Never shave against the grain?

[mikeeliaspgh]

I have seen several posts out on the net saying that you should never shave against the grain - yet I have read in the forums here that a 3 pass shave is usually WTG / XTG / ATG

Here is one such post saying never to shave against the grain...
http://www.trumpers.com/shaving_tips.cfm

Please advise...

btw - this is my first post... I have been using my new set-up for about a week now...
Former Razor is Sensor Excel with Edge gel

New set-up:
Merkur 180 long handle
Feather blades
CO Bigelow cream
Tweezerman brush


(Posting this from my mobile phone - so I can't see the whole screen - please forgive typos / wordos...

 

[Graybeard57]

Welcome! Some here may advise you to hold off shaving ATG for a short while you get accustomed to the feel of the razor. It's not bad advice, but never ATG? I wouldn't advise that. Check out the tutorials on the homepage to get started. Best of luck, and enjoy your shaves.

Go Pens!

 

[Niles]

I agree with Graybeard. Waiting a while to try an atg pass is smart.

 

[Shave_Rat]

Welcome to B&B

The way I see the ATG/Never ATG goes like this... I wouldn't recommend trying it without warning that your skin/face may not like it, at all, ever. Since everyone is so different with skin sensitivity, hair thickness, etc., you can't really say that no one ever should shave ATG, just as the opposite is also true.

I shave every day, and every day has an ATG pass for a final cleanup. Others aren't able to do daily shaves, no matter what kind or how many passes. In the end only you can figure out what works for you. Lots of us can suggest things that have worked for us, or give advice on things that didn't work, but it's pretty tough to say "yes, this method will work for you", or "No, you shouldn't shave ATG, don't even try it".

My bet is the pamphlet is written to be the safest method least likely to cause issues to the largest percentage of the population, just to cover their butt so no one comes back with horror stories of following advice to shave ATG. Just my theory on that one... Oh, last note... I don't think a barber giving shave should try ATG on a client without at least asking them if it's OK first, because the barber has no way of knowing how the clients face will react unless he's told.

 

[Merk]

Welcome to B&B!

Good post for an I-phone. I was doing that in bed last night and that's when I realized how difficult it can be.

Anyway, I would +1 what Greybeard said. I have been DE shaving for 1 month today and I shave ATG on my 3rd pass pretty religiously. For me, though, it seems that is the only way to get a true BBS shave.
Yet, technique during my learning stages (first couple of weeks) was 100% important to doing it successfully without cleaving my face like a butcher on cow stock. I had to learn the way everyone learned their first time, which is with blood. I had to force myself to SLOW way down and use NO pressure at all unless I wanted to scare all the little kiddies when I went outside looking like a bloodbathed zombie.
And even at first when I thought I was being careful and using light enough pressure, I would cut myself still. That is how you learn.....by making mistakes. It is also how you donate blood, but thats another forum.
Eventually you "get it". And let me tell you, when that moment arrives, it is like Christmas time is here, happiness, and cheer, fun for all the children call, their favorite time of year....oh n/m.

 

[Craig_From_Cincy]

I shave ATG with each shave, each and every day. I do three passes, WTG, XTG, ATG depleting my beard incrementally with each pass. Good prep and a practiced technique is key to shaving ATG.

Craig

 

[cb91710]

I shave ATG with each shave, each and every day. I do three passes, WTG, XTG, ATG depleting my beard incrementally with each pass. Good prep and a practiced technique is key to shaving ATG.

Ditto.

My hair is fine, but curly. I can not get a good shave with an electric (the best electrics leave me with the equivalent of 36 hours' growth).
Shaving only WTG with anything gives the same result, or even worse.

When I shaved with carts, I never shaved WITH the grain! My strokes started at the base of my neck and went up to my eyes.


But it all depends on your beard, skin, prep, and skill.
Not everyone can shave ATG without getting ingrowns, but I'd say that the majority of people can.

 

[mikeeliaspgh]

I appreciate the help and the warm welcome, thank you...

--

So, sounds like as I thought, most of you shave ATG on the 3rd pass...

I don't think I can get a BBS shave without going ATG. With my sensor excel, I always did a two pass - XTG & ATG...
I have been going ATG with my Merkur on the 3rd pass - and then doing the final clean up with the sensor excel (my lip, chin, and neck seem to be the areas I will likely get a cut)

Over the last week I have read a lot of the content on this site and watch several videos from Mantic57 & Geo Fatboy.

