Do You HAVE TO Do More Than One Pass When Using a Safety Razor/Wet Shaving?

[Tat2d Bald Dude]

Since I've arrived here, I've heard of many of the guys mentioning that, whether it be to truly get a Baby-Butt-Smooth shave or just merely because of routine/method, they make 3 passes when wet shaving with a safety razor. The routine will go something like this:

-Lather up
-Shave with the grain
-Rinse and Re-Lather
-Shave against the grain
-Rinse and Re-Lather
-Shave across the Grain
-Rinse/Done

Now, to a newbie like me who is looking to switch to wet-shaving, not only for a closer shave but also hoping to keep the same shaving time if not reduce it by a few minutes, that Lather-Shave-Rinse-Repeat routine seems a bit time-consuming. So...my question...

Do I absolutely HAVE TO shave following that "3-Pass" routine if I want to get a BBS shave or at least a shave closer to the one that I'm getting with a cartridge razor...or can I get a BBS shave or even a closer shave than I'm getting now by, say, just going against the grain (like I currently do)?

 

[Emmett]

Start with one pass WTG and get comfortable with the technique before you add more passes. You may get a great shave (but maybe not BBS) with one or two passes. Bottom line, it's an individual process and you absolutely do not have to do three passes if you don't want to. Just be aware that DE shaving works by gradual beard reduction, so one pass with a DE will generally not be as close a shave as one pass with a multi-blade cartridge.

 

[Emmett]

And no, you do not want to make your only pass with a DE ATG!

 

[AsylumGuido]

I never do a three pass shave. Two passes (WTG/XTG above the neck and WTG/ATG below the chin) do me quite well, approaching BBS. I could very well get away with a single pass, and do at times. I don't feel that BBS is necessary. As long as you can't see any stubble it is fine with me.

 

[bonusmarple]

A one-pass ATG shave does not get you BBS and is not very comfortable.

 

[uberlegit]

Do I absolutely HAVE TO shave following that "3-Pass" routine if I want to get a BBS shave or at least a shave closer to the one that I'm getting with a cartridge razor...or can I get a BBS shave or even a closer shave than I'm getting now by, say, just going against the grain (like I currently do)?

No. The Badger and Blade Police are not going to knock down your bathroom door if you "get it wrong;" your shave ritual is yours and yours alone.

You could maybe get away with a one pass shave, but you'll be more likely to attract irritation.

Don't do a 1-pass against the grain. You'll be more likely to get a passable 1-pass shave with an across the grain motion.

 

[SpyvSpy]

I always do two WTG passes and if I feel like it one ATG. IMO to get BBS you need to do ATG but not as the first shave.

 

[Mer]

I do one with the grain, one against the grain and then random touch ups.

Don't know about everyone else but my passes are usually not one long single pass. It's usually a bunch of short strokes all in the same "line". Would that be buffing as it's called?

Eric

 

[uberlegit]

Don't know about everyone else but my passes are usually not one long single pass. It's usually a bunch of short strokes all in the same "line". Would that be buffing as it's called?

Sounds pretty par for the course. Buffing is sort of a thing of its own. The strokes are almost circular (parallel to the face, not perpendicular... )

 

[Mer]

Sounds pretty par for the course. Buffing is sort of a thing of its own. The strokes are almost circular (parallel to the face, not perpendicular... )

Well then I'm definitely not a "buffer. Probably more of a short stroker then....

 

[guru]

I'm lucky to have the beard/face combination that makes it easy to shave. With my Bull Mastiff I am able to pull off a one pass ATG (with proper prep), presentable shave. Don't do it, but with 2 passes I get a DFS. You might as well do the passes, you have the lather all ready. Hard to make just enough for one pass.

