my neck until Iam happy I can do it safely. I was wondering if anyone had any wisdom, Iam now using a shaving cream generously given to me by another SRP member when I joined a while back, its very very good much better than proraso, Im using a dovo renaissance, which I dont know how to check if its up to par, however it shaves all over perfectly apart from my upper lip, I dont know how to hone at all and I really dont want to try first on a £90 razor. I look forward to hearing the replies.

There is an article in the Wiki, aptly named "Fool's Pass", which works for me. You have been warned though, this technique is not for the faint of heart: Shaving - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Other than that, OLD_SCHOOL made a valid point. "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." "Well, then don't do it."

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Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I had the same problem, even with a feather, My solution was to just do WTG and XTG. I haven't tried ATG again, coz the first 2 passes do a damn good job.

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+ 1 ... I tried a couple of times but I find it is unnecessary as I get good results without torturing myself.

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

There is an article in the Wiki, aptly named "Fool's Pass", which works for me. You have been warned though, this technique is not for the faint of heart: Shaving - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Other than that, OLD_SCHOOL made a valid point. "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." "Well, then don't do it."

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Originally Posted by JimmyH-AD

+ 1 ... I tried a couple of times but I find it is unnecessary as I get good results without torturing myself.

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I don't have issues against the grain most days, but when i feel some issues coming I'll stop, one more XTG pass and call it a shave. No point in having hamburger face.

+1 on all of the above.

I actually find ATG under the neck one of the easiest places. Just remember to keep the angle and gently with the pressure or you may get a bit of razor burn under the chin as the stroke sort of swipes away. So deliberately take it slow as you come to the jaw line and until your feeling comfortable with the stroke

Also the bit along the jaw line that looks impossibe is also very easy as long as you stretch the skin . The difficult bit just isn't there anymore.

Hope this helps.

thanks for all the help everyone, ill try the cross pass, ive never tried that so ill try tomorrow, I just wanted to ask about alum blocks, I hear they raise the hair up, will that possibly make it easier to shave against the grain on the upper lip, because I can get a flawless shave now ive been practicing for months, but its just my upper lip letting me down

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Originally Posted by paulallen

I don't have issues against the grain most days, but when i feel some issues coming I'll stop, one more XTG pass and call it a shave. No point in having hamburger face.

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LOL, exactly. :)

Some of us just have too course of whiskers/too soft of skin to get away with ATG under the beak. I've successfully done the "fools pass" twice, but only with a certain stainless razor that is *very* sharp, and only after a five minute hot wet towel prep with glycerin and super lather.

Make sure you watch Xman's video *very closely* when he does the "fools pass". It's the subtle parts that are the most important, especially the *blade angle*. The shallower, the better.

You're doing ATG passes on the cheeks but the chin & lip area is tougher. I'll just reinforce the lower angle that most have already suggested.
Maybe you're using too steep an angle & forcing the blade down towards the hair root & your skin. Try laying your razor virtually flat so you treetop the hair. If you're already using a flat enough angle maybe your razor is not as sharp as you think.

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Originally Posted by urahara454

Iam now using a shaving cream generously given to me by another SRP member when I joined a while back, its very very good much better than proraso.

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what cream are you using?

I find that to go against the grain on my top lip I need to have the blade flat against my skin and the skin stretched as tight as I can, or I end up with the blade sticking in the hair, and yeah, skin is removed.

It still wants to stick, but that might be my razor more than me, as I am still using it to learn to hone :)

I go ATG on my upper lip all the time. The key for me is to hold the blade with both hands not the scales; and with a flat angle go up. I also hold the upper lip taunt with my bottom teeth. I occasionally get a red dot or two but most times no problem. Give it a try.:tu

I never do more than one pass, pretty much with the grain, though the scything motion results in some XTG as well. I may touch up a spot here or there if it does not feel smooth after the first pass, but usually this is not necessary.

Thanks for all the help guys, to answer a question Im using white tea, it was sent to me by a very generous SRP member called crichton when I had started thinking about straight razor shaving, It was around that time I ordered my beginners razor, a wapi. Well im gonna go take a shower and try out some of the advice ive noted down, Im gonna try the fools pass, taking great care of course, also ill try the advice about laying my razor almost flat against my skin and using two hands to guide it. Ill be back in a bit to report. thanks again everyone

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...oween-2007.jpg

I take the blade across the upper lip. Like I was painting a mustache on my upper lip. This is of course after I go WTG.

Hate to admit it but when I first started my nose was the victim (nicked) in an attempt to ATG on the upper lip. Thats when I realized why 3/8 or 4/8 razors were for trimming back in the days. Now if I need cleaning up, my 3/8 is always the back up.

I've never tried, past the first couple of shaves when I realised it wasn't easily achieved, gone ATG on my mustache.

What I DO do though, is, on the corners of my mouth, after the first WTG pass, use the heel of the blade following the natural line of the mustache and go across the grain.

This gets pretty close, and very close on the corners of the mouth which is a big factor as I think that makes it much smoother for my gal if she wants to steal a kiss off me :p

Ooh, and for shaving ATG on my neck, IMO, that's the easiest stroke in my shave. Just go slow at first, and you -know- you're not going to cut your throat, just stay relaxed and remember to keep your pressure and blade angle right and you'll be tip top.

Sammy

+1. I use almost the same technique, but I shave about 30 degrees off of true ATG on the upper lip and lower neck as a final. With the blade laying against my face, I am successful in getting a close (almost BBS) shave on the upper lip. Technically, it's WTG, XTG, XTG and clean-up the upper lip and lower neck with a blade buffing technique at the end of the shave. It seems to work with very little irritation.