Thread: Anyone just use 1 pass?

I call it one pass
- but sometimes I wonder if my buffing strokes almost make it like doing 3?

My idea of a pass is as follows:

Going over an area once, in one direction - using buffing strokes is ok.

My routine
I do one side of the face with one hand*, wipe the blade clean, then...
I do the other side of the face with the other hand and wipe the blade clean.

(I skip WTG and do a combination of ATG/XTG with sything... but might consider WTG again down the track as part of one pass routine... when I feel like more experimenting)

All the best,
Michael

*When I say 'with one hand', I mean holding the razor with one hand... haven't tried shaving with my hand... yet (maybe when I go the ultra-minimalist approach!!)

No, I used to do 3 passes, but recently cut down to 2 (WTG and XTG).

I'd say the shaves are good this way. It is very nice and smooth in the morning, though I have tactile stubble by the end of the work-day. It's still presentable, though.

My facial hair is thick and black, so the fact that it's presentable at all by the end of the day is quite impressive.

If I'm in a bit of a hurry I'll occassionally just do a single pass. Usually you don't get a great shave with one pass but I bought a Dovo with a solid MOP handle off Don recently and that was so well honed a single pass almost gave me BBS. It's a freak of a razor.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I could get away with just one pass, but I enjoy myself too much to be limited to just a quick 5 minute single pass. Plus my beard grows back a lot quicker if I do.

Ryan,
+1 on this. I could have written it myself.

This question seems to come up regularly. Yes, you can get a good shave, even BBS with one pass, at least what I define as one pass. I do this every time I shave. It is not, however, entirely WTG, and it does not mean that any part of my face only sees one stroke of the razor.

I use what I call a single natural pass. This means that I apply lather and go over my face with a series of natural strokes. Sometimes these strokes are WTG, sometimes ATG, and sometimes XTG. It all depends on which way the hair grows and what stroke is natural for that part of my face. I also overlap the coverage areas of each stroke, so each part of my face usually sees the blade at least twice, and often three times.

I never relather and go over any part of my face in a radically different direction (this is what I would call a second pass).

If, after rinsing with cool water, I notice a spot I may have missed, I will do a water only touch up with the same natural pass to clean up this area. In my opinion, these missed spots indicate a problem with technique, not a systemic need to do multiple passes. I don't always miss places, and the locations of these misses are random.

As far as I can tell by palpation, there is no difference in the quality of the shave on areas where the natural stroke is WTG, ATG or XTG, if it was a proper stroke (or series of strokes in reality), then the shave is smooth. If it is not smooth, then I did something wrong.

Yes, if one pass is defined the way MasterRolf defines it. I think if I use truly one stroke over a given part of my face, I get a good shave over most of my face, but it's hard not to touch a part of my face only once. That's not the way I shave. If you get what I mean.