ASP - ATG SINGLE PASS

[JoWolf]

I'm already achieving great shaves using either the Blackland Dart or Henson TI +++ going WTG, XTG, ATG. I've previously had success with the Ikon Tek going ATG, ATG, WTG. What I am not able to do, at least no so far, is to reduce the number of passes per shave. After one pass there is still stubble. I'm not looking for a shortcut. I'm looking for something more challenging. At this point I'm just trying to repeat the success I had using the Tek with my new favorite razors. My plan was to follow this progression: ATG/ATG/WTG, then ATG/WTG, then ATG. Are you suggesting I'm going about it backwards?

I misunderstood where you were with your shave. You are right you have flexibility with your shaves and passes. Reducing passes can only be accomplished with more efficiency. If you are using the sharpest blade possible. Pre shave preparation of your skin and whiskers may contribute to more efficiency. The only thing left than is technique improvement. Which we are all working on.

The main reason I am going into the New Year and most probably well beyond with a Fixed Four. When equipment and product have been refined in use to your maximum efficiency. Technique is the only alternative. Technique and practice. I do agree with your pursuit and progression. I just didn’t do it that way. There definitely is more than one way to skin a cat. Improvement in efficiency in any and all passes inevitably reduces strokes. Reducing strokes. Reduces passes.

If this is your path I would point out that using campaigned or used blades in your shave is counterproductive to your goals. Can be done of course. You just have to learn to adapt to using duller than available blades and that is the longer way for technique development.

 

[JoWolf]

Shorter, overlapping strokes might be just as good as a sharper, more expensive blade in the long run.

With all due respect Thom. No. Overlapping strokes is increasing strokes. Eben Stone is wanting to reduce strokes. You can not reduce cutting strokes of anything using blades that progressively get duller. If you do. It is because you technique is overcoming or improving on the lack of sharpnesses. You can get the job done but you have given up a measure of efficiency and increased your stroke count. There is no substitute for sharp.

All shavers who shave at the highest levels of efficiency regardless of razor used do have one commonality, a sharp blade.

If you are shaving with a campaigned blade. You continually are making adjustments for the lack of sharpness not improvement of efficiency and reduction of strokes. Not the same shave. Not the same game. There is no Right Way. You should respect parameters of the kit you are using. Dull blades cut slower and take more strokes than a sharper blade to get the job done. Universal physics.

If you do not feel that a campaigned blade is dull while shaving with it. Your technique is not refined enough to shave beyond the sharpness of that blade Technique again. When blades pull, tug, skip and you change them. That is where your level of Technique is at for that blade. The duller a blade is the slower you will need to move the blade to achieve purchase and perform a cut. When your cut speed decreases below the speed you require or are comfortable with. Some dudes run blades to the century mark. They have great technique in using a dull blade. And they are not BBS shavers. If they do, than they do not have normal skin. Higher stroke counts in those shaves and they would be considerably slower shaves.

I guess it’s a challenge for the masses to see how far they can get down the road with a 20 cent or 40 cent blade. It can’t be about the money. It can’t be about efficiency. It can’t be about fewer shave strokes. Bragging rights in using a dull blade?

A Samurai had never apologized for using a dull blade. It was beyond inconceivable to even consider using a dull blade. I don’t think they were wrong.

That’s all I got to say about blades.

 

[thombrogan]

I will not and do not argue that an unsharpened blade gets duller with every use. Some will take less force to cut hair as the coating on its sides is worn down, but the apex will be abraded, bent, or fractured.

The rest is a chasm I want to mine and you’re happier and healthier avoiding.

 

[Eben Stone]

The duller a blade is the slower you will need to move the blade to achieve purchase and perform a cut.

Interesting. I've noticed this but never given it much thought. Some blades I feel like I'm shaving in slow motion over my chin and mustache. Now I know why.

 

[JoWolf]

I will not and do not argue that an unsharpened blade gets duller with every use. Some will take less force to cut hair as the coating on its sides is worn down, but the apex will be abraded, bent, or fractured.

The rest is a chasm I want to mine and you’re happier and healthier avoiding.

