Shaving With Water Only On The Second Pass

[OldSchoolYoungin]

I read about this on SRP last month and I was at a little leary of it at the time, but today, I decided to give it a go and am glad I did!

The result: 100% BBS in two passes with no irritation at all. There is no middle man (the lather) between the razor and your whiskers, so it allows for an extra close shave.

A few important things to mention, though: You'll need a very sharp, well-honed razor; a high quality soap or cream with excellent lubrication; good lathering skills on the first pass; a very light touch; and some experience on your side.

No one ever said this will work for everyone, so your YMMV*















*YMMV = Not responsible for n00b deaths.

[Masterofsparks]

I tend to do this myself after I remove the first layer of lather, it does depend though on the quality of your soap or cream. Tabac seems to leave a little bit of a film of protection if you will and allows the blade to still glide smoothly. I tried this little trick on Christmas day with a new puck of Cassey Maswell and I came out a bloody mess.

[Leche]

I do this just on touch up areas.

[professorchaos]

I use a similar technique in my third (ATG pass). After removing the lather from a given area, I rinse the blade and carefully repeat the ATG pass. Thanks to their pronounced feedback, hollow ground razors yield an exceptionally close shave when used this way. Additionally, tallow or lanolin based products support the technique best. YMMV.

[warlandsboy]

Sounds like good idea, just wish I had a little more experience.

[Calder]

I do it sometimes, but it's only because I'm just starting my foray into Straight shaving and I go so slow that all the lather is almost all dried up by the end of my 2nd pass

[O.G.]

Its a good technique. I use it with my straight I mean Feather razor. I use a hooking motion to clean my cheeks in one about one pass then to get it really close I go XTG with water, lanolin and tallow soaps do leave the best film.

[John C]

I use this technique as well. Sometimes I will just dab my fingers into the mug and apply a *very* light layer of cream. It's barely heavy enough to show up as lather on my face, but still gives nice lubrication for a close pass.

[netsurfr]

I could do this and have done it on touch-up areas but I just plain enjoy the lather too much to abandon putting it on for the second pass.

[NickedUp]

I will do this on occasion when I shave with a tallow soap. I am a face latherer, and I usually do a warm water rinse between passes to give a little extra moisture for the next lathering pass. I started to notice that my face was quite slick if I didn't totally scrub the soap off, so I gave it a shot, and heck, it works!

I'm mainly a Gem-style SE shaver, though. I think I'd have to get my SS skills pretty darn dialed before I'd try a pass with little protection.

[CraigJ]

I used to have a barber that did his haircut final touch up around the ears and above the collar with a straight. Anyway, when he put the shaving cream on he would let it sit for about ten seconds first the wipe it off with his hand that was dripping wet. I asked him about this and he said as long as your face is slick or slimy the blade won't grab. Sure 'nuff it works like a charm. I only do this for fine work or indidvidual whisker hunting but I bet it works for the entire face too.

[Amer]

Craig, that reminded me. Whenever my barber shaves my neck and under my sideburns after my haircut he always puts the cream on and lets it sit a minute while he puts the blade in his shavette. Then, he takes his off hand and wipes the cream off each section of the neck before he shaves it.

[leighton]

Whenever my 2nd pass doesn't get them all, thats what I do. I even add some rubbing motion to agitate the hairs.