Thread: Touch Ups

Hi Guys,

Thought this would be an interesting topic. Normally when I shave I do a with the grain pass and an across the grain pass. The chin which is actually the heaviest in an already heavy beard does well with just a with the grain pass. On the neck I just do with the grain and back up passes. Rather than do a third pass or against the grain, I usually go back and touch up the spots where there is a little stubble left like the jaw line or the hollow between the jaw and chin or maybe the side of the chin. This seems to work pretty good for me.

When I first started doing touch ups like the cross grain on under the chin or that hollow area I spoke of, I would get a nick now and then as I was changing the angle of the blade to pick up the whiskers in those tricky spots. Eventually, I learned to use my index finger to simulate the razor in those areas and give me an idea for how to use the razor in the same spots. That has really worked great over the years and I still, after all these years, look forward to my daily shave and that incredibly smooth result.

So how do you guys handle the touch ups??

Lynn

Hi Lynn,
I'm sorry, but I do not quite grasp what you mean with the next sentence.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Eventually, I learned to use my index finger to simulate the razor in those areas and give me an idea for how to use the razor in the same spots.

As for doing touch-ups. I usually shave North to South during my first pass. Apply a light, translucent but slick coat of lather and perform a second pass where I aim to cut precisely ATG.
After that I relather the usual suspects on my jawline and on the hollows of my neck and clean them up buffing style (ATG).

Bart.

I go WTG,XTG,ATG.And then I have to do some scary,acrobatic from top and down scyth moves on my neck to get a total BBS.I usually do that with very thin lather.And all of this I do in a 4x mag.mirror.Usually works without much bloodshed...
I really envy you guys who get bbs in just two simple passes!
Kristoffer.

Good point, Lynn. I think that kind of sums up my goal with shaving - be able to get that "3 pass shave" feel, without having to do the three passes.... This is a great tip to get all of us further along that path.

Bart, I think he means to do this; run your finger ATG and feel for the little bit of stubble poking up. That let's you know where to touch up, and where to skip. Exactly what I do on days when I don't feel like doing a 3 pass shave, but still want bbs.....

I still don't get BBS but what I usually do is one pass WTG then another pass of WTG/XTG and finally I'll go back on some problem areas. I still can't reall go ATG. I've tried a few times, but the razor seems to stick. I can do ATG on my cheeks and part of my neck but not all of it and my upper lip can be tricky too.

Originally Posted by Dups

what I usually do is one pass WTG then another pass of WTG/XTG and finally I'll go back on some problem areas. I still can't reall go ATG. I've tried a few times, but the razor seems to stick. I can do ATG on my cheeks and part of my neck but not all of it and my upper lip can be tricky too.

This is basically what I do too. ATG I save for small touch ups, anymore than that and my razor starts to stick as well. I don't think it's a technique issue, just that my razor isn't quite keen enough.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

This is basically what I do too. ATG I save for small touch ups, anymore than that and my razor starts to stick as well. I don't think it's a technique issue, just that my razor isn't quite keen enough.

I don't think it's my razor because it passes all other tests with flying colours..Maybe I'm not being aggressive enough with my stroke or my prep isn't good enough..I don't think I need to go ATG on my face to get a smooth shave but ATG on my neck would really help.

Originally Posted by Bart

Hi Lynn,
I'm sorry, but I do not quite grasp what you mean with the next sentence.


As for doing touch-ups. I usually shave North to South during my first pass. Apply a light, translucent but slick coat of lather and perform a second pass where I aim to cut precisely ATG.
After that I relather the usual suspects on my jawline and on the hollows of my neck and clean them up buffing style (ATG).

Bart.

When I feel a little bit of whisker left and determine which way it is growing, I then use the index finger to simulate the path that the razor would take to clean it up. By doing this first, I have a great idea of the path and the angle needed from the razor and cut down on my chances of getting a nick by just taking the razor to it. After a few times, you get the hang of it and no need for the finger simulation, but when taking on a new area and a tricky angle, it really works.

The easiest spot for nicks used to be under the chin where I had to kind of shave at an angle after having gone down and then up. There was some cross growth. By using the index finger after a couple nicks I really zero'd in on the path of the razor which took care of the nicks. It's funny, but the spot between the jaw and chin is more a slight deviation from the with the grain or down stroke at just a little angle. That seems to work best after having tried with, across and against.

Tis a fun sport, eh......

Lynn

Lynn

Thanks Lynn, I get it now.
I wish I would have known and used that tip about 2 weeks ago when I tried a rather awkward angle of attack, on a stubborn spot between the end of my jawbone and my earlobe. It probably would have saved me my worst nick so far. It's healed, but the scar is still going to be visual for a while.

Bart.

Of course some of us are so wonderful at shaving we just don't need to do touchups. Har, Har. And if you believe that one...