Open Razors & The One Pass Shave

[Goblin]

Although I am a shavette user rather than a straight razor user, I think what I have to say here should apply to straight razors as well.

When I learned to shave with a DE razor I learned about making several passes of increasing closeness and aggression, usually one or more "reduction passes" prior to a final pass that completes the shave. It's the final pass that gives you the close shave you want. The preceding passes are by means of making that possible. As far as DE razors are concerned, I would say that this process seems to be sound - I can't imagine going straight to the "final" pass using a DE razor. Ouch!

When I started using straight razor and shavettes, I continued to employ the principle of reduction passes, and my shaves usually consist of 2 or 2 and a half passes plus touch ups.

But here's the thing. Over the past few months I have watched several videos of Indian and Turkish barbers - experienced shavette users - delivering immaculate shaves for their clients in one pass. They go ATG from the beginning, even if the customer has a week or more of growth. Come to think of it, I am pretty sure I have also seen a well known member of this forum mowing down a 6 month beard in one pass using a customised Gold Dollar. Again, they simply went ATG from the start.

Today, I decided to try and copy this approach with my Feather AC razor on 2 days of growth. I managed to achieve the same closeness as usual, very close to BBS, except I got there in one pass instead of 2 and a half. I would also say that my skin thanked me for the lower number of passes.

True, there were a couple of weepers, which is not typical for me, but I think they could probably be eliminated if I spent a few shaves practicing this approach - a bit more skin stretching and care tackling the thicker growth ought to do it.

So, I guess these are the questions:

- Are reduction passes truly needed when using an open blade razor?
- Have you ever attempted a "one pass" shave with your open blade, and what were the results like?

Perhaps this is some kind of open secret that straight razor users have always known, and I am just working out for myself!

Happy shaves, gentlemen!

 

[Alum of Potash]

I typically do a 2 pass plus touch-up shave with shavettes and straight razors, as well as with safety razors. As tend to shave every three days or so, the first pass is WTG for beard reduction. If I go ATG there from the start, I will end up with irritation and possibly weepers, particularly at the base of my neck. It’s only on the second pass, with the beard reduced, that I can go ATG without a problem.

Now, if I were to shave every day, my beard might thereby be sufficiently « reduced » that I could skip the first pass and begin with the second plus touch-ups. I have tried this when I have needed to be clean-shaven for two days in a row or when. But it is never as comfortable for me as it is with a two pass plus touch-up shave every three days or so.

That said, every one’s skin and hair type varies, so if it works for you, that’s great. Thanks for sharing your results.

 

[Goblin]

If I go ATG there from the start, I will end up with irritation and possibly weepers, particularly at the base of my neck.

It's true weepers may be an issue. They aren't normal for me and it remains to be proven that I can eliminate them with additional practice.

As I say, the Indian and Turkish barbers seem to manage it on customers by using a lot of skin stretching quite close to the area being shaved. Harder to do this on yourself than someone else I suspect, but today's results definitely warrant further experiments.

 

[Gamma]

Kind of impossible to accurately judge a shave based on watching a video. Even more impossible to judge a someone elses shave against your own without knowing if they have the same identical beard. They probably don't.
People all over shave many different ways. Have seen barbers in India or similar regions going over sections of the face multiple times. Have seen them do one and done shave too. Whatever works is whatever works. I've done ATG first multiple times. My whiskers grow in crop circles so I always need follow up passes to get to a shave I consider to be satisfactory. There are guys that shave WTG one and done. different strokes for different folks.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

The whiskers on my neck grow in two different directions, in the same space. So even if I want to do ATG only, I do two passes below the jaw. Actually my chin grows in three directions but I'm often wearing a goatee so it's not getting shaved.

I usually do multiple pass/ reduction but I decided to do ATG only today. Worked out to one pass on the cheeks, two full passes plus cleanup below the jaw. It was faster. Not sure if it was easier but my skin feels great.

 

[stringer bean]

I wear a beard. I use a straight to shave my neck and clean my lines. One and done every other day works great for me.