Lastly, let me say I am really surprised how by how this whole thing can draw one in so deeply... I can't believe how much time I have spent learning / investigating over the last week...
It really gave me pause today as I realized that I was paying more attention to shaving than some of the current events in my children's lives..

Who would have thought shaving could help me realign / focus my priorities and time management...!!!

PS - @Greybeard57 - very observant of you to pick up on the PGH (with your Pens comment

 

[JerYnkFan]

I echo the other's sentiment that while you're learning don't go ATG. I've been DE shaving for about 3-4 months now and still don't go ATG on my adam's apple as it turns into weeper city and I don't really care about getting BBS.

 

[HUF]

For most of my shaving life (40 years mind you) I have ALWAYS done two passes: WTG & ATG. Maybe totally two-three times I only did WTG because I had to shave on an odd day.

 

[Snidely]

I shave daily. Two WTG passes. I've tried ATG and always, within a day or two, my face feels irritated. Two WTG gives me a nice close shave with no irritation. The website's advice would work for me. Clearly, others need to take different approaches. Experiment.

 

[BlackBear]

Just remember that no matter how experienced, or how long you have been shaving, months, years etc......some folks will never be able to tolerate the ATG pass. In those cases you just need to find a solution that works for you, like perhaps 2x XTG passes or some blade buffing etc, the goal is to get as close a shave as possible for your skin with minimum irritation.

 

[Foyle]

I never shave ATG; my face can't take it.

 

[Relentless]

I sadly cannot shave ATG. I get really really close to BBS almost every time; WTG, WTG, compound-XTG. When I go against the grain i almost always cut myself and generally rip up my neck. My beard pattern on my cheeks is from N to S generally. My entire neck is almost completely E to W, straight across. Going gently WTG is not much of a problem, and my compound-XTG pass is slightly ATG in places where it doesn't rip up my neck.

If you can get away with it, go for it. It should be the road to more easily obtained BBS shaves. As with all things shaving related: there are always best practices, but generally your mileage may vary. Forbidding ATG is not any best practice I've ever heard of.

Cheers!

 

[OkieStubble]

I think alot of advice threads that tell people to never shave against the grain, really mean, to never shave against the grain 'first'. Making the first pass ATG when the shaft of the whisker is longer, will give the resulting cut that is left behind on the end of the whisker a very sharp angle. This angled cut on the hair can promote ingrowns and makes for a rough shave. Shaving WTG on the first pass reduces the longer whiskers to stubble as does the second pass XTG reduces it even more.

By the time the shave introduces the ATG pass, the whiskers stubble is reduced to the point that a angle cannot be produced on the shortened shaft and allow for a closer, smoother end result.

 

[Steveareno]

I think alot of advice threads that tell people to never shave against the grain, really mean, to never shave against the grain 'first'. Making the first pass ATG when the shaft of the whisker is longer, will give the resulting cut that is left behind on the end of the whisker a very sharp angle. This angled cut on the hair can promote ingrowns and makes for a rough shave. Shaving WTG on the first pass reduces the longer whiskers to stubble as does the second pass XTG reduces it even more.

By the time the shave introduces the ATG pass, the whiskers stubble is reduced to the point that a angle cannot be produced on the shortened shaft and allow for a closer, smoother end result.

This may be the best description of what happens with a WTG/XTG/ATG shave I've seen. This is exactly my experience. Thanks, Rob.

 

[Emanon]

I shave AGT and I have since day one of DE shaving. I do 3 passes and I can't honestly say which pass is ATG. I think my hair grows in multiple directions and just goes everywhere. My first pass is is down stokes working from my sideburns to the base of my neck. My second pass is side strokes ear toward nose(face and neck) and my last pass is upward starting at the base of my neck and working up to my sideburns.

 

[Ron Scott]

Become an expert on shaving your own face. There are reasonable tips to be found but what works for one guy might not work for another.

 

[sgreenstreet]

Me too. I go with and against the grain. I have a tricky place on each side of the adam's apple that I sometimes take across the grain, but only if the first two passes didn't work.

 

[shavious]

To echo what most of these fine gentlemen have said, going ATG isn't a requirement for getting a close, comfortable shave. For some folks, its not even required for a BBS shave. I would recommend getting a few WTG and XTG shaves under your belt before giving ATG a shot, but if your skin can tolerate it a solid ATG pass can result in an incredibly close shave.