Tips On Closer Shave ATG

What are your personal tips on getting a real close shave on against the grain?

I have about 6-7 shaved under my belt now.. Still a complete novice but I am a lot more Confident with it now and getting it down quickly.

With the grain I am getting it very smooth but with against the grain I can still feel a slight stubble..
I try stretching the skin but having difficult with the placement of it all.. it feels awkward for me and kind of nervous I will cut my fingers.

So do you gentleman have any suggestions / tips?

You said it yourself. It feels awkward and you're nervous. This thing is best learned in small stages. At 6-7 shaves you should be concerned with WTG strokes and just be getting used to doing your entire face. Cross and against the grain I wouldn't attempt for a month or so of shaves. When you feel completely comfortable using the razor and have more facility with it then you know it's time for more challenging strokes.

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Originally Posted by adamf85

What are your personal tips on getting a real close shave on against the grain?

I have about 6-7 shaved under my belt now.. Still a complete novice but I am a lot more Confident with it now and getting it down quickly.

With the grain I am getting it very smooth but with against the grain I can still feel a slight stubble..
I try stretching the skin but having difficult with the placement of it all.. it feels awkward for me and kind of nervous I will cut my fingers.

So do you gentleman have any suggestions / tips?

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This gentleman highly recommends that you not concentrate on getting a "real close shave... against the grain." This whole thing is about progressive stubble removal, via multiple passes. In other words, given a novice wielding a shave-ready blade, it will take you 3-4 passes (of which ATG is but one) to get an acceptable shave. But even competant, veteran straight-razor shavers will agree that it takes time (read: practice) to acquire the requisite skills in beard preparation and shaving technique that will bring you to that DFS (Damn Fine Shave)... let alone, one that's BBS (Baby-Butt Smooth).

Take your time... it'll happen.

Something is wrong if you're afraid of cutting your fingers. Even if you are using them to stretch the skin, they should be behind the razor, not in front of it. But I also agree that at the 30 shave point you might feel more comfortable with shaving and the ATG pass might make more sense for you then.

I feel like a total n00b right now lol.

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Originally Posted by adamf85

I feel like a total n00b right now lol.

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Well, you are. And so were we at one point (I was a few months ago, and I have graduated from "total n00b", to "silly n00b". I (like you) skipped right past "stupid n00b" by asking questions and studying up;)

Welcome, I promise it will get much better in short order...but only after you stop trying so hard. One day you will think about it and realize all the milestones you have passed (first shave with no cuts, weepers, irritation etc). Then you start getting BBS in some areas, and eventually you will realize that you are getting better shaves than ever...and you will also realize that you faceturbate much more critically than you ever had before...and still pleased with the results.

Enjoy!

ace is right about the fingers thing, of course. You may find that pulling on the skin right at the top of the chest is an option, too. At least it is for old baggy skin. One big tip is to make sure you ARE actually going against the grain; my hair growth direction changes remarkably over my face. There are some spots on my neck I can't actually get ATG with a straight, unless I try REALLY hard, and most of the time I don't bother.

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

One big tip is to make sure you ARE actually going against the grain; my hair growth direction changes remarkably over my face. There are some spots on my neck I can't actually get ATG with a straight, unless I try REALLY hard, and most of the time I don't bother.

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Quoted due to perfect agreement.

I don't mean to barge in here but from what I gather from this thread it is advised for a noob not to go against the grain? How about across the grain?

When you are ready. Try it. Is it hard or uncomfortable? Start with a couple strokes then quit. Every shave take a baby step forward.

Trying to go all guns blazing will drown you in a frustrating pile of weaknesses. I try to learn ONE stroke on every shave. This way I break it down step by step and figure out EXACTLY how to do THAT stroke before I try and learn the next.

I started out full face and three passes. I spent a month trying to drink from the fire hose, and ended up drowning (happily). Now I sip occasionally and find I get great results when I focus on the baby step.

I am nearly to the point of completing the journey made by a large number of small steps. It is a deliberate journey...as it should be. I'm not sure I'd ever find my way without taking very deliberate steps.

I disagree with the argument that your fingers should be behind the razor at all times when stretching. IMO stretching has a two-fold purpose - to provide a taut surface upon which to pass the razor over; and to make the whiskers stand up. My ATG pass is characterised by moving the edge toward my stretching fingers.

Making the whiskers stand up is the trick when going ATG to get a closer shave in my book. And while I agree that perhaps it is not something you want to start doing when you are a beginner, you should at least know what you are aiming for in time. The trick is to make sure your fingers and the edge of the razor do not occupy the same space at the same time. :)

Good luck.

James.

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Originally Posted by adamf85

I feel like a total n00b right now lol.

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it's because you ARE, and honestly, thats a beautiful thing. I've been shaving with a stright for over a year now and I still consider myself a noob.

For your own good, take your time. It only takes one mistake to severely hurt yourself and possibly make something you love now into something you'll be scared to attempt again.

Its remarkable that after 6 shaves you are feeling that confident, take advantage of that and gain wisdom as you progress. Don't rush it, no matter how confident you are.

Enjoy the process. :) and welcome to the brotherhood!

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Originally Posted by adamf85

What are your personal tips on getting a real close shave on against the grain?

I have about 6-7 shaved under my belt now.. Still a complete novice but I am a lot more Confident with it now and getting it down quickly.

With the grain I am getting it very smooth but with against the grain I can still feel a slight stubble..
I try stretching the skin but having difficult with the placement of it all.. it feels awkward for me and kind of nervous I will cut my fingers.

So do you gentleman have any suggestions / tips?

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Ok, so you're properly in your place as a noob. But let me offer some of the information you came looking for. When you decide to go ATG, first make sure you know what ATG is. Your beard makes all sorts of directional changes across your face. Know what those are for the best results. Second, remove the stubble with a couple of passes first so that your almost home when you start teh ATG pass. On the sides of your face, you'll find the ATG pass fairly easy to accomplish. At least I do. The skin is not as loose, for me, the direction is up and down, and the area is relatively flat and easy to see. Start there first. Third, know what grip you want to hold the razor with in order to go ATG. My neck was a challenge. Finding the right grip took some time. Think about this before you begin so you're not fumbling with the blade under your chin while you're trying to shave. Fourth, on the neck, shave with the blade spine close to your skin. Having it up too high will cause the blade to dig in as it encounters resistance to the ATG stubble. And by all means hold the skin taught during the phase. If the skin bunches up behind the blade, you'll most likely cut yourself. Lastly, be sure your soap is freshly applied. Drying soap/cream will not be as slick and will most likely deliver a rough shave. Reapply if need be. Go slow and tackle small sections at a time. Then during the day think about how best to go after the next section.

All good advice above.

I'd add:

- Don't expect the same smoothness all over. I still can't get my neck as smooth as my cheeks, and I'm not sure I ever will - the skin there is slacker, there are difficult hollows, and the direction of growth makes it hard to angle the razor for a proper ATG.

- If you aren't already, and once you've got the basics down, start using your non-dominant hand. I resisted this advice for quite a while, because my left hand is nowhere near as co-ordinated as my right, but there were some areas which were very difficult for my right, but fairly easy with my left. (Baby steps here, though - maybe just start with the easiest strokes on the cheek when starting to use the non-dominant hand.)