Where did the three pass rule come from?

[dundak]

I noticed when people review brushes and soaps there is a "three-pass" rule. The brush must hold enough for three passes, if not your technique or product must be lacking. Does this rule also apply to bowl guys or is double dipping to get more lather OK?

It seems really arbitrary and that "going back to the puck" some how puts shame on your brush, your technique or your family line. The lather gods will get angry and curse you with ingrowns or something. I knew guys of my Dad's generation that would go to the puck for each pass. Maybe they are in shaving purgatory now paying the price having to shave with an oyster shell and lard or something worse.

Where did this rule start?

[taco8slo]

This is a non-issue for me, the only rules I abide by are YMMV.

[edgerunner]

This is gonna be a good thread!
Before rejoining the DE shaving madness, I used to face lather and do only one pass shave. Now, depending on my mood and used razor, I do 2 or 3 passes/touch ups. I don't care if my brush has all that lather for all 2 or three passes ready and right. If it's thin or not enough after the first pass, I add more product. It's particularly valid if I face lather. Typically, when bowl lathering, any size brush can create huge amount of lather in the bowl the way I want it, so the so called 'X-pass rule' doesn't apply IMO.

[shm]

I'm with you on this one, I have never understood why it was a bad thing to load the brush again.

I'm a bad shaver then because occasionally I miss the right amount of soap/cream or maybe have a little too wet brush, so I don't get my preferably four pass shave.
I don't think much of it, I just go back to the puck or squeeze out a little more cream and that's it, no biggie - a bit like stalling a car, just turn the key and off you go.

[Blondie]

For me, I do a four pass shave, so what I want is enough lather to do 4 passes. My thinking on it is this:

I shave after the shower, to ensure that my face and beard are as hydrated as possible. From the time I step out of the shower, the drying process begins. I keep my face moist as I build my lather, and do not want to go back to the puck because I don't want to have to stop and worry about losing hydration to the beard. I rinse with water between each pass, and going back to the puck takes longer, allowing more of the water to evaporate from my face. That's my thinking, I could be totally wrong, but that's it.

However I have never thought of it as a "rule".

[Alejandro1969]

Remember, it's all about 'gradual reduction' baby, but now it's all changed becauses the Muhle R41 gives me BSS in 2 passes!

[StuMcB]

For me it's always been 3 passes, however the 3rd is really just buffing and touch ups. As for reloading, what the heck. Some soap sticks give way more than enough when others give just enough for the two.

[johnnypipe]

I got bad news for all of you. I've been wet shaving for over 50 years and there are NO rules. Do what ever makes you and your lady happy.

[Rustonrazor]

I always considered the 3 pass rule as it relates to number of passes for the typical BBS or DFS. Since YMMV as far as product needed or used for a single pass, I wouldn't say that a product or piece of hardware is no good if it isn't capable of producing 3 good passes.

[Neognosis]

I knew guys of my Dad's generation that would go to the puck for each pass.

That's because our fathers were just shaving, instead of playing with their toys while shaving.

For example, if my father found out that I was posting pictures of my brush with lather exploding all over it (which I don't, and I find amusing that people do, but that's fine...,) his reaction would be "what the hell is wrong with you? Stop wasting your time with this silliness and go to work."


HAHAHAHA!!

[SiBurning]

It used to be pretty standard to do a Four Pass Shave, but too many people agonized over what to do with the extra lather.

What to do with extra lather
What do you do with lather left over on your face
Yet another discussion of Left over lather
And another

This fellow saves his lather for his next shave
This fellow wants to use it as after shave balm

This fellow wants to know what to do with the lather left over in the soap dish
This fellow just wants to clean it up
This fellow also wants his soap clean

This lunatic wants to precisely measure his left over lather
The same nut that needs help lathering a... and he doesn't even know words sometimes have two meanings

[Bejaar]

I think that's the beauty of DE shaving. Arbitrarily YMMV. Once you get into rules and trying to create protocol, might as well start going back to pulling cans off the shelf and thumbing through cartridge racks. Sometimes, 2 passes are enough, and sometimes 4 may be what gets the job done. Enjoy the weekend and keep the BBS going.