 

[AsylumGuido]

I must add that I use a "Gillette Slide" (I know GEM touted is first, Dave ) on my passes which is more effective than a standard straight stroke. Here is is mentioned in the instruction booklet that came with the 1904 Double Ring. This one is Achim's, but is exactly the same as the one I had. See the second column on the lower left page. But, read the whole booklet. It is great. Even my wife enjoyed it when she first saw it.

You'll also see that the Double Ring was the first true adjustable in the first column on the lower left.

 

[AverageJoe]

Of course you don't HAVE to, but you get smoother results with more passes in different directions. BTW, after I have at least 2 days growth, I usually DO use a ATG first pass on my neck---sometimes with a WTG follow-up pass. Works great for me. If I do WTG first, THEN ATG, I get major razor burn.

 

[kingfisher]

I love this line: "If you do not succeed with the Gillette Razor you may be sure it is not the fault of the razor."

That's awesome. We should tell that to all the newbies if they complain about their shave.

 

[Vermifuge]

Since I've arrived here, I've heard of many of the guys mentioning that, whether it be to truly get a Baby-Butt-Smooth shave or just merely because of routine/method, they make 3 passes when wet shaving with a safety razor. The routine will go something like this:

-Lather up
-Shave with the grain
-Rinse and Re-Lather
-Shave against the grain
-Rinse and Re-Lather
-Shave across the Grain
-Rinse/Done

Now, to a newbie like me who is looking to switch to wet-shaving, not only for a closer shave but also hoping to keep the same shaving time if not reduce it by a few minutes, that Lather-Shave-Rinse-Repeat routine seems a bit time-consuming. So...my question...

Do I absolutely HAVE TO shave following that "3-Pass" routine if I want to get a BBS shave or at least a shave closer to the one that I'm getting with a cartridge razor...or can I get a BBS shave or even a closer shave than I'm getting now by, say, just going against the grain (like I currently do)?

I learned quickly that you can't really rush this process. The concept of reducing the beard seems to save on irritation and razor burn. 2 passes and a 3rd with some blade buffing gats me a near perfect BBS shave. I don't feel I have lost any more time then I normally would have.

One thing I have leaned is to shave the night before and not the morning of. A good BBS shave the night before can last me over 24 hours. I never feel rushed.

 

[salisburyyates]

While I was not a fan of BBS when I started DE shaving, it does become something you crave as time goes on.

The reason for that is because one pass of beard reduction leaves some parts completely smooth and other parts rough. This feels really uneven and gross when you are done so I always need 3 passes.

I hate putting aftershave on a half rough/half smooth face. It's just unpleasant.

 

[infotech]

There's no two ways about it - a DE/Brush will never be faster than a cartridge/foam one pass shave.

I don't use three passes unless I want a really close shave. Normally I stick with 1 WTG and 1 ATG pass. here recently I've even gone with two WTG passes.

You'll have to experiment to find out what you can get by with. For example, one pass WTG would be enough to knock down my whiskers except for my chin, where two passes is a must. The second pass on my chin has to be at least XTG to knock them down and ATG for BBS..

 

[Monkeydad]

I love this line: "If you do not succeed with the Gillette Razor you may be sure it is not the fault of the razor."

That's awesome. We should tell that to all the newbies if they complain about their shave.

We need that as a banner at the top of the site...maybe even a speech bubble coming from the badger saying it.

 

[AsylumGuido]

I love this line: "If you do not succeed with the Gillette Razor you may be sure it is not the fault of the razor."

That's awesome. We should tell that to all the newbies if they complain about their shave.

Yup! That has always been my favorite line.

 

[Fairchild86]

there's no two ways about it - a de/brush will never be faster than a cartridge/foam one pass shave.

I don't use three passes unless i want a really close shave. Normally i stick with 1 wtg and 1 atg pass. Here recently i've even gone with two wtg passes.

You'll have to experiment to find out what you can get by with. For example, one pass wtg would be enough to knock down my whiskers except for my chin, where two passes is a must. The second pass on my chin has to be at least xtg to knock them down and atg for bbs..

+1