Thread: Against the grain

I have now shaved my full face with the grain, with a straight razor about 5-6 times. Each time getting better and better - as far as any nicks or razor burn, etc. I got out my DE razor, and did a full face shave against the grain, and amazingly I was BBS, and no burn. However - If I do that with the staight razor, I am 'on fire'. Do any of you just do a ONE pass shave, against the grain? It seemed to work for me with the DE just fine. I just may be messing up my angle with the straight razor. Any tips?? I'll just go slow and steady and see what I can come up with.

I would recommend that you start with a with the grain pass with the str razor (very light pressure) this is very easy to say but took me months to do it. The against the grain pass you should have a very narrow angle 15 degrees or so with light pressure. In over a year I have not tried do one pass atg without doing a with the grain pass first. I think I would get too much pull.

Try that first and let us know how it goes.

Crom

I never do an ATG pass first. I always do a WTG + XTG pass first, then do an ATG + XTG pass second. The reason I do XTG passes first and second is because I have found that to be easier when I am navigating my face with a razor. This is what I have found to be the best for me. I have no irritation or burn, and my face is BBS when I am done.

These guys are right on & the Okie hit it on the head, give it a try: WTG, XTG, ATG.

Thanks Shooter74743. I was a Texan before I was an Okie, and all my posts right now are coming at you live from Kilgore TX (even though I miss my house in OK)

Just a couple hours away...

I think you have been advised well here. Straight Shaving isn't a rush method as much as it is a satisfaction shave.

Yes, I experimented with just an ATG shave and it didn't work for me as well as shaving WTG, XTG, ATG or on touch up days, XTG, ATG. It just generated more weepers than necessary and irritated the skin.

It sounds like you had some good luck with your DE and one pass ATG.

Pabster

I have very slow growing beard, but I tend to shave every night anyway just because I like it. Yesterday I decided to skip the WTG passes and go straight for ATG. The shave didn't feel that much different, the results were fine, but I ended up with more than the regular amount of tiny nicks and in the morning I had several patches of severely irritated skin.

I won't try that again.

That's what it's all about, LEARNING, what works for you. I'm always glad to hear guys "try" something different & post it, no matter if it worked for them or not. It's an educational process that we really enjoy.