I’m sorry Thom. I shouldn’t sound so hard. The majority of shavers campaign blades. Obviously the mainstream and accepted shave. I’m an outlier in most shave categories. Dwelling on the fringes.

 

[JoWolf]

Interesting. I've noticed this but never given it much thought. Some blades I feel like I'm shaving in slow motion over my chin and mustache. Now I know why.

When you are shaving faster than your blade, you need a sharper blade. The same speed rules applies to lathers, brushes etc. Everything in the shave can be rated on speed. I do not mean that we should Become speed demons.

If your lather dries on the other side of your face before you get to it. Are you shaving too slow? Is the lather drying too fast? The extra dips and lather smears and corrections you need to make take time. The reason you need to correct a situation like that is simple. You were lathering when you should have been stroking with your blade. Your shave is slower. Any time you sacrifice speed you give up efficiency. Two or three deficiencies in a shave could be big trouble.

What if you just used a better quality lather that did not dry out as fast. Sometimes better product and or better equipment can solve problems. Now your shave is faster and all you did was switch lathers.

 

[thombrogan]

You’re fine, John. You don’t want my bad habits and flights of fancy leading Ed astray.

If you could, please poke around in the Excalibur forum. It’s about how many comfortable shaves one can get from a blade with any increases meaning an increase in technique. And many of them go for BBS. The OTOH being it is shaving with a progressively duller blade.

 

[JoWolf]

You’re fine, John. You don’t want my bad habits and flights of fancy leading Ed astray.

If you could, please poke around in the Excalibur forum. It’s about how many comfortable shaves one can get from a blade with any increases meaning an increase in technique. And many of them go for BBS. The OTOH being it is shaving with a progressively duller blade.

I certainly have looked there Thom. I couldn’t be where I’m at if I hadn’t. My latest transition Fixed Four. If you could see this as four tires moving a vehicle down the road. And one tire was low on air. Would you take the vehicle to the track? I shave fast. A slower piece on the vehicle slows everything down. You still get to the party but most of the good hors d’oeuvres are gone. Yum Yum is the way I want my shaves.

 

[Eben Stone]

Moved on to ATG Single Pass with RazoRock Hawk V3OC and then RazoRock BBS and they’re even better at this with my limited skill set. The Hawk did a better job, but the BBS is more comfortable.

What blades did you use with the Hawk?

 

[thombrogan]

Schick Proline P-series and Kai P!nk Mild

 

[JoWolf]

Decem-Boar 24

Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica

Continuing to adjust and gain more familiarity with the Fixed Kit. Going into the new year. I look forward to refining technique and elevating skin comfort. Shaves scheduled weekly mid-afternoon on Friday. I continue to try to repeat every aspect of my shave in the same order. It may sound mundane and boring but it is far from that. It’s exciting to feel a strength and continuity coming together with the kit, performing as a unit, rather than components.

Rotating three SV soaps is nice. The Cosmo, and Tundra Artica fragrances I find mild and Felce Aromatica medium strong. After lather applications the scent subdues considerably. I will replace the Felce. The other two I will replace with other fragrances. I load the big brush as heavy as I can towards obscene. At fifty two shaves a year I won’t be burning through soap bottoms very soon. Lathering these soaps. Pure enjoyment. They continue to exceed my expectations. Using a big brush and softened filtered well water is probably a big advantage. Making adjustments or even changing lather consistencies is effortless. Using the SV Shea Butter pre shave has taken slick to a different friction zone. The strokes are getting lighter and quicker.

My face shave had a very small amount of skin tightness along right chin line. A few closely stroked areas. The protective pre shave coating obvious when and how much you break through it. An incentive to refine lighter strokes. The alum was needed as a cooling antiseptic over the closer stroked areas. No warmth or burn. A very nice super close comfortable shave.

The head shave has advantages. Smoother longer flatter surfaces. The micro reflexes and stroke pressures just got sorted out on the face shave. My head shave was an alum free effort with elevated lathering fun. Six weeks into the Fixed Kit and it is starting to feel like a rocket ride. I love it when shaving gets exciting.

Exploring the strengths of equipment and products lead us to make best choices suited to our shaves. Strapping four high performers together, they continue to coalesce towards a higher level of comfort.

