Thread: ATG, like starting from scratch

There's definitely a learning curve. Take it slow, be mindful of what you're doing so you can duplicate what works. I'd recommend Nivea for the irritation. Before you know it, you'll be wanting to go to church to show off your BBS face.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Your above description should be a sign to stop. You should never have to take punishment during a shave, it should be comfort before closeness. Now, you could be one of the guys whose skin can tolerate an ATG pass, but many can't. If you decide to keep pushing it and eventually get great results then the more power to you. But if you just end up with redness and irritation over and over again just give it up. It isn't worth it.

Thanks for your concern. I agree that it's not worth it to continue irritating the heck out of my skin just to get a minor improvement on results. I assume that this will be a temporary phase that shouldn't last too long, though.

My first WTG shaves a couple of months ago, with the lousy prep, the shakey-handed death grip, and a razor that was only as sharp as I could get it at that time -- all had me glowing red in all sorts of places. But I got past that phase in fairly short order (owing to lots of help from the wet shaving community).

In fact, the ATG on the chin didn't really leave that area any redder than the couple of times I was determined to get BBS there on purely XTG passes. Umpty-five passes in any direction will do that

I guess the main thought behind starting this thread was to share with others who have been shaving with str8's for just several weeks (like me) that their progress might not continue in a straight line. I'm not feeling whipped by this at all. It's just another in a long series of challenges -- perhaps a little trickier than most. But if I hadn't made some pretty good progress in the previous 8 weeks, I wouldn't even be attempting ATG.

I'm going to use an expression that I don't even particularly like, but it seems to be appropriate to my SR shaving experience -- it's all good

I'm flying out for a 3 week vacation in the AM. I'm bringing my Robeson with me, but no strop, so I'll be using it sparingly (I'll see how well my forearm works in a pinch.) I'm actually wondering what a short hiatus might do to improve my shaves. I've often found that attacking a problem after a bit of a break brings good results.

Take care, I'll poke my nose in if I'm near a computer from time to time.

Ian

My advise will be FORGET ABOUT ATG shaving.
you don't have to shave ATG to get great shave .
Just learn right way how to use tool which is in your hand you will be fine.
what will help you
1 . good preparation. don't use cheap soaps.
2. Find right angle of your blade while you shave.
There is never will be exact angle lets say keep blade 20 degree you will be fine. Keep it flat to your face.
It is all relatively misguiding tirms.
You must find angle which your blade will shave easiest. that angle will be the right angle.
3.Try to learn scything motion shaving.
4. Properly honed blade.
5. Most important PATIENCE.
YOU WILL GET THERE. gl

I only do an ATG pass on my neck and then only when I want the closest shave possible, like a special occasion.

You're right, the first couple of times I was scared out of my wits. I was terrified that I was going to cut my jugular. After awhile, though, it became second nature.

Follow Robin's advice...Short strokes, with slight pressure applied. That ought to do the trick

Hi GL and JHenry,

I guess there's a reason that my ears were burning while I had a shave just a bit earlier.

It's almost as if I followed your advice before I read it. ATG on the bottom of my chin is a double-whammy because the whiskers lie east west. I have trouble trying to find a good way to get in there with the blade AND stretch the skin at the same time.

Long story short, I did come up with an alternative approach tonight, and my chin is feeling much better about the whole deal. I resorted to blade buffing. I'm not even sure if that's recommended with a str8, but it worked very well for me. I was able to do it XTG, which means north <-->south. I found it much easier to resist using too much pressure, and it really did a nice job. In fact, I used it on my upper lip too (on the troublesome areas), and got the smoothest upper lip I've gotten with a str8 until now.

I think the fact that these areas are convex (the lip is so when stretched over the teeth) makes buffing work here, I'm not going to try it for the hollows next to my windpipe, but I'm very pleased with the results I got from it.

I never was interested in against the grain just for the sake of doing that. I just had an annoying patch of stubble on the underside of the chin that didn't seem like it was going to disappear by any other kind of pass.

Now I have to get my bag packed. I'm not sure if I'll sleep before the cab gets here in 4 + hours, or make a pot of coffee and save the sleeping for the plane.

Thanks to all for their input and encouragement. And remember everyone ... there's more than one way to skin a chin, but maybe only one way to avoid it

Take care,
Ian

I always use a ATG pass when I shave, I've never been able to get acceptable results without it. That changed this weekend when I took Sham's advice and tried to shave with only WTG and XTG passes, I used a razor he honed and sent to me.

It took four passes instead of three but the shave was amazingly smooth everywhere and my skin felt like a 4 yr olds! Now the question is.. are my edges good enough to achieve this?