Right from the very first straight razor shave! I have no fear, but some might say no brains - but never to my face.
This is also known as the devil's pass.
The "Fool's Pass"
- Thread starter cbrf3_97
- Start date
Right from the very first straight razor shave! I have no fear, but some might say no brains - but never to my face.
This is also known as the devil's pass.
‘The Devil’s Pass’ I like it.Right from the very first straight razor shave! I have no fear, but some might say no brains - but never to my face.
This is also known as the devil's pass.
Wouldn’t that be ATG?
My upper lip gets the following...
- WTG / NS pass
- XTG: W to E on the left side and E to W on the right side
- Diagonal pass SSW to NNE on the left and SSE to NNW on the right side.
I know I tried it relatively early in my straight razor journey. I've never had an issue with cutting myself or irritation. Despite having a sensitive neck other parts of my face are surprisingly resilient.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I now do a Fool's Pass with every shave (SR at least daily). This done for two reasons; I like a BBS upper lip and it gives a good indication of the edge condition. For the rest of my shave I prefer a DFS finish so that I have some whiskers to shave in 24 hours.
Doing a Fool's Pass (upper lip ATG) was the last main technique that I worked on. I probably started on doing it about SR shave No. 30. Then I realised that my edges could do with just a little more refining. My original method for a Fool's Pass was as @Slash McCoy mentioned. My edges and technique are now such that I can do it single-handed just moving the blade.
With almost 200 SR shave under my belt, my Fool's Pass is now just a normal part of my regular shaving routine.
Doing a Fool's Pass (upper lip ATG) was the last main technique that I worked on. I probably started on doing it about SR shave No. 30. Then I realised that my edges could do with just a little more refining. My original method for a Fool's Pass was as @Slash McCoy mentioned. My edges and technique are now such that I can do it single-handed just moving the blade.
With almost 200 SR shave under my belt, my Fool's Pass is now just a normal part of my regular shaving routine.
Funny I'd never heard the term.
I will say one of the things I learned from straight shaving is definitely "He who hesitates is lost". From experience I know if I rest a straight razor on my face in any place I'm going to have a cat scratch.
Against the grain on the upper lip is a bit of a challenge as lips are kinda soft and I don't want to rest the blade anywhere. Also you get to the bottom of your nose and well . . . my nose kinda sticks out a bit. Even with a DE I've nicked the point of my nose. Pain and blood can be a pretty good teacher. Mostly with a straight after North to South on my upper lip it becomes East to West then just a bit of South to North right under my nose.
I will say one of the things I learned from straight shaving is definitely "He who hesitates is lost". From experience I know if I rest a straight razor on my face in any place I'm going to have a cat scratch.
Against the grain on the upper lip is a bit of a challenge as lips are kinda soft and I don't want to rest the blade anywhere. Also you get to the bottom of your nose and well . . . my nose kinda sticks out a bit. Even with a DE I've nicked the point of my nose. Pain and blood can be a pretty good teacher. Mostly with a straight after North to South on my upper lip it becomes East to West then just a bit of South to North right under my nose.
I don't feel the need to go ATG as I like to shave everyday and going atg leaves me nothing for the next day.
It is actually ATG on the upper lip, not XTG
I’ll do a fools pass with the safety razor, but I’m not comfortable doing that with the straight razor yet.
I shave almost every day. I shave goatee area every 2-4 shaves (because it's a nuisance to do and I can shave around a goatee with a straight 3 passes in 1-2min, including shaving my goatee off makes it ~5 min)... I ATG my upper lip ONLY if I've got a really sharp edge and I want to confirm it's as sharp as it seems. It's an unnecessary final edge check for a very, very sharp edge.
From day 1 I did it and never considered it even remotley dangerous. I was surprised to hear to it reffered to as the 'fools pass', as if it were any more dangerous than any other part of your face or neck.
When you straight shave you have total control, anything less then you are a fool.
When you straight shave you have total control, anything less then you are a fool.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I have now completed about 500 fool's passes. When the edge is not quite "there", I will get a weeper or two. That just means the edge needs a little more work on my diamond pasted balsa strops.
When the edge is "there", my fool's pass is just as easy as ATG on the cheek and never any skin damage or irritation.
When the edge is "there", my fool's pass is just as easy as ATG on the cheek and never any skin damage or irritation.
I'd like to call it the "Expert's Pass."
I started doing the expert's pass early in my straight razor journey (somewhere on my 10th shave I think). The key to a successful and satisfying expert's pass is a properly honed razor, a focused mind, a steady hand, a very light touch and simply letting the blade do the work for you.
If your razor won't cut with a light touch - stop! Go back to the hone or your pasted balsa and then try again. Sometimes it helps to do some short scything strokes, but always with a feather touch.
I've been doing the expert's pass for seven years now with no problems whatsoever. So far it's been a fun journey and I still haven't stopped learning about wet shaving and many other things.
I started doing the expert's pass early in my straight razor journey (somewhere on my 10th shave I think). The key to a successful and satisfying expert's pass is a properly honed razor, a focused mind, a steady hand, a very light touch and simply letting the blade do the work for you.
If your razor won't cut with a light touch - stop! Go back to the hone or your pasted balsa and then try again. Sometimes it helps to do some short scything strokes, but always with a feather touch.
I've been doing the expert's pass for seven years now with no problems whatsoever. So far it's been a fun journey and I still haven't stopped learning about wet shaving and many other things.
I wear a mustache, so no fools pass for me. But the whiskers beneath my lower lip are very dense and serve a similar test. If I can't shave ATG there with no resistance, then I know the edge could be a little sharper.
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