I look forward to my last shave of the year.

To all the Fine Gentlemen of B&B
My Kindest Greetings of the Season

 

[JoWolf]

Trying to Keep Up

My Original Post & Thread Starter - July 22 2020

I am completing my first year DE. My journey has led me to an open comb one pass ATG face and head shaver. I am pleased and fortunate to have found a shave that works for me. I get consistent, comfortable DFS+ shaves. I hope there are other One Pass shavers who would like to trade notes. Discussing, technique, products, and single pass shaving.

ASP ATG Single Pass
As they say; was all Greek to me before stumbling into the B&B Community.

In the next quarter I will be completing my third year. I started deconstructing my journey trying to figure out how I got here. Luxury Creams, Hard Milled Shave Soaps and a Plisson Silvertip were used for three decades so lathering was not a mystery. Sadly the only useful knowledge and skills from fifty plus years of shaving wrong. Better than a kick.

First Open Comb shave I had was devastating. In the impact it made with my shave. It felt like going from dark to light. The force was with me. I sold all my closed combs. The Game Changer .068OC was going to be my razor for life. Just to keep it honest and make sure that I had found the One. I bought two more open combs. To see if there were subtle differences and started a Journal with the three. Establishing a great traditional three pass shave while testing product and equipment started. There is no doubt about it, a lot of fun. Sorting out razors was the easiest task. The Grande outperformed both the Yaqi Mellon and GC .068OC across the board with little effort. They are both excellent razors. I wanted the One. Grande was now the foundation of my shave. Comfort was my target and goal. Taking my three pass shave to consistent comfortable BBS shaves was accomplished quicker than thought or anticipated.

It was at this point I started to try to keep up to the Grande. Completing comfortable three pass shaves lost excitement and challenge. The razor felt like it was at half speed on the autobahn. The two pass shave was a short lived acceleration into the one pass. The ATG Single Pass was basically me trying to keep up to the razor’s performance. I thought it would stop there. It didn’t. Campaigning Voskhods was the first to go. Than the blade. Three or four blades later. Single use Feather was the only blade that could stay with the Grande’s performance. The shave foundation was complete.

I did not wake up one morning thinking a one pass would be nice. A single pass did not occur to me or was thought of until I did a few two pass shaves. It was a natural steady progression of eliminating strokes from my shave. To me it was more a solution to a problem and condition. At the time my thought was fewer strokes would aid in my uncomfortable skin. Less razor to skin contact.

My second year was blessed with new equipment and skills. Western Straights, Kamisori, a set of honing stones, and a Japanese kitchen knife. My focus was splintered. Rabbit Holes can do that to you. My ATG Single Pass while improving. My skin was holding the shave back. Sensitive and dry skin were the issues. I failed to accept and deal with skin issues through most of my shaving life.

The shave gods must have been smiling. Long story short. With an improved pre shave routine the shaves started to feel held back. Or slow again. Switching my shave products to vegetable based products solved and cured skin issues. Saponificio Varesino’s product line has me covered and satisfied. Simplicity contributing to the shave. I always wanted and considered a fixed four. Wanting and being able to go the distance the four components would need to be high performers. Since two components were already bagged the last two. One being very easy, SV soaps. The brush was the heartbreaker. I needed a brush that could compromise between face and head and keep me thrilled.

Using an entry level barbershop shave soap for a year will elevate your lathering prowess. Brush comparisons and use are easier to select and sort out. I do not consider any of my brushes as under performers. I like a different brush and lather for face and head. The fixed brush must be able to bridge those compromises. So that’s what takes a long time silvertip user. To an extra large knot, medium-low loft, high density boar bristle brush. The most difficult selection of the four. I will miss my brushes. My new goal is to go at least one year with the fixed four. Comfort with efficiency was the order in every change to improve my shave.

In my experience all shave changes with comfort preceding efficiency had an increase in speed. All shave changes with efficiency ahead of comfort were mostly fail’s.

My last half dozen shaves have been at a higher comfort level. They have also increased in speed. The high performing soap with a high performing brush makes for a considerable shorter time in lathering. Changing two components to improve comfort has added speed to the shave. I honestly do not know if the last two speed enhancements will satisfy the lust for speed demanded by the Grande.

