Never heard of 2 and 3 pass shaves until I joined this forum. Started shaving with a DE Razor in the Mid 60s. Everybody that I knew only used one pass when they shaved. Once and done and it was good to go. Tried the 2 and 3 pass shave routine and really saw very little if any benefit to it. I'm a once and done guy and get a very close shave. Never any need for a do over.
Multi Pass Shaves
- Thread starter Roklok
- Start date
I never knew anything about passes. I thought one pass was enough when I shaved with my M3 and the Fusion. Till I found out about DE shaving I heard about the three passes. There are so many mis-informed guys out there 
I always do three passes and I get a BBS which I really like. Since my first DE shave I didn't even miss my Fusion/M3.
I always do three passes and I get a BBS which I really like. Since my first DE shave I didn't even miss my Fusion/M3.
Multipass??? I do an uber-multipass every shave
I perform WTG, XTG, and then a blade-buffed ATG. That last ATG pass requires a very light touch and a near-perfect angle. To no surprise, I much prefer a forgiving/mild razor.
I perform WTG, XTG, and then a blade-buffed ATG. That last ATG pass requires a very light touch and a near-perfect angle. To no surprise, I much prefer a forgiving/mild razor.
Well. You've got all that nice lather left over after one pass. May as well use it.
I actually rinse after one pass and look around. 95% has been hacked; identify any missed areas and hit with lather/second pass.
Nipping the odd single whisker happens after the next rinse ... then check the work. Like starting a campfire from scratch or sharpening a knife, you've just accomplished something involving skill.
AA
I actually rinse after one pass and look around. 95% has been hacked; identify any missed areas and hit with lather/second pass.
Nipping the odd single whisker happens after the next rinse ... then check the work. Like starting a campfire from scratch or sharpening a knife, you've just accomplished something involving skill.
AA
Probably you can avoid at least 80% of potential shaving problems by staying with one pass; 90% of stroking only WTG. Years ago I recall some ad - but do not recall which manufacturer or product - that if you used theirs you would never "have to shave twice". Maybe rarely in cartridge days did I do any additional touch up; not often enough to recall. When going to multipass with DE I could feel the smoothness in the after-shave shower, unlike anything since prepubescent days, and I have done multipass ever since.
I like 2 + touch-ups for smoothest possible, but this is all about what works best for YOU, not anyone else. If you are one and done, then congrats and enjoy.
I'm usually a one pass guy ... occasionally one pass with touch ups. When I first started DE shaving I did the three passes and I had quite a bit of irritation. I moved to two passes and that helped with the irritation. When I moved to one pass it got progressively better. And I've stopped chasing BBS on my neck where most of my irritation is. It's just a much more enjoyable experience.
Whatever floats your boat.
After I switched to more aggressive razors I found that a single pass, plus touch-ups, is usually enough for a CCS or DFS. That's what works for my skin and beard. Others may need 2-3 passes to achieve the same result.
After I switched to more aggressive razors I found that a single pass, plus touch-ups, is usually enough for a CCS or DFS. That's what works for my skin and beard. Others may need 2-3 passes to achieve the same result.
If one pass works for you, then more power to ya! I do two passes, but I still need to. I would love to be satisfied with a single pass.
I always do two passes WTG. Because I always have a ton of lather left. And because I just enjoy shaving tbh. It makes me spend like 1 extra minute shaving, I don't mind that at all.
Consider yourself lucky. I have been doing multiple pass shaves for many years. The grain of my beard changes directions so many times on my face and neck that, for example, going N to S can be WTG, XTG, and ATG depending on what part I am shaving! When I first started shaving I would do two passes: N to S and S to N and that gave me a decent shave. But to remove all of the stubble and get a BBS shave I added to XTG passes in opposite directions and now get the shave I want.
Now that my technique is really good, one pass definitely gets me smoother than my cartridge razor shaving days.
But somehow I'm still not satisfied until I do that extra XTG pass, and then some touch-up on the rough spots.
works for me.
Once in a while I'll set out to do one pass, but I usually do some touch-up even when I only do one pass.
But somehow I'm still not satisfied until I do that extra XTG pass, and then some touch-up on the rough spots.
works for me.
Once in a while I'll set out to do one pass, but I usually do some touch-up even when I only do one pass.
I agree I had never heard of multiple passes till I got here. It took me a while to try them as well but I've found for me two passes gives me a DFS/CCS shave each time with no irritation/weepers or nicks. The CCS is mainly on my neck and it's overall a good comfortable shave. I don't need BBS every day and I don't want to risk irritation on my neck. Every time I try to do some touch up is when I get irritation so I just leave it as it is.
-Stephen
If I only did 1 WTG pass, I wouldn't look like I had shaved at all! 
I agree with Jeff Rage. One pass wouldn't even touch the surface of my face. I have a VERY thick beard. I need 3 passes (WTG, XTG, ATG) to gain the BBS shave that I have come to enjoy and expect.
Interesting. I've always wondered what the actual shaving routines of people were like when DE shaving was the most common method... whether a "one and done" was what most people did, or if multiple passes was always a thing, etc.
Two passes WTG is my standard, since anything but WTG lays waste to my neck. I can get away with one precise WTG pass and done, though, if I didn't skip a day in between.
- Thread starter
- #19
Your beard is likely different than some other people's beards... I've tried a lot of razors, and none of them have ever gotten me a BBS with one pass.
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