How many passes before your get irritation?

[rbscebu]

My normal shave routine includes three passes; WTG, XTG+fool's pass and another XTG. This morning I decided to up the ante to five passes; 2 x WTG, XTG+fool's pass and 2 x XTG.

I did this because I had the time, I enjoy SR shaving, I wanted to see if each pass still cut some whiskers and I wanted to see if I would get any skin irritation. The result was each pass still cut whiskers but still no skin irritation. Next time I have the time, I might add another WTG and XTG to my routine.

I don't really want to include an ATG pass as that would leave me with nothing to shave the following morning .

 

[Lightcs1776]

More than three passes and I risk some irritation. But it rarely is an issue when a SR.

 

[rbscebu]

More than three passes and I risk some irritation. But it rarely is an issue when a SR.

I agree with you if shaving with one of those dangerous so called "safety" razors but they are not nearly as much fun to shave with compared to a SR.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

With a diamond pasted balsa edge, 3.5 is the max. (The .5 is a second right to left pass along and under the jaw, sort of a hybrid XTG/ATG because of how the hair grows).

With an ark edge? I don't know, it's more than 3.5, because I can do as much cleanup as I want on the chin and neck without irritating anything.

Generally speaking, though, 3.5 will get me 95% BBS and some days 100%, so I don't need to push it.

 

[Slash McCoy]

It has been at least two years since I have done a second pass, so I really don't know. I never did three passes as a rule. I used to do two passes but one pass is all I need since I started using the balsa.

 

[rbscebu]

It has been at least two years since I have done a second pass, so I really don't know. I never did three passes as a rule. I used to do two passes but one pass is all I need since I started using the balsa.

It is not the number of passes that I need, it is the number of passes that I want. I too can get a very good CCS with just a single pass, but where is the enjoyment in that?

If I had the time, I would do 10 passes per shave. The only things that I ask for when I shave are:

• I have some whiskers to cut each pass.
• I have the time to do all the passes that I want.
• I don't get any skin irritation.
• I have some whiskers to shave 24 hours later.

I'm a simple man with simple wants in life.

 

[essetron]

It is not the number of passes that I need, it is the number of passes that I want. I too can get a very good CCS with just a single pass, but where is the enjoyment in that?

If I had the time, I would do 10 passes per shave. The only things that I ask for when I shave are:

• I have some whiskers to cut each pass.
• I have the time to do all the passes that I want.
• I don't get any skin irritation.
• I have some whiskers to shave 24 hours later.

I'm a simple man with simple wants in life.

hah great post! I'm getting back into it after nearly a decade, but I've fallen in hard again - I'm constantly wanting to get in and shave.

Ideally, I'd like to get a good 3rd pass, but my SR technique is so rusty, I cant get the angles in. Also working on touching up the razors - I did not know what I was doing before.. I was just a kid haha

 

[rbscebu]

hah great post! I'm getting back into it after nearly a decade, but I've fallen in hard again - I'm constantly wanting to get in and shave.

Ideally, I'd like to get a good 3rd pass, but my SR technique is so rusty, I cant get the angles in. Also working on touching up the razors - I did not know what I was doing before.. I was just a kid haha

SR shave daily for about a month and you will be shaving well. After about three months of daily SR shaving, I was getting BBS with three passes;WTG, XTG and ATG. That left me with nothing to shave 24 hours later. I then changed to WTG and 2 x XTG.

Now I am trying to increase the number of passes and still have something to shave 24 hours later. It's a challenge.

It's now 13 hours since my last shave and I still have a DFS result.

 

[pwheeler]

I love my SR shaves, but I do 1 pass WTG and then 1 pass ATG. I do a little touch up in a couple of trouble spots and that's it. I only shave every other day because of how I shave. I never experience any irritation, but maybe if I went with as many passes as you are doing, my face might start feeling a bit raw. I've been exclusively shaving with straights for a year and a half and have a multitude of straights that I rotate. Maybe if i had the time, I would try daily shaves, but in all honesty, I don't have much to shave the next day.