Chasing comfort and skin improvement led to minimizing shave strokes. An ATG Single Pass was the most efficient route. The shave continues to morph into more comfort, improved efficiency, and it gets quicker.

As the thread starter I wanted to bring the thread up to date with my progress. I know there are many gentlemen out there using Straights as well as Single Edge in there ATG Single Pass Shaves. I wanted to post the journey of how it came to be my shave. It started as a chase for comfort. It continues to be a chase for improvement in comfort.

If I had normal skin and never tried the Grande. A single pass shave may not have happened for me. My comment. There are shaves based on circumstances, product and equipment. I never had a plan. I do now. Staying the course. My new challenge. Increase skin comfort. It has only been in the last six months that I have enjoyed improvement in skin comfort between shaves. Most of that improvement due to pre and post shave routines. Technique refinement and comfort improvement continue to be sought out.

 

[Eben Stone]

Yum Yum is the way I want my shaves.

ASP seems like a good challenge to commit to this year. Now I just have to decide which razor(s) to use. I've been using the RazoRock Hawk, maybe I should continue with that. I also have the Henson TI +++ that I already know works great for first pass ATG.

 

[JoWolf]

A New Years Eve Shave

I couldn’t be happier or more satisfied with my shaves. The last half year has been bringing my sensitive skin into a more comfortable stable condition. Pre and post shave skin condition improvements allowed a better closer shave. Shaving BBS consistently well over a year left comfort improvement as the last hurdle to best shave. If I were to rate my comfort level as good, better, best. Best would have to be zero razor/blade feel and post skin comfort that did not know it just got shaved. I have had three of those shaves in the last half dozen months. That’s three shaves out of forty-two. The other thirty-nine were BBS between good to better skin comfort.

The last six months have culminated two and half years of product and equipment choices. The best candidates for my Fixed Four. Great comfortable BBS shaves have given me higher targets to achieve. The highest level of comfort is not to feel shaved after a BBS plus shave. That would be my first lgoal for the New Year. My second goal. Complete 52 seven-day shaves. Very lofty goals for sure. I guess I got resolutions now.

Fixed four is at two months and feeling very everything to me. My highest shaving pleasure to date. The only thing holding me back is precision in my technique.

De transition from carts. Goals. Skin comfort improvement and better shaves. It has taken me two and a half years to accomplish both. I don’t think of it as a finish or end of journey. If anything the home stretch is a continuation of the shave. More comfort.

Decem-Boar 31

Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Cosmo

Decem-Boar has been a lot of fun. Great shaves by all. Love the pics. Thank you Gentlemen for sharing your shaves. I will continue to enjoy my boar brush and look forward to next year’s. Hog fun.

Last shave of the year and a high enthusiasm to meet shave challenges and goals for the New Year. I continue to enjoy and look forward to my shaves. DE shaving has improved my shave world.

A great close comfortable shave. As the boar continues to break in. The kit becomes more familiar. Shaves have taken on a thrill again. I continue to work on my technique which basically is Less razor/blade pressure. Extra close shaves with extra buffing. The face shave went with an alum finish. A tingle in neck sensitive spots. Head shave did not require alum. Post skin very comfortable face and head.
The boar will continue to deliver increases in softnesses and will be ready for next Decem-Boar.

Keep Them Hogs Scrubbing

To All B&B Members
Happy New Year

 

[JoWolf]

ASP seems like a good challenge to commit to this year. Now I just have to decide which razor(s) to use. I've been using the RazoRock Hawk, maybe I should continue with that. I also have the Henson TI +++ that I already know works great for first pass ATG.

Go with your favourite Eben. I would suggest to stay with one only though.

 

[Eben Stone]

The last six months have culminated two and half years of product and equipment choices. The best candidates for my Fixed Four.

Please share with us what are your best candidates?

 

[JoWolf]

Please share with us what are your best candidates?

Over the last couple of months I have posted reviews on each of the four Eben. The links below are reviews of each.

