Who never goes against the grain?

[Phoenixkh]

My Post Shave routine is three products: Metro Gel (a prescription from my dermatologist), Hyaluronic Acid and after those two dry, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream. The first two are applied to a damp face and are slippery. As long as I'm not feeling stubble with those two, I know I'm good to go.

As has been mentioned, it can be razor dependent but I get rid of that stubble with all my top razors. I have never tried the cotton ball test and am unlikely to do so. The shaves mentioned above give me 12 hours before that stubble arrives, usually on my chin and upper lip. If I get the razor to stop singing, no matter the pass direction, unless I've missed something along the way, I'm content. As we continually learn on B&B, each of us has a unique growth pattern to our whiskers and the whiskers themselves differ. This can change as we age as well.

Back when I was using canned goo and a Gillette Power Handle with a cartridge, I did a second pass ATG but only using "ghost" lather. I never reapplied the goo. The soaps most of us use here are far superior... better comfort and certainly, for me at least, much easier to rinse off. I keep telling myself to try a shave with the Gillette Fusion Power I still have in a storage bin, but I'm having so much fun shaving now, I can't see to motivate myself.

 

[DG109]

I can shave with the grain and across the grain with almost reckless abandon. Anytime I go even slightly against the grain my neck is utterly destroyed. Just curious how many of you never do against the grain and only do with the grain or across the grain.

Never below my jaw or around my lip. Within a couple of hours it gets itchy and develops folliculitis.

I can do ATG every now and then on my cheeks and sideburns ok. Never every day though.

 

[5whiskey]

My dad taught me to never shave against the grain. My dad or my brother, can't remember which one. Or maybe I read it? I dunno, but I never tried ATG as a younger man. Was told it was harmful even.

Come to find out, Drill Instructors on Paris Island did not find WTG only shaves "socially acceptable" for my facial hair growth. Been shaving ATG ever since.

 

[Hms123]

Add me to the list. I used to go ATG, but there was too much irritation. No more.

 

[den fly]

This is interesting because I got interested in wet shaving by first watching You Tube shavers and most of them do a pass against the grain routinely. But most barbers, dermatologists and other professionals say never to go against the grain. I go by what my face and skin are telling me. Parts of my face, like my cheeks tolerate it fine. My neck not so much, maybe once or twice a week there otherwise I get razor burn. Overall I'd say shaving against the grain is overated.

 

[Chandu]

As I said previously I don’t like to just stop at one pass. However if I had to I’d probably use an R41.

 

[BobbyB]

I stopped doing ATG a few weeks ago. I 'planned' the scab off a skin cancer graft--fortunately negative result--which bled for a long time. Now, I do WTG and then XTG. With a fresh blade, and good cream Noble Otter Lonestar lather I can still get DFS+ or BBS.

 

[jason2]

I don't think I could do this entirely. No matter which direction I go under my chin line I will hit XTG and ATG and WTG and etc. It's a jungle down there and the natives are restless.

 

[reformedshavr]

I don't think I could do this entirely. No matter which direction I go under my chin line I will hit XTG and ATG and WTG and etc. It's a jungle down there and the natives are restless.

I'm relatively new to DE shaving, but I'm beginning to think I'm in the same boat. I've worked pretty hard on technique since day one, but I can never get a true BBS on the chin. I just can't seem to find out which way the wind is blowing down there ..... I got a second round of sample blades coming so there's still hope.

 

[Medivh]

My ATG no go zones are my chin and under the nose. I never had good results shaving those areas even with a cartridge razors, especially under my nose, so I just gave up and the best I can do is XTG. I also don't always go ATG on my cheeks, simply because there's just no point of doing that. I do however always shave my neck ATG, since it's the only way I can clean it properly.

 

[DougK]

I've been experimenting with WTG followed by two XTG passes in opposite directions. That turns ATG into more of a clean-up or touch-up pass with very little stubble remaining, so I get a lot less irritation than I used to. I usually use a Gillette Guard or UNO Shave Co. (single-blade carts) and would not try that routine with my Hawk or even my DEs; four passes with those would chew up my face.

 

[EternalBachelor]

I find that shaving across or against the grain on my face is not worth the irritation. I do one pass WTG, then a clean up pass. With the R41GS and a fresh blade every shave, it seems to work for me.

 

[Chandu]

I find that shaving across or against the grain on my face is not worth the irritation. I do one pass WTG, then a clean up pass. With the R41GS and a fresh blade every shave, it seems to work for me.

The R41 is about the only razor I consider a 1 pass shaver. For me the others leave a bit too much stubble. If I were a one pass shaver, the shave would last about 90 seconds from start to finish.

 

[honeybadger79]

I get to 3-4 passes if I want BBS and the last two passes are against the grain. When it comes to some sensitive areas of the neck I do it so so gentle, with zero pressure. It’s like moving the razor, but no pressing at all. And I’ll have the brush right there and re-apply lather to the same spot 12 times if that’s what it takes at that ZERO pressure. Atg is also sometimes several directions depending on your hair growth down there.

Other times I’ll just skip that entirely and settle for no atg passes down there. It doesnt add much time actually once you get use to it.

 

[dmshaver]

I usually do a 1 pass, wtg shave & get marvelous results. On occasion, I will do a little touchup under my lip. That touchup, when needed, are against the grain.

 

[Curkio]

I previously got irritation ATG on my neck either side of the Adam's apple. I now go lightly ATG but don't angle the safety razor at all as i would on the face, but holding it directly upright as the neck will create the suitable angle for me. I reckon I was going with too much angle which was pulling the tips of the hairs instead of cutting through the lower parts. It may work for others so worth a go.

 

[Guido75]

I have been scaling down on my ATG pass and do it on my neck (but I think it is actually more XATG than full blown ATG) and I have stopped doing ATG in the moustache and chin areas as I get very good results XTG (with a slightly slanted stroke). I do not get full BBS results with this routine or at least not all the time, but I have come to appreciate a DFS+ as end result. Irritation and weepers are more common ATG than any other pass for me.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Dave himself]

I used to go ATG chasing the BBS I usually got some irritation. Now I do a 2 pass shave WTG and XTG. Sometimes I still get a BBS most times I get DFS+ with no irritation

 

[know1special]

I can, but don't.

Couldn't pull it off when I first started cuz my technique just wasn't there yet. Not an issue now, but it's just not my choice.

I'm a daily shaver w/ fairly light beard so if I went ATG I wouldn't be able to stick to that routine.

I use a RR Mentor w/ Bic Chrome primarily. That combo gets me most of the way there just doing WTG while still leaving something to do in 24 hrs.

 

[StratMan]

I chased BBS and initially had issues with burn and irritation but I kept chasing, now my regular routine involves two atg passes without any issue at all. There is nothing like the feel and satisfaction I get from BBS so glad I kept at it