Thread: One Pass Challenge !!!!

If I'm in a rush I'll go for one pass and it's always passable for looks and stays good until about 5 o'clock when there's a noticeable touch of the proverbial shadow. I have noticed that I get better results with this with 6/8 Sheffields (the two I have anyway, one 3/4 hollow the other 1/2). I've got a couple of other sizes and grinds on the workbench at the moment that look like they may give interesting results too.

If I have the time (usually), I always end up with a couple of passes because I like the smoothness, it prolongs the shave and no real shadow until more like 9 o'clock.

Haven't noticed a big difference in irritation either way. That seems to be exclusively down to heavy handedness on my part whether with single or multiple passes.

One pass:
A new disposable straight blade or a sharpened up fixed straight with a lot of buffing technique. Acceptable shave, but I am obsessed with BBS.

The usual:
Two skilled passes get BBS everywhere accept the neck hairs. This section needs a skillful third pass.

Pabster

I'm really happy to have stumbled onto this thread.

I've been using a straight for a few months and recently began limiting myself to one pass, with the grain. At first, this almost felt like a cop-out, since I know that a straight razor can provide a very close shave with additional passes across or against the grain. However, I've noticed that I suffer from ingrown hairs if I shave across the grain. Let me tell you -- it takes some willpower to just put down the razor after one pass. I can't explain why, but it's just so tempting to re-lather and go for BBS.

Restricting myself to one pass leaves a bit of raspy stubble, post-shave. I'm actually at a bit of a "straight razor crossroads," because I'm still getting a more comfortable shave from my old Merkur Slant Bar DE razor. I'm hoping that as my skills improve, I can get a reasonably close, yet comfortable and ingrown-free shave with one pass of a straight razor. It's a lot more fun than using the DE, and I enjoy the challenge.

Not to thread hijack, but do others find the one-pass method to help tame ingrown hairs?

Originally Posted by MrAtomic

I'm really happy to have stumbled onto this thread.

I've been using a straight for a few months and recently began limiting myself to one pass, with the grain. At first, this almost felt like a cop-out, since I know that a straight razor can provide a very close shave with additional passes across or against the grain. However, I've noticed that I suffer from ingrown hairs if I shave across the grain. Let me tell you -- it takes some willpower to just put down the razor after one pass. I can't explain why, but it's just so tempting to re-lather and go for BBS.

Restricting myself to one pass leaves a bit of raspy stubble, post-shave. I'm actually at a bit of a "straight razor crossroads," because I'm still getting a more comfortable shave from my old Merkur Slant Bar DE razor. I'm hoping that as my skills improve, I can get a reasonably close, yet comfortable and ingrown-free shave with one pass of a straight razor. It's a lot more fun than using the DE, and I enjoy the challenge.

Not to thread hijack, but do others find the one-pass method to help tame ingrown hairs?

BBS, or at least as close as I can get with my skin (i.e. no stubble, but me skin itself is somewhat rough due to the fact I spend a great deal of time outdoors) with one pass 99.9% of the time, and the 0.1% is due to a lack of care on my part. I have never had an ingrown hair.

If you have not done so, you may want to vary the blade angle on the XTG pass. My lower neck is the area that took the most time to master since the hairs grow out E & W. When learning to get this area BBS, I used my Mach 3 to clean up the area and I would usually get an ingrown hair or two from the Mach 3 going ATG. Thus, it was cutting the hair too much.

With the straight, I varied my cutting angle a bit on this area as I know it is more prone to ingrown hairs. My first pass uses a slightly less than a 30 degree angle in going WTG or S and I use a buffing technique. This reduces the beard. Going back XTG on the neck area N & S,( My 2nd/3rd pass Neck area) I vary the blade angle to be greater than a 30 degree angle on certain neck areas and this in effect does slide the blade across the hair and cut them nicely, but not too close to cause an ingrown hair, but close enough to feel a good result. When dropping the blade angle less then 30 degrees, these particular hairs were missed by the blade. For me, there is a little play beyond 30 degrees that still cuts, but doesn't scrap the skin too much. I do apply hot water between each pass and whip up a nice lather.

I know others were getting this right, so I just had faith in discovering the technique that works best for me and avoiding ingrown hairs. I hope this helps.

