This is something that I've never really understood. The razor sees the same thing either way - your hair at face level. For example, it's no more challenging to shave off a weeks worth of hair WTG than a days worth WTG, so why should XTG or ATG be any different?
The only hypothesis I can come up with is that by the second pass your face has had more time with lather/water on it, so it's effectively gotten extra beard prep.
Anyone have any ideas?
perhaps when you do wtg passes you aren't always completely cutting the hairs flat to the surface of the skin. More like some of the hairs get whittled thinner during the WTG pass and when you do your XTG/ATG passes the hairs are much easier to cut through. who knows.
I wonder if the beard hairs are at same angles to the skin after a day and after a week(longer hairs) and if this might have any effect?
Wish I had an answer, but I only do two passes WTG. I never go ATG. My shave feels smooth and looks fine. I'm happy with it.:shrug:
have a snickers and you won't care
I would surmise it's because you are going across the grain. No different than cutting wood. With the grain is easier than against or across.
I have thought about this and come to pretty much the same conclusion mainaman did. When your hair is upright it is easier to cut and the shorter it is the more upright it stands. I would even postulate that a WTG shave with shorter hair would be closer then a WTG with longer hair for the sane reasons, I have had results that support this but not from a large enough sample to mean much.
+1. And of course, due to stubble reduction and softening of the beard, is is much easier to do XTG on the second pass. Even with a very sharp razor, shorter hairs will provide less resistance than longer ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
Though this may seem to correlate it doesn't. The first time I tried ATG as my initial pass was also the last time.Quote:
Originally Posted by holli4pirating
I think the way the hairs are cut on that initial WTG pass varies greatly from hair to hair. Some are just left shorter, while others are being 'split' or left nearly flush. Essentially, you're cutting fewer and fewer hairs with each pass.
EDIT: after careful re-reading, I'll have a go at the actual question. :p
ATG, and to a lesser degree XTG, forces the razor to cut completely through virtually every hair. There's less a chance of it passing over or just slicing the hair than there is in an initial WTG pass, so you feel a ton of resistance if you go ATG without first reducing the number of hairs.
For a WTG pass, any razor resistance will pull the hair out from the skin. Obviously, this is fairly comfortable, or Schick would have gone bankrupt years ago.
With X/ATG passes, razor resistance will either bend the hair (unlikely given a previous pass), or push it back in towards the skin. Resistance from a properly honed and stropped razor is trivial, so this shouldn't affect closeness much. However, it is reasonable to suspect that these small inward movements of the hairs while shaving could cause the blade to be forced in towards the skin, potentially causing irritation and/or razor burn.
That's my two cents.
Nobody seems to be dealing with the question asked in the original post, so I'll give it a shot. Why would the second ATG pass be more comfortable than the first? I'm also going to get a little heretical here and say that I don't believe it's the fact that the lather has been on the face longer. I've been using absolutely minimal prep for months now (after trying full, long preparation for a month and seeing no difference) and getting good shaves just lathering up quickly without even splashing water on my face. I'm not recommending anyone else do this and am not campaigning for it, but it can be done.
So, I don't think time with lather makes any difference. I'm going to put this out there: It might be that the second pass, with less actual work to be done, is a lighter, more careful pass, probably used for taking care of difficult areas and because these areas are difficult less pressure is used.
I'm with you on your answer. But to add, it's also a result of beard reduction, not beard removal.Quote:
Originally Posted by TwistedOak
Ace, you have been str8 razor shaving a long time haven't you? Your face is probably well conditioned and acclimated to straight razor shaving therefore your skin doesn't need as much moisture as it probably did when you first started straight razor shaving. Moreover, your technique is probably well developed as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by ace
As for shaving comfort, I think the first pass reduced the beard as a result of pre-shave prep, lathering, and razor handling setting up a good condition for the succeeding passes.
Just my take and thoughts on this.
Yes but how does reducing the beard set up a good condition for the succeeding passes? ie how is it that shortening the whiskers makes a difference for the subsequent pass?Quote:
Originally Posted by pmburk
I think the whiskers will be shorten from the initial WTG pass. When shaving XTG, ATG, or another WTG pass, the whiskers will not be as long in the succeeding passes. I just think the succeeding passes will be easier because the whiskers are shorter. I'm not a barber or such; based on my personal experience, I think my succeeding passes are easier after a good pre-shave prep and the first WTG pass. Of course a good edge on the razor helps too.Quote:
Originally Posted by hoglahoo
"Ace, you have been str8 razor shaving a long time haven't you? Your face is probably well conditioned and acclimated to straight razor shaving therefore your skin doesn't need as much moisture as it probably did when you first started straight razor shaving. Moreover, your technique is probably well developed as well."
I've been straight shaving for five months, but haven't seen much difference in my face except for the scars. My technique is pretty decent but still getting better with every shave.
I picked up a couple myself, but in the three months I have been straight razor shaving, I feel a difference in my face and I strive each shave to improve my technique. I actually enjoy getting up in the morning because I now look forward to shaving. It all gets better with each shave.Quote:
Originally Posted by ace