I have been DE shaving for over a month now and, for the most part, I would say I have the technique dialed in - still have learning, of course. However, one thing I have discovered is that a WTG pass seems to do absolutely nothing for me. Sure, it removes the lather and there is audible and tactile feedback, but as for removing whiskers, nope. When I go XTG, then there is reduction.
I am using a Merkur 34C, which some would say is a mild razor, others upper-mild or mid-aggressive. I have a sampler of blades that I have been testing and while I haven't touched the Feather blade yet, the ones I have used range from mild to pretty sharp:
Astra SP
Astra SS
Dorco ST-301
Personna Blue Platinum
Shark SS
Shark SC
Bolzano Superinox
Sharp 7am
Lord Platinum
Treet Platinum
Derby Extra
Derby Premium
Theoretically, out of these blades so far, there should be decent stubble removal on a WTG pass. The first time using a blade I would try WTG to see if the issue was due to sharpness or lack thereof, but the pass didn't produce. Standard WTG/XTG/ATG with lots of touch up would give me a CCS (maybe) but for the most part as SAS. Second and later shaves I would do an XTG pass first (in either direction) which would do a good amount of removal, then XTG the other way, then ATG. That would give me a DFS/CCS depending on the blade, BBS/DFS if I had time and really worked it.
I know that some might just say "well do what works for you," but I wonder about why I see and hear others all talking about the WTG doing the major removal (and many online videos show people plowing down days' worth of growth on WTG) and I can't even get any.
Could the 34C be too mild a razor for me? While my whiskers aren't crazy or wiry, there is gray, and they have gotten thicker/coarser. Should I jump to the Feather blade to see if I need a super sharp blade? Should I try to use a shim to see if that provides additional aggressiveness? Or should I just ditch the WTG and go XTG/XTG/ATG and be done with worrying?
Thoughts?
I am using a Merkur 34C, which some would say is a mild razor, others upper-mild or mid-aggressive. I have a sampler of blades that I have been testing and while I haven't touched the Feather blade yet, the ones I have used range from mild to pretty sharp:
Astra SP
Astra SS
Dorco ST-301
Personna Blue Platinum
Shark SS
Shark SC
Bolzano Superinox
Sharp 7am
Lord Platinum
Treet Platinum
Derby Extra
Derby Premium
Theoretically, out of these blades so far, there should be decent stubble removal on a WTG pass. The first time using a blade I would try WTG to see if the issue was due to sharpness or lack thereof, but the pass didn't produce. Standard WTG/XTG/ATG with lots of touch up would give me a CCS (maybe) but for the most part as SAS. Second and later shaves I would do an XTG pass first (in either direction) which would do a good amount of removal, then XTG the other way, then ATG. That would give me a DFS/CCS depending on the blade, BBS/DFS if I had time and really worked it.
I know that some might just say "well do what works for you," but I wonder about why I see and hear others all talking about the WTG doing the major removal (and many online videos show people plowing down days' worth of growth on WTG) and I can't even get any.
Could the 34C be too mild a razor for me? While my whiskers aren't crazy or wiry, there is gray, and they have gotten thicker/coarser. Should I jump to the Feather blade to see if I need a super sharp blade? Should I try to use a shim to see if that provides additional aggressiveness? Or should I just ditch the WTG and go XTG/XTG/ATG and be done with worrying?
Thoughts?