Do we "overshave"?

[bassmanlarry]

I started out just doing one pass WTG, I was taught you never ever go ATG. Found may way here and found out about 3 and 4 pass shaves, and decided to give it a go the next day. I ended up with some wicked razor burn on my neck, but most of that can be contributed to bad technique (it was my first week) But, three weeks into it, I've been getting DFS with 2 passes, first WTG and second ATG with maybe some XTG for touchups.

 

[mattymatt]

I have to do three passes to get a smooth shave. No iritation for me though.

 

[Hawkeyeted]

"Overshave"? What is that? I don't know what that means....

 

[franz]

thanks, yea Im glad it has worked out. My skin is so sensitive, I can't even use MWF or Musgo Real. [...] I also have to limit my use of warm lather, While warm lather is a luxury and i'm not totally giving it up, the heat does take it's toll on my skin. I get excellent results when I just face lather, mainly because the lather isnt warm and thus since it's room temperature it works great. It isnt the warm lather itself, it's the heat from the lather that my skin doesnt care for.

You should try cold water shaving.

 

[probesport]

You should try cold water shaving.

I would except for the temperature of the water would have to be different.

 

[vann]

3 passes twice a day. I have to wear a half face and some times a full face mask at work which requires that I be clean shaven at all times, plus I work 12 hour shifts.

Using my tech I usually don't get any razor burn. At least I like to shave

 

[Monkeydad]

2 passes a day for me.

 

[mattface]

I think a lot of us are giving ourselves baber-shop quality shaves "because we can". We have the luxury of time and tools to give ourselves that great a shave every day if we so chose, and so we so choose. I suspect in earlier times shaving every day was indeed a luxury most men didn't have, but when they went to the barbershop for a shave they could get the same quality of 2 or 3 pass shave we're giving ourselves, and if they could afford the time and cost every day, some might just have done so.

Using carts, I found shaving onerous, and the ATG passes irritating, so I settled for a single pass. I think my first pass is actually better than my single pass was with carts, but I'm also finding 2 pass shaves are not particularly more time consuming than the single pass shaves and blade banging I ws doing less frequently before. SO for myself, I'm getting better shaves day in and day out. It really is a luxury, but it's one I can afford both in terms of time and money, in fact as far as consumables go it really is more affordable than carts. I would only consider myself over shaving if it were causing irritation, but my skin is better and less irritated than it was when I shaved one pass twice a week. So no, I don't think we're over shaving, we're simply enjoying a luxury that once might have been out fo reach.

 

[IridiumMourner]

A two pass WTG/XTG just doesn't satisfy me. It leaves enough stubble on my neck to cause a bit of irritation if I sweat. I've settled on a 3 pass WTG/XTG/ATG shave every other day. I actually enjoy the one day stubble in between shaves.

 

[Bulging_Biceps]

I think there is another aspect to the skin problems i'd been having. I have been cursed with the worse beard genetics known to mankind. What I mean by that is I literally can't grow a beard and I'm 22. My beard grows very slowly and when it does come in only a few spots come in and the rest is bare. I've let me beard grow for a month with no noticable beard, just patches. What does come up just gets longer, basically. Some guys can shave every single day with no problem because if they shave in the morning, when they wake up the next day, they will have pretty noticible stubble growth. I used to shave every other day with DE's because my beard growth didn't warrant shaving every single day but because I'm addicted to shaving and love it, I chose to shave every single day. I may be forced to go back to every other day in order to let my skin heal up more and 2, to actually get stubble to shave. For me to shave every day, when I do shave, there is almost no noticable stubble and I really do think that a problem I've been having is that by shaving every day, there isnt enough hair for my blade to latch on to so to speak and so instead of cuttin hair, I merely mow over skin layers.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Two and touchups is good enough for me...

FL shaver:
+ 1 but I shave;

1st Pass - WTG & XTG (chin area only)

2ns Pass- ATG w/ touch-ups

And I'm good for the day!!!

Christopher

"Life is [like] a razor, you are always in hot water or a scrape" Anonymous

 

[Patrik]

I've gone from 4 passes as a DE/injector/SE noob to 1-2 passes after just over a year under my belt. Gillette Slide FTW!

 

[the.village.idiot]

Hmmmm... interesting thought... would love to hear some chatter around it...

Is it better (on the face that is) to use a more aggresive razor with LESS passes, or a less aggresive razor with MORE passes?

I for one, being a relative newbie to the sport, and needing to refine my technique, would tend to think that less aggresive & more passes will give me a more irritation free, (approaching BBS) shave...

Thoughts?

 

[Go West Young Man]

Is it better (on the face that is) to use a more aggresive razor with LESS passes, or a less aggresive razor with MORE passes?

Yes.

 

[touchdowntodd]

You should try cold water shaving.

this will help irritation you say huh?

i might have to try this tomorow morning

 

[namonarpos]

Is it better (on the face that is) to use a more aggresive razor with LESS passes, or a less aggresive razor with MORE passes?

I for one, being a relative newbie to the sport, and needing to refine my technique, would tend to think that less aggresive & more passes will give me a more irritation free, (approaching BBS) shave...

Thoughts?

YMMV and all that. I prefer a more aggressive razor with fewer passes. I unknowingly got an aggressive razor when I started out (I hadn't found B&B at that point), and it forced me to really focus on my technique. Now that I've gotten decent enough, the aggressive DE makes things quicker when I need to get out the door, and gives me close shaves when I'm not in a rush.

 

[BlackBard]

Partial quote:

For my $.02, I think this unbridled pursuit of the Platonic "BBS" is a bit much and sets people (i.e. noobs) up for frustration and what they see as "failure" when they are, in fact, getting objectively fantastic shaves.

Good point. I make two passes, plus touch-ups, and always get at least a DFS. I shave my cheeks and chin WTG, then XTG. Shave my neck N/S (generally WTG), then S/N (which is mostly ATG, as the hair grows in all kinds of directions). A little blade buffing for touch-up and I'm done.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

I usually do a 2-3 pass shave.. I don't think I am over-shaving..