I Start by Shaving Against the Grain...

[willwhatyoudo]

For the past month or so, I've started my shaves with ATG passes, and I've been getting great, irritation free shaves!

Almost everything that I've read about shaving recommends that we shave in a length-reducing manner, starting with a WTG pass (followed by XTG and ATG if desired). I followed this advice for quite awhile, but sometimes, by the time I finished my ATG pass, I would end up with some redness and irritation on my neck. Like most necks, mine is full of hair that grows in every direction. Any direction that I shave in will result in me cutting some hairs WTG, some hairs XTG, and some hairs ATG. It's kind of impossible to get a nice, clean WTG pass like I can on my cheeks.

Anyhow, as I said, I recently switched things up and started shaving with my first pass as ATG. On my cheeks, this works out pretty well. In 1 pass (or maybe 1.5) can get BBS. Not blood, no irritation.

On my neck, my first pass is predominantly ATG and removes most of the hairs that go in the same direction (about 60% of the hair on my neck is goes in 1 direction and can be cleanly removed with this 1st ATG pass). My 2nd pass is ATG from another angle (N to S), removing most of the remaining hairs that grow in the same direction. And my 3rd pass is ATG from yet another angle (S to N), removing the last few rogue hairs. After 3 passes I get a mostly BBS shave without any irritation.

I'm not sure why this works for me, but it works. It took me a few tries to adjust my strokes and my hand stretching, but it was well worth it. And heck, if you're foolishly in pursuit of BBS (or near BBS) and getting irritation, you might want to give this method a try.

Here are some tips on how I do things:

1. I shower and wash my face.
2. I rinse and face lather for 4-5 minutes (I could bowl lather, but either way, I've got to let the water/lather set into my beard for 4-5 minutes).
3. I start with my cheeks, stretching the skin by reaching my non-shaving hand over my head and pulling up from the sideburns.
4. My strokes are really short and quick--kind of like buffing.
5. On my neck, I use my non-shaving hand to gently hold the skin in place. I usually place a finger or two behind the razor's path (kind of the opposite of how I stretch for my cheeks). I don't pull the skin tight on my neck--I just hold it in place. I also don't use facial movements to stretch/tighten the skin--I find that doing so can cause irritation.
6. I never re-shave over a spot on my skin again without re-lathering.

YMMV, but I thought I'd share a few tips on what's been working for me.

[SteveWY]

Whatever works for you is what you should do! I follow the 3-pass routine with ATG last.

[Redstickjohn]

I have been wetshaving for many, many years. I follow the standard WTG, XTG, ATG three pass system. Funny, though, just lately I have discovered that my neck hair grows in several different directions, and I've been experimenting with the angles on my neck. I got a great shave yesterday on the neck, and will continue to experiment and map my neck. Maybe one day I'll figure it out.

[Deep Red]

Interesting that you post this topic today as I tried ATG first pass this morning as well. My neck area also grows in every direction thus the most difficult area for me. And like you I always started WTG pass first. For what ever reason my brain began to function earlier than normal today and I thought just before I began to shave "my neck is at its hottest point, my brush and shave cream are at their hottest point, my razor is at its sharpest point" "Why not start with the most difficult area to shave?" Makes scene to me, so my first pass was ATG and it worked like a champ. So....for now...ATG will be my starting pass.

[dieselfuel79]

I tried everything from prep to angle and I still sucked at ATG. Then I bought a slant with the barber pole handle and my problem disappeared.

[StuMcB]

I do a three pass shave, as a shower shaver it's always been, WTG, ATG and then finally XTG with a few touch ups if needed. Never really had any probs and its' worked well for me all these years. Saying that with my Fatip Piccolo it's with the grain all the way....phew!

[sgtbash999]

I'll be trying my first pass ATG when I next shave (tonight / tomorrow morning). I don't know why I haven't tried it before since I always start my head shave ATG?? I'll report back with my findings

[fccexpert]

Sounds like you have discovered one of the concealed truths about shaving. Personally, I never could see the logic behind the multiple pass approach. From my perspective, why would the second pass be closer than the first. If the razor is sharp, and you have the angle of attack correct, the first pass should do it all. No one so far has been able to explain why this is not so, at least based on objective criterea.

[Go West Young Man]

Sounds like you have discovered one of the concealed truths about shaving. Personally, I never could see the logic behind the multiple pass approach. From my perspective, why would the second pass be closer than the first. If the razor is sharp, and you have the angle of attack correct, the first pass should do it all. No one so far has been able to explain why this is not so, at least based on objective criterea.

And scientists use to say the bumblebees can't fly (at least according to every aerodynamic model they could construct).
And yet, in the real world, bumblebees fly all day.

