Thread: One pass shave?

Originally Posted by red96ta

I've done it in a pinch, but the results were less than adequate. Would certainly not go to work looking that way.

"Less than adequate" is the word.

Sometimes, when I had an early 4:45 am shave and my day stretches late into the evening I do an acceptable two-pass shave 12 hours later.

But single pass?
Don't think so - at least not for my whiskers.



B.

I think one-pass shaves were much more common before the advent of the safety razor and shaving every day. 150-200+ years ago, most men didn't shave every day, and when they did, it was probably usually a single-pass shave. The late Patrick O'Brian, in his Aubrey/Maturin novels, makes particular note of this at various places. Occasionally Stephen Maturin (a man generally careless of his dress), upon being informed that Captain Aubrey has invited a guest onboard ship to dinner, will pass his hand over his face last shaved 2 or 3 days prior, and mutter, "It will do, it will do." And in other places, junior officers expecting a severe reprimand for some fault or oversight are described as reporting to their captain "triple-shaved"--a 3-pass shave, only undertaken on special occassions.

I have really stiff facial hair and I do it every day with a few touch ups on the chin. I am in the military so it must be pretty decent or I would get called out on it.

Originally Posted by Redcane

I have really stiff facial hair and I do it every day with a few touch ups on the chin. I am in the military so it must be pretty decent or I would get called out on it.

I used to get dressed down fairly regularly when I was in the USAF because the electric piece of garbage that was sold to me as "a razor" was wholey inadequate to the task.
I normally do 3 passes and touch up on the neck and chin. If I want a one pass shave, the straight, or any other razor I own, is capable of it. But it won't be as smooth to my hand, and 8 or 10 hours later, I'll need a "real" shave.
Usually, though, if I have time for one pass, two will not take much longer, and the results are much better.

One pass ATG, only goatee area gets WTG followed by ATG. BBS if razor is sharp enough.

I can get by with one pass and you wont see any whiskers but I feel them and that's not satisfactory to me

You can achieve a really close shave with a one pass shave but in reality you are not having a one pass shave, like the first post said and this is my method always little light scything strokes WTG and XTG going over the same area several times does give a very good result.

Originally Posted by Durhampiper

I think one-pass shaves were much more common before the advent of the safety razor and shaving every day. 150-200+ years ago, most men didn't shave every day, and when they did, it was probably usually a single-pass shave. The late Patrick O'Brian, in his Aubrey/Maturin novels, makes particular note of this at various places. Occasionally Stephen Maturin (a man generally careless of his dress), upon being informed that Captain Aubrey has invited a guest onboard ship to dinner, will pass his hand over his face last shaved 2 or 3 days prior, and mutter, "It will do, it will do." And in other places, junior officers expecting a severe reprimand for some fault or oversight are described as reporting to their captain "triple-shaved"--a 3-pass shave, only undertaken on special occassions.

Great series of books. Appreciate the cite.