 

[AdamAZ]

I find that when I was shaving with safety razors that the more aggressive the razor the less the irritation. With straight razors, I do not have any of the familiar irritation that I get from any other kind of razor. I also do a WTG, ATG and XTG every day and enjoy the finest shave that money cannot buy. I do have one section that grows in an unusual direction that can always use a special pass, but otherwise I run out of whiskers after the third pass.

My luxury problem is deciding on the soap/aftershave and razor to use for the day. Whoa is me.

 

[Eastcoast30]

I'm with @Slash McCoy here. I just do a pass or two. My goal is to get a nice shave with the lowest number of passes. Every now and then there is a spot around the Adam's apple that needs an extra pass.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Well, it's not exactly a goal of mine to use the least number of passes. I simply take no great joy in shaving and shaving and shaving again, and I don't shave just to be shaving. I shave so I don't look like a bum, same reason I would comb my hair if I had any to comb. Whatever it takes, it takes. I don't shirk from it though, and I take satisfaction from a shave well shaved. It's like blowing my nose, something that needs done periodically, and if there is a better way, then I do it that way. And I will admit to some small amount of elitism as a reward for doing it in the manly fashion.

 

[Eastcoast30]

^ agree!

 

[eezee]

That's a lot of passes. In my opinion if you don't get any irritation or discomfort you do whatever you want.

For me, I do two passes, WTG then ATG. I do a third pass on the right side of my neck because pass x2 is really XTG on the spot do to the direction of growth. I rarely, if ever, have any irritation.

IMHO, irritation is really about blade angle. I still DE and SE shave. I get far more irritation with DE razors if I get sloppy with my blade angle.

 

[rbscebu]

I am normally sticking with my three-pass shaves; WTG, XTG with fool's pass and XTG opposite direction. This gives me my desired DFS+ (almost BBS) result.

When I have the time and inclination, I will perform more passes until either I stop seeing cut whiskers in my lather or I start to get any irritation, whichever comes first.

 

[steveclarkus]

My normal shave routine includes three passes; WTG, XTG+fool's pass and another XTG. This morning I decided to up the ante to five passes; 2 x WTG, XTG+fool's pass and 2 x XTG.

I did this because I had the time, I enjoy SR shaving, I wanted to see if each pass still cut some whiskers and I wanted to see if I would get any skin irritation. The result was each pass still cut whiskers but still no skin irritation. Next time I have the time, I might add another WTG and XTG to my routine.

I don't really want to include an ATG pass as that would leave me with nothing to shave the following morning .

I’ve never had irritation from a straight razor. They just don’t do it.

 

[Eastcoast30]

^ I agree! If you get irritation, you are not controlling the angle and pressure; or your bevel has not been set.

 

[rbscebu]

I’ve never had irritation from a straight razor. They just don’t do it.

^ I agree! If you get irritation, you are not controlling the angle and pressure; or your bevel has not been set.

I agree with both of you. Other than my first few very early attempts at SR shaving, any skin irritation has been a thing of the past. That is not to say that it just might be possible with many multiple passes in one shave. Hence the thread.

 

[steveclarkus]

I agree with both of you. Other than my first few very early attempts at SR shaving, any skin irritation has been a thing of the past. That is not to say that it just might be possible with many multiple passes in one shave. Hence the thread.

I neglected to mention passes but I do two - no more, no less. I used to do three but it is no longer necessary.

 

[SilverSteel]

Since the smoothness of my SR shaves improved significantly I can do daily shaves with essentially any amount of passes without discomfort or irritations.

Usually I do 3 passes but last week I did 5 pass shaves in several occasions (WTG, 2x XTG, 2x ATG). I'm still experimenting with different angles/grip/motions/pressure to optimize how close I can get and improve my overall technique.

More passes will give me more opportunity to try out new things and learn.