Argue theory all you want, but in the real world I get a closee shave with 3 passes than with 1. And trust me, I've spent years working on this, I'm not making any mistakes in product or technique.

[Go West Young Man]

Almost everything that I've read about shaving recommends that we shave in a length-reducing manner, starting with a WTG pass (followed by XTG and ATG if desired).

Actually, the suggestion is that you 'start' this way, as newbies tend to be all over the place technique-wise. After you've got the fundamentals down, you can go ahead and do whatever works for you.

[BlackBard]

When I started shaving, and for many years after that, I did a one-pass shave. Cheeks and chin were N-S. I shaved my neck S-N, which is mostly ATG. Then, I read somewhere that one should not shave ATG, so I shaved my neck N-S. That left me with visible stubble, so I added an ATG pass (S-N) after the initial pass.

Now I shave my cheeks and chin N-S followed by an XTG pass (from ear toward nose and center of chin). I shave my neck as above. I find that I get superior results this way and no irritation.

All that matters is that you are happy with the results you get, using the methods you prefer.

[fccexpert]

And scientists use to say the bumblebees can't fly (at least according to every aerodynamic model they could construct).
And yet, in the real world, bumblebees fly all day.

Argue theory all you want, but in the real world I get a closee shave with 3 passes than with 1. And trust me, I've spent years working on this, I'm not making any mistakes in product or technique.

The "bumblebees cannot fly" story is, much like beard reduction, a bit of folklore. It derives from the use of improper assumptions made in 1930. The correct statement should be: "Bumblebees could not fly if they had fixed wings like conventional aircraft," and this is true. This same statement could be made for helicopters. Of course neither bumblebees nor helicopters have fixed wings and the principles of movable wing flight are well understood.

[Spivey]

I have a full beard and only shave a 3-inch patch on my lower neck. Starting with ATG works for me, too.

[willwhatyoudo]

And scientists use to say the bumblebees can't fly (at least according to every aerodynamic model they could construct).
And yet, in the real world, bumblebees fly all day.

Argue theory all you want, but in the real world I get a closee shave with 3 passes than with 1. And trust me, I've spent years working on this, I'm not making any mistakes in product or technique.

I agree--as a newbie, if I had started out by going just ATG, my face would have been a bloody mess. Thanks for the clarification! =D

[TallyShave]

The "bumblebees cannot fly" story is, much like beard reduction, a bit of folklore.

Beard reduction is now "folklore". Please, tell me more

[shaveitoff]

I usually start with my lower neck and there is doesn't seem that starting WTG had an advantages over ATG. For the other regions of my face, I find it more effective to start WTG. But after that it doesn't seem to matter if I then do XTG followed by ATG or ATG followed by XTG. Any shaver should do what works best for them.

[fccexpert]

When I started shaving, and for many years after that, I did a one-pass shave. Cheeks and chin were N-S. I shaved my neck S-N, which is mostly ATG. Then, I read somewhere that one should not shave ATG, so I shaved my neck N-S. That left me with visible stubble, so I added an ATG pass (S-N) after the initial pass.

Now I shave my cheeks and chin N-S followed by an XTG pass (from ear toward nose and center of chin). I shave my neck as above. I find that I get superior results this way and no irritation.

All that matters is that you are happy with the results you get, using the methods you prefer.

Well said on the last paragraph. What I cannot abide are those "experts" who feel they must back up their self appointed status by dinigrating my knowledge and experience because it disagrees with what they are promoting. I have been wet shaving with a DE or a straight for longer than most of these people have been alive (I started in 1964) so I am not particularly patient with their attitude. If it takes 4 passes for someone to get a shave they like, and they are happy with that level of performance, then they should be happy. But, don't diss others who have discovered a higher level and are willing to share.

[fccexpert]

Beard reduction is now "folklore". Please, tell me more

As I said before, I have seen no objective, scientific explaination of the concept. Given a sharp razor and proper techique, why should a second pass cut any closer than the first?

Folklore (my definition): Something that is often repeated as factual but that cannot be explained by the user.

[AverageJoe]

When I use my straight razor (which is usually only when I have a 2-day or more beard) I've always made my first pass ATG on my neck with great results as well----BBS!! This wouldn't work 2 days in a row for me though, which is fine with me--I usually skip at least a day between shaves anyway, weather with DE or straight.

[Prof. Moriarty]

Starting against the grain on my neck with decent technique, and a sharp blade, is incredibly uncomfortable for me if it is the first pass. Going with the grain first is a lot more comfortable for me. There has to be a reason why almost everyone says shave with the grain first, if against the grain provided a more comfortable, better shave, everyone would do it.
But at the end of the day, if it works for you, that is great