Thread: Share your method of atacking the grain to get THE BEST SHAVE for you.

Hi all,

I don't know if this has been asked recently, but, I would like to start a poll with our straight razor shavers (both new and seasoned). Here it is: What is your most effective sequence for atacking the growth pattern on YOUR face. Those reasons should include, comfort, closeness, and achieving the coveted BBS, and anything else that may help someone else.

WTG= with the grain
XTG= accross the grain
ATG= against the grain
TU= touch up

Please give a defense for your technique, so as to help others not as experienced, such as myself, and, to encourage others to try new things and improve our shaves.

Please, have some fun helping others in this important bit of shaving info.

Thanks in advance for your generosity,

Don

My typical routine is WTG then XTG and carefully touch up with a spike point on a few tricky whiskers right below my nose. When I want to get real smooth I'll add another XTG going in the opposite direction of the first. My skin doesn't like ATG.

Finish up with cold water, witch hazel, and then a bay rum and/or EDT.

The first thing is mapping your face, you HAVE to know which how your facial hair grows. Commit it to memory. Starting out, it seems as though everyone chases the BBS shave, but after you get into it a while a DFS (Dang Fine Shave) is all you are really after. All aspects of shaving must come together to get a comfortable DFS or BBS. It starts with a properly honed razor & stropped razor, good beard prep (my method is a good warm to hot shower), a good soap/cream that works with your water and provides proper cushion & lubrication, and proper facial contorting/skin stretching.

I literally shave my entire face with downward strokes for my first pass, which I simply call a beard reduction pass. I lather up well and then I go straight to ATG strokes. I use short strokes that overlap a little. Then if I feel like it I will do a third pass that is a combination of XTG/touch-up. I then wipe my face with a cool wash cloth (same one that I bathed with that I rinsed well) and rub an alum bar over my face. This is a great tell all tool as the alum will burn a bit if you used too much pressure or improper angle. All you should feel is the tightening effect of the alum. I them pat my face dry with my bath towel. I then apply deodorant & brush my teeth. This gives my damp face a little time to dry, but not dry out. I then apply my choice of aftershave.

This is what works for me quite successfully every day. Most of the time I just make the two passes though. I pretty much shave with a freshly honed razor every day is why I don't push it on the third pass...besides, that's really all I need for a really DFS. I shaved this morning about 2am and it's now 530pm & I can barely feel any stubble. I could safely rub toilet paper against the grain of my beard without it catching if that tells you anything. I would assess my beard growth to be average. Best of luck to you, Scott

I am new my typical routine has been to first go WTG, then I will do a pass XTG. I do not do any touch up at this point I am still getting used to holding the razor correctly. My face also does not like the whole ATG, it never has, used to get a really bad rash.

To answer the question. I do a large 'clear the timbers' WTG pass to remove the visible stubble. Then it's on to the surgery. I go ATG in buffing strokes, in a piecemeal fashion. Cold water rinse then on to touch ups. I understand about some other's problems with ATG because my upper lip can only handle WTG and XTG.

I usually shave north to south with some slanted/sideways areas around the jawline and chin. It's very rare for me to do more than one pass.

I lather, then WTG, XTG, and ATG/ touch up (learned about buffing stroke the other day...it is great!). I am still new enough to admit my technique may not be the best, and as I read more and watch more videos I try different things. I have 2 tricky spots that I hate doing. (Chin and side of neck right below jawline). past few shaves I have used the buffing stroke and its helped keep it smooth and no razor burn. (when I started I would shave that area pink trying to get it stubble free. Thank goodness for SRP)

For me, it's simply Shave down, then shave up. (regardless of the hair growth direction) After that, I look for any stubble, and then ATG touch ups.

The ATG TUs are only in a couple spots....Albeit, there is one section of the neck that doesn't get it. My lower half of the throat, to go atg is strictly sideways and I haven't found a way yet to get it without cuts. So, I figure I don't have to have a perfect shave there anyway...DFS is quite good enough.

Oh boy!
I have to break this up, Cheeks, neck, chin, stash:
Cheeks: wtg/xtg (hair grows diagonally), xtg/wtg opposite directions, atg, TU. Normally use guillotine stroke on wtg/xtg - a buffing, scything/circle (think bevel setting or knife sharpening).
Chin: Wtg, xtg, atg TU. TU tends to be buffing.
Stash: Wtg, diagonally wtg/xtg, atg. Buffing on atg
Neck: Wtg, xtg, xtg, atg, use plenty of guillotine and buffing, multiple ways for TU. Many times finish with DE atg.

I go for BBS most of the time except on my stash. DFS is best I can do on parts of my neck and chin. I normally have irritation after shaving.

I too, do a clear the timbers N->S it is a very light pass that just kinda gets things knocked down.

1. Another N-S pass only this time I use scything and short strokes. Hit the chin hard here.
2. XTG from center to ear
3. XTG from ear to center.
4. ATG

It is really a 4 pass shave but every pass is important because every pass except the N->S pass picks up ATG action. My hair grows in weird patterns. I could cut it up and do different things for each section but that would be to big a hassle and probably not save much time. Besides I like the shaves that I am getting....they are great!

Take Care,
Richard