ATG angle

I was watching Jockeys video(V3.0) today of him shaving and noticed that he had a rather extreme angle when shaving ATG on the neck.

For some background:
I've been St8ing for a year now, and I've got a system, but I'm only happy with my shave maybe once a week, or even a month. So I've really been dissecting my shaving more. I know I have good tools now. My stropping could still use work, but at a slow pace I know I am not rolling my edge, and I am keeping the strop flat, and I do 25 strokes on either side. I use just a cream now, and hot shower, then shave, I leave conditioner on my face while in the shower for pretty much the whole time. I shave in two passes. One WTG then one ATG. I keep a Gotee, so I don't have much to shave. I'm blonde with a very sparse and fine hair.


Ok back to my questions.


I keep a consistent angle while shaving WTG feels best around 16ish degrees. I do this pass rather quickly as its just seems its to lop my hair off so I get do my ATG. WTG I can get my face smooth if I only stroke down... but up it feels like I never shaved.

when I do my ATG I do it with the blade on my skin pretty much, I might increase it to 3or 4 degrees at most, which is why Jockeys video bothered me, he seemed to be at 15 degrees. however this gets my face super clean, I end up doing a couple of strokes XTG but this is really all I need.

However, I have some problems spots under my chin bone I can never get them baby smooth and I dont know why. my neck above my adams apple always seems too be poking a couple hairs out, no matter how many ATG passes I do.


So, when ATG, what angle should I be keeping?

I usually go as flat as possible with the razor almost flat on my face for the odd spot I go ATG. The only places I do that are the soul patch and just under my chin to catch the last couple of whiskers there, and that almost flat angle works well for me.

Depends on the razor too, but I agree with Stu I go way flat, but more importantly you need to go very light on pressure...
I even forget that sometimes and it has been almost 30 years for me using a SR, if you want BBS, you have to get away from pressure, it is counter intuitive, but it works....

So should I really be able to achieve BBS without going ATG, because it seems impossible.

When I do an ATG pass, the blade is almost flat against my skin. I do use subtle variations, but that's what I aim for.

As Glen said: use no pressure. If your razor is sharp enough, this will lead to a nice, comfortable, smooth shave.

As to BBS with no ATG pass: I can't do it without going ATG on at least some parts of my face. Anyway, I don't focus on BBS....instead I try to get a close, comfortable shave. No point in BBS if you wind up with an uncomfortable shave.

ok.. i think i just need to go ahead and make a video of me shaving so i can be told why i suck

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigBlue

ok.. i think i just need to go ahead and make a video of me shaving so i can be told why i suck

---

just don't shave against the Grain.
gl

its the only way i have got a close shave ever.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigBlue

its the only way i have got a close shave ever.

---

This is what you know yet.
Time will come up you will realize you can get the same result without ATG.
1 st get properly honed blade
2. Use less pressure while you shave.
3. Stretching skin
4. scything motion.
5. good preparation and soap(don't use cheaper ones please) i like tabac a lot.
Then enjoy your shave and have a lot fun.
hope this helps.

Well I have one of yours i bought last year... so I'm pretty sure it was honed right :)


But all reality I have like 4 blades now all mostly freshly honed.,.... I can get a damn good shave at this point a year later... but its always ATG...

Scything motion scares the poop outa me, i've sliced into myself every time ive tried. and not just a little slice... a big slice.

I think my stretching could use a better attack.

I use a hot shower and conditioner as my pre shave

I use omega shaving soaps... then just some good creams as my finish....


With all that said I know i need to work on.

1. Stroping... its inconstant, slow.
2. Preshave- I need a better system to doing it that is always the same so I can really judge what i change during shaving.
3. How I hold the blade.... there are time i feel uncomfortable, but I am not sure how better to get a good attack angle
4. Stretching... am I actually stretching the right way, or is there a better place to do it so the hair is easier to get to.
5. Angle, I keep it pretty consistent now, but I'm always changing I need to stick to one for an entire shave then change....
6. Stop changing so many variables every shave so I can tell what is making the difference.


I know i need to do these things... but as I said this weekend I'm making a video and posting it for comments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigBlue

Well I have one of yours i bought last year... so I'm pretty sure it was honed right :)

---

NOOOO i don't think it was honed properly last year. send it to me now i will hone it right this year:):):)

That is a joke.
Please make a video and let us watch . we my see something.
I will make my next shave scything motion and record. will post and hope won't slice my face half.

I would suggest to speed up your stropping, practice on an old belt, etc with a popsicle stick or paint stirring stick.

I have a thick, heavy beard, and I use a hot towel on my face before applying lather. It works for me, but YMMV.

Instead of WTG and ATG, try adding XTG between WTG and ATG passes. Again, that helped me a lot.

Good luck!

My ATG got noticeably better when I realized that ATG is a variety of different directions in different, often small, areas of my face. It isn't just N-S or Bottom to Top. Careful attention to the grain's actual direction has helped me a lot.

Also, here is where the sharp and smooth blade will shine. I have a few razors that I find I need to give a quick fresh stropping, like 15 light and quick laps on leather, for the best. It varies with the razor.

Light touch. One of my favorite axioms is that more pressure will cut everything on your face except...hair. For some reason, pressure seems to push the hair down so the razor doesn't catch it. A light touch with a sharp and smooth edge is the ticket.

I love my shaves these days. I periodically bust out a spastic move and actually cut myself, but that's not the razor or the stroke, it's my lapse in attention. And I use a cheap soap (VDH Deluxe, $2 a puck) but I use Musgo Real pre-shave oil which helps.

you are cutting yourself when using the scything stroke it means you're using too much horizontal movement. Remember, horizontal = blood, so try to make the stroke a bit more subtle and you should be able to nail it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

I will make my next shave scything motion and record. will post and hope won't slice my face half.

---

As an aside, I was wondering if you would ever do this. Please Sham, show the world what your idea of the scything stroke is, we are all curious. Some think it's the same as a guillotine cut, some think it's like cutting a tomato, and Utopian thinks we're all wrong! :w We need closure once and for all!! :D