One pass - BBS, thats the jackpot for me, but don't think my face will cooperate enough to make this happen. If it happens, I will be on the string "shave of the day"

Good Luck!

Pabster

One pass, ATG once a week and I am good to go

Great post, Glen. I'm a bit late in seeing it.

I'm reassured in my honing ability after reading your original post. Why? You've described EXACTLY what I do, strive for, expect (or don't expect) and can get from my razors and my shaves.

WTG for me virtually always. Leaves a bit of stubble in my neck area which is also my problem area as well. Stubble is not really visible, so no biggie. BBS on face after one pass WTG and only a hint of scritch touching ATG. It lasts all day whereas my old electric prior to going straight would only really last through lunch.

I do notice that my razors over time and depending on the razor always give comfortable shaves (or they're in then out of my rotation) but eventually leave small stubble on my face with only a WTG pass.

Cool post.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Pabster

If you have not done so, you may want to vary the blade angle on the XTG pass. My lower neck is the area that took the most time to master since the hairs grow out E & W. When learning to get this area BBS, I used my Mach 3 to clean up the area and I would usually get an ingrown hair or two from the Mach 3 going ATG. Thus, it was cutting the hair too much.

With the straight, I varied my cutting angle a bit on this area as I know it is more prone to ingrown hairs. My first pass uses a slightly less than a 30 degree angle in going WTG or S and I use a buffing technique. This reduces the beard. Going back XTG on the neck area N & S,( My 2nd/3rd pass Neck area) I vary the blade angle to be greater than a 30 degree angle on certain neck areas and this in effect does slide the blade across the hair and cut them nicely, but not too close to cause an ingrown hair, but close enough to feel a good result. When dropping the blade angle less then 30 degrees, these particular hairs were missed by the blade. For me, there is a little play beyond 30 degrees that still cuts, but doesn't scrap the skin too much. I do apply hot water between each pass and whip up a nice lather.

I know others were getting this right, so I just had faith in discovering the technique that works best for me and avoiding ingrown hairs. I hope this helps.

One pass - BBS, thats the jackpot for me, but don't think my face will cooperate enough to make this happen. If it happens, I will be on the string "shave of the day"

Good Luck!

Pabster

Using and alum took care of my ingrowns problem

Originally Posted by Pabster

If you have not done so, you may want to vary the blade angle on the XTG pass. My lower neck is the area that took the most time to master since the hairs grow out E & W. When learning to get this area BBS, I used my Mach 3 to clean up the area and I would usually get an ingrown hair or two from the Mach 3 going ATG. Thus, it was cutting the hair too much.

With the straight, I varied my cutting angle a bit on this area as I know it is more prone to ingrown hairs. My first pass uses a slightly less than a 30 degree angle in going WTG or S and I use a buffing technique. This reduces the beard. Going back XTG on the neck area N & S,( My 2nd/3rd pass Neck area) I vary the blade angle to be greater than a 30 degree angle on certain neck areas and this in effect does slide the blade across the hair and cut them nicely, but not too close to cause an ingrown hair, but close enough to feel a good result. When dropping the blade angle less then 30 degrees, these particular hairs were missed by the blade. For me, there is a little play beyond 30 degrees that still cuts, but doesn't scrap the skin too much. I do apply hot water between each pass and whip up a nice lather.

I know others were getting this right, so I just had faith in discovering the technique that works best for me and avoiding ingrown hairs. I hope this helps.

One pass - BBS, thats the jackpot for me, but don't think my face will cooperate enough to make this happen. If it happens, I will be on the string "shave of the day"

Good Luck!

Pabster

Using an alum block took care of my ingrowns problem

Originally Posted by Bruce

You're kidding us, right? That would only be possible were we ALL to have a Chronik. Not having the ne plus of ultras, I'm forced to do the 2 pass routine, maybe with a 3rd if I'm feeling real brave and I feel I've had a nose and ears long enough and cheek flaps are fun to have blowing in the breezes.

I just have to walk into the room with my Chronik and it just kind of glows, and I come out BBS. Or something like that.


On a more serious note, I find that I can get good enough results (comparable to my old electric) if I do a single XTG pass and raise the angle to about 30 degrees. When I'm doing a 3-pass shave I tend to keep it pretty flat for all passes.