[dundak]

For me it's always been 3 passes, however the 3rd is really just buffing and touch ups. As for reloading, what the heck. Some soap sticks give way more than enough when others give just enough for the two.

No it is not the # of passes. It is the thought the brush must hold enough lather for all your passes.

You see this in reviews on brushes and soaps and it has become a criteria to judge things on. My question is why?

[Rustonrazor]

That's because our fathers were just shaving, instead of playing with their toys while shaving.

For example, if my father found out that I was posting pictures of my brush with lather exploding all over it (which I don't, and I find amusing that people do, but that's fine...,) his reaction would be "what the hell is wrong with you? Stop wasting your time with this silliness and go to work."


HAHAHAHA!!

That is my dad's approach. Just shave, dress, and clock in. That's the point for him. It is functional and not enjoyable. He supports that I choose to shave this way, but he still asks me why I choose a murder weapon to remove facial hair.

In the words of the ever so quotable Bill Cosby, "They go to the trouble of putting numbers on these things, but no matter what number you turn to you still cut yourself to pieces."

[taco8slo]

It used to be pretty standard to do a Four Pass Shave, but too many people agonized over what to do with the extra lather.

What to do with extra lather
What do you do with lather left over on your face
Yet another discussion of Left over lather
And another

This fellow saves his lather for his next shave
This fellow wants to use it as after shave balm

This fellow wants to know what to do with the lather left over in the soap dish
This fellow just wants to clean it up
This fellow also wants his soap clean

This lunatic wants to precisely measure his left over lather
The same nut that needs help lathering a... and he doesn't even know words sometimes have two meanings

Very well said, you put that together nicely, I was laughing so hard.

[SuperChris]

I bowl lather so the brush visits the bowl after each pass

[SteveWY]

Non issue. Shaving is one of the few things we get to do that is personal and "free" of rules. I lather from a puck or tub, face lather, sometimes my brush holds all the latehr I need for a 3-4 pass shave, sometimes not and i just go back to the soap or cream. So what? The shave rules what I do. Besides, if I get an extra 30 seconds re-lathering I am 30 seconds to the good for the day!

[Brent]

It used to be pretty standard to do a Four Pass Shave, but too many people agonized over what to do with the extra lather.

What to do with extra lather
What do you do with lather left over on your face
Yet another discussion of Left over lather
And another

This fellow saves his lather for his next shave
This fellow wants to use it as after shave balm

This fellow wants to know what to do with the lather left over in the soap dish
This fellow just wants to clean it up
This fellow also wants his soap clean

This lunatic wants to precisely measure his left over lather
The same nut that needs help lathering a... and he doesn't even know words sometimes have two meanings

Funny. Thanks for the chuckle.

I don't think there is a rule for 3 passes. But, most likely a 3 pass shave is the most common for most folks on here so I guess you have to levelset somewhere.

Me, I only do two pass shaves. No touchups are generally needed. I do this because 2 pass shaves are still much closer than the shaves I got with a Mach 3 with much less irritation and in 2 passes it's close to BBS. Occasionally I'll do 3 passes if I want BBS before some special event or I just feel like it that day.

So, I guess when most people are talking this they're kind of shooting for the majority. If you think about it, most videos (like Mantic) and many instructions are about 3 passes so I think that's where that generalization comes from.

[oversaturn]

I think that the major error is thinking that there is rules. What a nonsense.

The "whoever's method", the "x-pass shave", the "whoever's Prep"... People see those things as "rules", as they were some kind of Gospel.

There are no rules. Don't be afraid to try new things. Do whatever is best for you and be happy.

[Predict]

I get around this "rule" by using a ton of product. This also helps me use product up so I can buy something new.