single pass shaves

[cityjim]

Anyone hone their own straight razors and get a near BBS single pass shave ?


I can get a full BBS with a touch up , of a second pass . Doesn't take me two full passes just hitting spots usually under the chin .

Please comment on your beard type and shave prep . Mine is a tough wire like beard with the full barber shave prep . Lather then hot towel for two minutes then shave .


cityjim

 

[AFDavis11]

Almost. I would say I get very close to BBS with about a pass and a half. I don't re-lather, using water only for the half pass. I use a few extra strokes after the WTG which are almost all ATG. The left side (off-side) of my face is easier to get because the ATG strokes get me BBS, but doing the same on the strong side is harder for me.

So I usually do two passes, or I suppose more accurately about a pass and a half.

My prep is pretty abnormal and includes no shower usually: 1) washing my face with ordinary soap, 2) washing again and leaving the soap on while I strop 3) washing a third time and leaving the soap on while I prep the lather 4) lathering up 5) rubbing the lather and letting it soak 6) lathering up again over the top of the original lather 7) drying my hands

Sometimes I heat a bowl of water on the stove because I keep my water temp down

I find that the pre-shower produces a more difficult shaving experience.

Oh, I missed part of your original question. Yes, of course I hone my own razors. Otherwise what would be the point?

 

[cityjim]

Forgot to add , my first pass is all (WTG) with the grain .


cityjim

 

[Luc]

I might be able to get there when I will have more experience but at the moment, nope, not there at all. I need 3 passes with touch-ups. I don't think I would be able to do a 1 pass shave as I clearly can't with a DE.

 

[mdunn]

having dislocated and generally ruined my left little finger recently, i was having trouble holding a straight (due to the splint) so I picked up a gem1912, arko and my frankenscotch chubby and had a great, quick, one pass very almost bbs shave.

ps, arko rules!!!!

 

[mparker762]

Everybody's beard is tough and wire-like BTW. I don't think there's ever been a single member here with a normal beard. Of course the membership here is far from a random sample, but still, I've seen some awfully normal-looking "tough and wire-like" beards walk into my house for honing lessons.

Back to the original question. Being a member of this board, my beard, of course, is tough and wire like, capable of dulling a feather mid-shave, jamming up the best electric razors, or suspending a M3 from my lips like some velcro-equipped aborigine. No prep, just lather and shave. I get BBS on my cheeks, upper lip, and neck with one pass; the chin, jaw, and jowls need two, the second one is XTG. I did the hot towel&lather, hair conditioner, etc stuff for several years and finally decided that although it's nice I could survive without it, especially after the wife commented on my morning prep being more elaborate than her spa facials. The time I save skipping prep I instead use for stropping.

I find that the pre-shower produces a more difficult shaving experience.

Same here. I think the shower softens my skin too much, or the skin aborbs enough water to get a little puffy or something, because a pre-shave shower seems to correlate with a lousy shave and at least one nick.