Feather Blade:
Post in thread 'GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY'
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gc-68oc-gold-grande-yaqi-chrome-mellon-a-journey.585819/post-11563126

Fatip Gold Grande:
Post in thread 'GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY'
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gc-68oc-gold-grande-yaqi-chrome-mellon-a-journey.585819/post-11568716

Saponificio Varesino:
Post in thread 'GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY'
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gc-68oc-gold-grande-yaqi-chrome-mellon-a-journey.585819/post-11583775

First use and evaluation of Zenith B-35 Boar Brush:
Post in thread 'GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY'
GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gc-68oc-gold-grande-yaqi-chrome-mellon-a-journey.585819/post-11522114

I will be doing a long term review of the B-35 around the second quarter in the New Year.

 

[JoWolf]

January 7​

2022 Shave Purchase Sabbatical - Shave Trek Season 2 but #1 for me
Plus my fixed four, keeping me focused on shave comfort improvement.

The end of my first and second year were much the same. Continued to explore products and equipment that would enhance and improve shave comfort. This is the first year where goals are exclusively focused on comfort. I have everything I need.

I’m a Fixed Four Trekkie going for 52 beautiful face & head shaves for 2022. A relaxed unburdened mind with pre and post paraphernalia in place. Elevate shave comfort. Something to chase. Shaves continue to be fun and exciting.

2022‘s First Shave

Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Tundra Artica

Final quarter of last year established my Fixed Four. Copacetic shave components jelled into a strong cohesive, efficient unit. Pure pleasure using this kit. The powerful boar loads up and is face painting and scrubbing creamy lather in under a minute. Pre shave Shea Butter seamlessly adds a slickness propelling razor glide to new speeds. Autobahn blur.

The Grande is a speed demon. Quick short accurate strokes is the Grande’s forte. Weighing sixty-nine grams. Balanced to perfection. Stunning maneuverability. Two years wielding the Grande and I continue to be impressed with its performance. Single use Feathers, sharp as it gets. Smooth effortless whisker slicing harvest. Never a tug or skip. Everything in hand to chase big comfort.

The face and head shave both recipients of an ultra soft touch. I can’t do that every shave. The main reason for the fixed. This is month three for the kit. I couldn’t be happier with the strong performance. I expect these shaves to reach regular repeatability by years end. An above average shave. The alum block stayed unused and dry. Witch Hazel, Hyaluronic acid, Mango Butter finished with Tundra A/S. More importantly above average Post Skin Comfort. I love it when a plan works. High optimism for the 51 shaves to follow.

Happy Shaves Trekkies

 

[JoWolf]

January 14​

Tenth fixed-four weekly shave. Ease and familiarity with Kit continues to raise comfort. Advantage on a purchase sabbatical. Shave porn replaced with pure thoughts of technique.

Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica

A close comfortable shave. My light touch heavier than I would like. A few alum licks on sensitive neck skin areas. Warmth but no sting. Head shave was great. Overall, less skin comfort compared to last weeks shave. Kit‘s performance flawlessly. The weekly scheduled shave is working better than I anticipated. Shaves are very enjoyable.

Happy Shaves Gents

 

[JoWolf]

January 21​

Eleventh fixed-four weekly shave. Sub-zero temperatures challenge comfort for sensitive skin. Last weeks shave in retrospect was drier skin than usual. Normal or oily skinned shavers might not respond to or notice the effect dry cold temperatures have on your skin. My shave will be focused on elevated skin sensitivity. Basically A Lighter Touch.

Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Cosmo

My neck skin was already sensitive from our continuing cold snap. I decided to do two ultra light ATG passes for the face shave. Shea butter for pre shave first pass. On the second pass I used the SV pre shave oil for extra lube and glide. It definitely helped to achieve a super close face shave.

The head skin is like a different world. The extra lubes in the brush with outstanding creamy lather. ATG Single Pass got down to the smooth wood, with minimum strokes. Alum, Witch Hazel, Hyaluronic acid, Mango Butter and the Cosmo A/S kept disappearing into the post skin. Decent post skin comfort with a little skin tightness on the good side of my neck. All around good comfort in such drying conditions. I will use some skin moisturizer mid week.

Week three in the sabbatical. I haven’t woke up in a cold sweat, at three in the morning. Craving septic sticks or anything.

Happy Shaves