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I also use a similar technique.
Does anyone else go ATG first pass?
- Thread starter Gatts
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I also use a similar technique.
For years as a daily shaver I did a mixture 1 pass shave. Some parts wtg, some xtg and some atg. It worked for the most part but I was shaving because I had to, not because I wanted to enjoy the experience. Now I have moved on and do a wtg pass with touch ups and get the same results.
I shave ATG 1st pass all the time. In doing so ,my reasoning is that the skin has not yet become tender and too sensitized due to prolonged contact with the lather. Which often gives rise to cuts, weepers and skin irritation.
Starting with a mild razor for the 1st pass I will then introduce shims under the blade for the XTG 2nd pass and increase the shimming for the final WTG 3rd pass to achieve a BBS finish!
My shims are homemade from bit of plastic (often made from food containers) and vary in thickness up to 0.95mm which requires a cautious and a gentle light touch for the final 3rd pass. I fit them in the razor under the blade. I do not cut shims from old razor blades. Shims using old razor blades are just not thick enough to tackle my beard and stubble
I'm also a great believer in the use of pre shave oil and will often use it again prior to lathering up for the 3rd WTG pass
Enjoy some fantastic consistent and close shaves using this method
Starting with a mild razor for the 1st pass I will then introduce shims under the blade for the XTG 2nd pass and increase the shimming for the final WTG 3rd pass to achieve a BBS finish!
My shims are homemade from bit of plastic (often made from food containers) and vary in thickness up to 0.95mm which requires a cautious and a gentle light touch for the final 3rd pass. I fit them in the razor under the blade. I do not cut shims from old razor blades. Shims using old razor blades are just not thick enough to tackle my beard and stubble
I'm also a great believer in the use of pre shave oil and will often use it again prior to lathering up for the 3rd WTG pass
Enjoy some fantastic consistent and close shaves using this method
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If you believe "the skin has not yet become tender and too sensitized due to prolonged contact with the lather", I suggest that you may be using the wrong soap. A good soap should not make your skin tender or sensitized; it should do the opposite.
It is a well known fact that all soaps, and creams, deplete the skin of its natural barriers which can cause irritation and lead to skin disorders. In shaving, when the skin is in an exfoliated state, tender, delicate and sensitized these risks are exacerbated by the mechanical and friction effect of the blade movement on the skin. That why the subject of skin irritation is such a regular and major topic on this forum. Therefore, I personally, don't wish to go out of my way to ruin an enjoyable shaving experience and successfully use any cream or soap of my choice.
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Sometimes I'll do ATG for the second pass. Not as comfortable as on the third pass, but doable.
I would only use ATG on the first pass if I killed somebody and required punishment.
I would only use ATG on the first pass if I killed somebody and required punishment.
Never ATG, ever.
I'd like to try this. Any special instructions? Does AGT first pass include the mustache and neck?
I can only speak for myself. Normally I shave ATG-upper lip, but not the very lower neck as it can cause irritation during my first pass.
The most important important instruction is this:
If it feels uncomfortable, stop doing it.
The reward for doing it right fades in 8-23 hours and the hazards last longer. You can always come back to it. If you get it right the first time and keep getting it right, you can come back here and lord it over me. Nothing but options in every direction.
You need to achieve a light touch on your skin while having a firm hold on your razor. If you don’t, the extra resistance of the against the grain pattern will guide the blade right into your skin. If you’re one of those people who use a light grip to get a light touch, this goes from a “having your dessert first” experience to a one-way ticket to Scraped Face City.
Hydrate your whiskers as much as possible. You want them to be piñatas. That, and a slick lather. It’s an uphill struggle when the blade touches your skin, so the slipperier the better.
Beyond that; probably even that; is personal preference. Some folks change blades frequently to keep only sharpest blade on their face. Others keep using the same blade for over 100 shaves. Some shave everyday and some shave once a week. Some use rigid setups like a Schick Injector or Feather Artist Club and some use a Mühle R41.
If you’re an obsessive, it’s a great exercise in way overdoing slightly under doing a task.
In my struggles to get everything right
Sometimes I forget and do it. No harm if I do.
I don’t go ATG at all. I do 2 passes, WTG and XTG, and call it a day. It’s never a BBS shave, but it’s always a DFS, and I don’t suffer like I do if I go ATG.
I just went AGT first pass, including mustache and neck, and I achieved a great shave. One of the best shaves so far. I can't say with any certainty that I would want to do this as a daily thing, because the level of attention required is through the roof.
Thank you for your suggestions and help.
I have tried it. However, I find the traditional progression works well and causes no pain or irritation; so I stick with W, X, and then A. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
No.. tried it and it didn't felt right since you pull the hair rather then shave it which is a recipe to develop ingrowns, wtg, atg and clean up works best for me
Glad to read it worked well for you. As I said earlier in the thread, both my best and my worst shaves come from ATG-only capers.
That level of attention you mentioned is why a three pass shave is quicker for me, but I keep telling myself more practice will make these shenanigans pay off.
This is a great virtue to be cultivated when wet shaving...saves blood loss! -You could also try a milder razor it the strain in concentration is too much....
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