Reducing number of passes & WTG question

[wulfgar1976]

For a while now, I have been doing six passes as it was the only way to guarantee a good shave. I would do two WTG, two XTG and two ATG passes. Recently, I have noticed that my beard seems to lay flatter against my skin, which makes getting a good shave awkward. I just put it down to the weather as it is minus one outside and I have always found getting a good shave to be harder in the winter months.

A couple of days ago, I was daydreaming while shaving and forgot to do a second WTG pass. By the time I realised, I just carried on as normal and ended up with an excellent shave and noticed that my beard wasn't quite as flat against my skin that day. I'm wondering if doing two WTG passes was causing a problem?

Now that I know what razors and blades I prefer and am more confident of my skills, I'm going to try one WTG, one XTG and two ATG and see how that goes. I have learned to shave meticulously enough that I can eliminate the extra WTG and XTG passes but my chin, upper lip and neck are far too stubborn for just one ATG pass as my beard is very tough in those places.

 

[LordTyranus]

6 passes !!!!!
wow you must have a very tough skin to support such a treatment.

Since I started DE shaving, I constantly reduced the number of passes to reach now 2 passes XTG and ATG which give almost BBS each without irritation.

Even if your beard is very thick, I'm surprised that you need so many passes to have a good shave. 3 or maybe 4 passes at most must be enough.
I'm wondering whether there is something wrong with your preparation, blade, razor... ?

Otherwise, if you want to do a 4 pass shave, you can try the technique explained some time ago on B&B :
1st pass : N-S
2nd and 3rd passes : forming the letter V on both sides of your face.
4th pass : S-N

 

[wulfgar1976]

6 passes !!!!!
wow you must have a very tough skin to support such a treatment.

Since I started DE shaving, I constantly reduced the number of passes to reach now 2 passes XTG and ATG which give almost BBS each without irritation.

Even if your beard is very thick, I'm surprised that you need so many passes to have a good shave. 3 or maybe 4 passes at most must be enough.
I'm wondering whether there is something wrong with your preparation, blade, razor... ?

I actually have sensitive skin but my beard grows so quickly that I don't think the blade is really coming into contact with my skin until the ATG passes.

I think the problem is that I have been doing six passes out of habit when it's not really necessary. I'm sure I can reduce the number to four (plus touch-ups) without any issues. I always take time to prepare my beard by keeping it wet and placing a hot, wet flannel over my face for a few minutes, and I always use the sharpest, smoothest blades in my open comb razors. Even with a Feather, I have to be meticulous and slow going over my chin but I have started using a slight sideways motion which makes it much easier.

 

[Slash McCoy]

My everyday shave is a single pass, more or less WTG. With a decent straight that is all I require. If I can't shave the next day I go another pass, atg.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

6 passes !!!!!
wow you must have a very tough skin to support such a treatment.

Not to mention he shaves outside in -1 degree weather!

 

[Patrik]

Six passes does seem like a bit much. I did four passes (WTG, 2xXTG, ATG), then stopped going for the BBS because it gave me way too much grief: irritation, weepers, and ingrowns. So I gave up the ATG and the second XTG pass. Some days I even just do 2xWTG. At worst I get a CCS, with DFS as a norm.

Granted, I'm attributing the directions of my passes to the passes on my cheeks - during my second pass I go ATG on my neck, under the jawline, my upper lip, and just under my lower lip. But it still amounts to two passes, usually with a little touching up.

 

[ackvil]

I do a four pass shave on my face and a three pass shave on my neck. On my neck I have eliminated the WTG pass and the results have been much better.

 

[gearchow]

Not to mention he shaves outside in -1 degree weather!

with an ax. he is Wulfgar after all.

I just can't imagine that the second WTG pass of your 6 pass shave causes your beard to grow flat. Probably some other factor like you said. It is my experience that hair in general reacts to humidity.

-jim

 

[wulfgar1976]

I tried just four passes this morning and it went very well with my skin ending up as smooth as a billiard ball. I'll stick to four passes in future, five on a bad beard day

 

[fccexpert]

I only do a single pass, but it is a mix of WTG, XTG and ATG depending on what part of the face I am working on. This is because I don't determine the direction of the stroke based on the "grain". Instead, I use the most natural stroke I can for each part of my face. Interestingly, I find that the quality and comfort of the shave is the same over my entire face. I personally believe that most of the problems people seem to have with wet shaving (irritation, nicks, poor quality shaves) are due to trying to force an unnatural motion on the shave. My advice, do what seems the most natural and the most comfortable, and avoid anything that seems forced or awkward.

 

[kingfisher]

I only do a single pass, but it is a mix of WTG, XTG and ATG depending on what part of the face I am working on. This is because I don't determine the direction of the stroke based on the "grain". Instead, I use the most natural stroke I can for each part of my face. Interestingly, I find that the quality and comfort of the shave is the same over my entire face. I personally believe that most of the problems people seem to have with wet shaving (irritation, nicks, poor quality shaves) are due to trying to force an unnatural motion on the shave. My advice, do what seems the most natural and the most comfortable, and avoid anything that seems forced or awkward.

That's an interesting approach.

However, I can tell you definitively that if I only did one pass, no matter how I did it, I would not have a good shave.

I think a lot of the variance around here is due to differences in beards. I have very fast-growing and very tough stubble; in a week I could have a respectable beard. Thus I have to shave every day. In areas where the stubble density is low, shaving with a DE is easy. I often wish my entire beard were like those areas; then the shave would be simple and fun. But unfortunately I have some areas that are just very densely packed with very tough hairs, so DE shaving is a constant challenge.

 

[pauls51]

That's an interesting approach.

However, I can tell you definitively that if I only did one pass, no matter how I did it, I would not have a good shave.

+1....

That is how I used to shave with my M3... but like all things wet shaving YMMV