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- #21
Did you use any pre-shave, hot towels or a warm flannel to aid exfoliation which has a direct bearing on WTG only efficiency, as the professional barbers do?
Any WTG Only Shavers ?
- Thread starter Mitzie
- Start date
Did you use any pre-shave, hot towels or a warm flannel to aid exfoliation which has a direct bearing on WTG only efficiency, as the professional barbers do?
Always shave with the grain, right! Great advice! 
For me XTG then ATG gives almost BBS every time. Adding the WTG first does not really seem to change anything (except time) about the final shave for me so it is just a wasted pass.YMMV
My best WTG-only shave was a steep-angled shave with @courierdog 's method of thorough buffing passes (well that's how I understood and profited from it). Only felt alum sting on Adam's apple where grain gets tricky for me and finally had a WTG-only shave that wasn't an unnoticeable one.
Against-the-Grain only shaver here!
I guess I am about as far away from this as one can be!
I respect whatever works for any/all individuals!!!
PEACE!
I guess I am about as far away from this as one can be!
I respect whatever works for any/all individuals!!!
PEACE!
Yep, sure did. A lot of it just had to do with the thickness of my beard and the direction it grows. I’m happy with how my shaves come out so it’s all good.
AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;WISE;CoA;4yr/10yr Sabbatical
I would do a 3 pass shave when I first started shaving with a safety razor. Just recently I figured I was overdoing it and changed to 1 pass wtg shave. I might clean up my chin with a xtg pass but that's it.
Primarily WTG here. Two passes from the jaw line up.... I always do ATG on my neck for one pass, then a second pass WTG.
Hard to explain, but is common. The lowest inch of stubble on my neck is actually WTG on the first pass but the rest of the way up to my jaw line grows the opposite way and is technically ATG and I get no irritation, very comfortable. I can only get a good smooth feel on that bottom 1 inch of growth on my neck going WTG from the jaw line which turns into ATG at the bottom inch. Using a vintage adjustable on 2 or 3 cleans it up perfect with zero irritation.
Hard to explain, but is common. The lowest inch of stubble on my neck is actually WTG on the first pass but the rest of the way up to my jaw line grows the opposite way and is technically ATG and I get no irritation, very comfortable. I can only get a good smooth feel on that bottom 1 inch of growth on my neck going WTG from the jaw line which turns into ATG at the bottom inch. Using a vintage adjustable on 2 or 3 cleans it up perfect with zero irritation.
My Grandfather was a Barber by trade and he never shaved ATG. My father, his son never shaves ATG. My father always shaves WTG and then XTG grain from ear to nose and then nose to ear. My fathers stupid son (me) has always shaved ATG. Was a 2 pass cart man for 30 odd years. One pass WTG and then one pass ATG. Do what works for you. I did.
- Thread starter
- #31
....and did he use hot towels on his clients, to get as close a shave as possible WTG, which to me is a necessity IMHO?
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One pass WTG: only if I am is a super rush to get out of the house.
I get better, more long-lasting results using 3-passes! But that’s me.
I get better, more long-lasting results using 3-passes! But that’s me.
When I was young (long time ago), I just did one pass WTG.
Like @Atlantic59, my facial hair grows in different directions, so I stretch the terms "WTG" and "ATG" to mean:
WTG = North-to-South pass (top to bottom)
ATG = South-to-North pass (bottom to top)
I usually shave WTG first, then ATG, then some XTG and touch ups in the challenging areas.
WTG = North-to-South pass (top to bottom)
ATG = South-to-North pass (bottom to top)
I usually shave WTG first, then ATG, then some XTG and touch ups in the challenging areas.
WTG and XTG on cheeks and jawline.
2 WTG passes on the neck, the upper lip and chin. Tried ATG a few times but causes too much irritation.
2 WTG passes on the neck, the upper lip and chin. Tried ATG a few times but causes too much irritation.
I started with the VDH TTO, Barbasol, and VDH blades and only did WTG for 2 passes for almost 2 years. Very cheap shave BTW but after trying feather blades in the VDH everything changed I started trying XTG and has worked out good for me.
I think we're talking apples and oranges here, going by limited experience with getting a shave from a barber. They're using a straight, we're using DE, I'm assuming. There's no way I can get the BBS I expect and always get with just one with pass. Even with a slant. With a slant my stubble is noticeably less after each pass but I still need a third to get that BBS.
For awhile I used to think I was getting by on one pass back when was using multi bladed razors but I realized I hadn't even heard of passes back then. I would just stay on an area, resmearing the canned foam around until I was done there. I didn't shave with anything resembling a "pass".
For awhile I used to think I was getting by on one pass back when was using multi bladed razors but I realized I hadn't even heard of passes back then. I would just stay on an area, resmearing the canned foam around until I was done there. I didn't shave with anything resembling a "pass".
BBS for some people is unattainable no matter what method is used. Going ATG even XTG for some is a no go because of razor burn or ingrown hairs. Those with Sensitive skin might not be able to handle a third pass. Im quite content with DFS and only do WTG followed by XTG.
I've been blessed with insensitive skin, although my wife says it's all of me, I've only had a couple of instances of a skin problem after a shave in my entire life. I do three passes, and once I discovered and went exclusively vintage blades I get BBS every time, no chasing, just happens.
I knew a guy who could shave dry with Bic disposable razors.
