Number of Passes - What is Traditional?

[Raissermesser]

My father and grandfather did a one-pass shave. My father sometimes shaved twice if there was an important event in the evening.

That said, there was a Schick Injector add that boasted a one pass shave as good as a two-pass. There was also an interesting bit of dialog in an episode of Leave It to Beaver where the barber suggested Wally have a once-over. The "barber" was played by the same actor who would play Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show.

 

[VBH37118]

My father and grandfather did a one-pass shave. My father sometimes shaved twice if there was an important event in the evening.

That said, there was a Schick Injector add that boasted a one pass shave as good as a two-pass. There was also an interesting bit of dialog in an episode of Leave It to Beaver where the barber suggested Wally have a once-over. The "barber" was played by the same actor who would play Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show.

Three pass shaves were not heard of back then. I have had Numerous barber shaves in the 1970’s, never more than one pass or a once over shave, which was the norm According to the barber. All shaves were lathered on a dry face, no hot Towels, water felt tepid to cold. The Internet created a lot of shaving rules, such as (proper shave). Who Dictates what should be a proper shave, history does not lie.

 

[Tallships]

There are just to many variables to say what is the norm. I just get into my morning routine and enjoy my shave every morning and if I'm having fun shaving this old face I just might enjoy a third pass.

 

[VBH37118]

You hit the nail on the head. Shaving the way you enjoy, not telling people what a ( proper shave) is. I don’t get how some people who started shaving after Cartridge razors came out Decided how de shaves should be done. If it’s Because of the hobby part of it I Understand doing 3 and 4 passes. How ever trying to tell people they were doing it wrong , when all there was to shave with was de and straights and we seemed to get all done right without Problems. Just what I Witnessed and Experienced.

 

[magoo75]

For some shaving is just something that needs to be done. For some it’s a hobby . Then others it’s a compulsion not unlike OCD. That’s my consensus anyway.

 

[VBH37118]

I think you are 100 percent right.

 

[Tallships]

You hit the nail on the head. Shaving the way you enjoy, not telling people what a ( proper shave) is. I don’t get how some people who started shaving after Cartridge razors came out Decided how de shaves should be done. If it’s Because of the hobby part of it I Understand doing 3 and 4 passes. How ever trying to tell people they were doing it wrong , when all there was to shave with was de and straights and we seemed to get all done right without Problems. Just what I Witnessed and Experienced.

For some shaving is just something that needs to be done. For some it’s a hobby . Then others it’s a compulsion not unlike OCD. That’s my consensus anyway.

Plus 1. When many of us here at B&B started shaving, there were no cartridge razors, we shaved because we had to for our jobs dealing with the public, As a young man or teenager and after I learned my technique I enjoyed my morning shave, It started my new day, sort of a me time, a time to collect my thoughts and plan my day.

 

[DougK]

When I started DE shaving a dozen years ago, the conventional forum wisdom was a three- or four-pass shave (WTG, XTG, an optional XTG the other direction, and ATG), so I dutifully made those passes. After a while, though, I figured out that if I did it right, two careful passes (WTG and ATG) were more than close enough, a lot quicker, and a whole lot easier on my face.

 

[guitarslinger]

This is a good thread. After 4,000+ de shaves, I do 1 main pass and a thorough touch up session on my neck right and chin. I call it 1.5 passes. I don’t really like doing more than that. I’m getting closest, smoothest shaves of my life right now with this method.

 

[VBH37118]

When I started DE shaving a dozen years ago, the conventional forum wisdom was a three- or four-pass shave (WTG, XTG, an optional XTG the other direction, and ATG), so I dutifully made those passes. After a while, though, I figured out that if I did it right, two careful passes (WTG and ATG) were more than close enough, a lot quicker, and a whole lot easier on my face.

So come to find out that is a (proper shave). Not what other people think it should be.

 

[VBH37118]

This is a good thread. After 4,000+ de shaves, I do 1 main pass and a thorough touch up session on my neck right and chin. I call it 1.5 passes. I don’t really like doing more than that. I’m getting closest, smoothest shaves of my life right now with this method.

Maybe Whoever started this Internet rule of 3 and 4 pass shaves could just be wrong.

 

[Roy]

This is a good thread. After 4,000+ de shaves, I do 1 main pass and a thorough touch up session on my neck right and chin. I call it 1.5 passes. I don’t really like doing more than that. I’m getting closest, smoothest shaves of my life right now with this method.

Hi, I've recently started to do this and 1 pass plus touch up has given me very close shaves and superb skin.
I feel guys who get bumps irritation etc keep on doing 3 or 4 passes.
I shave every day.

 

[guitarslinger]

Hi, I've recently started to do this and 1 pass plus touch up has given me very close shaves and superb skin.
I feel guys who get bumps irritation etc keep on doing 3 or 4 passes.
I shave every day.

Yep. If I miss one day, it screws up how I feel physically. Lol

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

My dad always did a single pass. The norm? Who knows. If I could get it all in one pass I would, but my dense stubble requires a second pass. And touch-ups of course. But I’ll say, even if my skin could handle a third pass, I’d be bored out of my mind by then. I’m already done by the second pass but plow through it anyway for a DFS.

Having said that, I can’t imagine throngs of men in the early days doing three full passes every day before going to work.

 

[MNshaver71]

I don't think I ever did multiple passes before I discovered this forum a few years ago. Now I routinely do a 2 pass shave (whether cartridge or DE), and I do think I get better results, and with a DE razor I do need to do some post-2nd pass cleanup of certain spots. I personally think anything beyond that is diminishing returns.

 

[VBH37118]

My dad always did a single pass. The norm? Who knows. If I could get it all in one pass I would, but my dense stubble requires a second pass. And touch-ups of course. But I’ll say, even if my skin could handle a third pass, I’d be bored out of my mind by then. I’m already done by the second pass but plow through it anyway for a DFS.

Having said that, I can’t imagine throngs of men in the early days doing three full passes every day before going to work.

That’s Because they Didn’t have time, there was no internet to tell them that they had it all wrong.

 

[Yukonmark]

Just the one with a Shavette 2 with a DE to get the same result.
My Dad's generation was strictly one pass only.