Thread: Single Pass Shaves Vs Beard Reduction

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Personally, I would call what CommieCat shows "one pass," even though he makes small overlapping strokes. I sometimes do an actual single stroke, and sometimes I do small overlapping strokes.

And my own results mirror Commie's; whatever hair is on my face comes off in 1 pass. I get what I call directional BBS - meaning if I run a finger along my face in the same direction I shaved, it feels BBS. If I go WTG, ATG will not feel BBS, but XTG might if it's a really good pass/edge.

I just don't understand beard reduction with a straight. The only way I could imagine doing beard reduction would be if you shaved without putting the edge on your skin, but instead floated over your face, cutting the hair above the skin. But doing that really makes no sense to me. Unless you have a razor that knows to only shave off every other hair, or something like that...

As for DE's or SE's, the only alternate explanation I could think of is if the razor gets clogged and is no longer able to cut hairs (I do get this sometimes with a straight, if I am shaving off some serious beard and the already shaved lather/beard slides down the blade onto the edge or gets on my face). Not that I really know anything about using paperweights to shave....

My understanding of beard reduction is that the first pass takes off 99% of the hair, leaving stubble left. XTG and ATG then reduce that stubble to BBS.

Personally, I define BBS as smooth even when rubbing ATG, and I can only get that by shaving going WTG, XTG, ATG. The ATG pass is water only, and I use a lot of buffing. I've only been at this a few months though, and my razor needs a honing. When this topic has come up before, there are plenty of guys who say they get BBS with a single pass, and I believe them. I think a uber sharp razor + refined technique + good prep can do it.

I also like the idea of constricting yourself to only one pass to force development of technique. My razor lost its super keen edge a while ago, but I keep using to force my technique development.

And since we are sharing videos, this is one I found before I bought my first razor. It scared me at first, but now its one of my favs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLgRG4hC0A