Shaving ATG.

**Tone deaf** · 04-28-2009, 05:51 AM

Hi
This may seem a simple question from a noob but I always notice a lot of chatter about shaving ATG and trying to get BBS with a DE razor. This never seems to be the case with straight users, is this because on the whole you usually get very satisfactory results going WTG and XTG and it is not necessary to shave ATG.
Most barbershop Utube clips I have seen usually only show the barber doing one pass, is this also normal once you have become proficient?

**Leche** · 04-28-2009, 06:23 AM

I wouldn't call my self profecient but I can't do XTG to save my life. I am able to use both right and left hands, go 1-2 WTG and 1 ATG and get very excellant results. I have had a barber go ATG once upon request, but I think the barber is more about the experience than anything else. Nobody knows your face as well as you do.

**Disburden** · 04-28-2009, 07:28 AM

I do WTG, XTG, ATG and then a touch up in rough spots. It depends on your beard type. Mine is very rough tough and like copper wiring. With only two passes it is like I haven't shaved at all yet. I own 6 straights all shave ready and purchased from high up members on Straight Razor place. This is just the way my beard is. I get no irritation due to my leather tough skin, lucky for me. No burning either.

The benefit of using a straight isn't as cut and dry as new guys think. Even if you have to do 4 passes to get a close shave with a straight, your skin feels better afterwoods, much more so than with a DE razor and I got BBS with my DEs for months. That is the true benefit of a straight. Plus it is awesome as hell to strop, hone, touch up your blades, etc.

Welcome and good luck.

**gregs656** · 04-28-2009, 07:28 AM

I can get a decent 1 pass WTG pass, but more often than not I do an ATG pass as well, and the differences are marked.

I think a lot of people do at least a two pass shave. Many people, me included, are out to get BBS as well.

**Disburden** · 04-28-2009, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by gregs656

I can get a decent 1 pass WTG pass, but more often than not I do an ATG pass as well, and the differences are marked.

I think a lot of people do at least a two pass shave. Many people, me included, are out to get BBS as well.

For me, I don't even try to get BBS. I think that is a mistake with new guys and straights. You'll probably cut yourself if you're new and try to get bbs and do several passes for it. You'll also most likely get a lot of razor burn. For me, the matter of doing three full passes and a touch up isn't to get BBS, but to just not look like I did when I woke up a half hour before.

**Slartibartfast** · 04-28-2009, 07:57 AM

I do ATG pass + touchup too.

The shave i get from one WTG pass is pretty damn close, but I know it could be closer....

**gregs656** · 04-28-2009, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Disburden

For me, I don't even try to get BBS. I think that is a mistake with new guys and straights. You'll probably cut yourself if you're new and try to get bbs and do several passes for it. You'll also most likely get a lot of razor burn. For me, the matter of doing three full passes and a touch up isn't to get BBS, but to just not look like I did when I woke up a half hour before.

I don't think it is my place to say what is right or wrong, that is what I do and a lot of other folks do the same. I can only talk about what my experience is.

If you wanna do ATG then go for it.

**mparker762** · 04-28-2009, 09:25 AM

The three-pass regimen that is needed with DEs isn't nearly as necessary with a straight, largely because of the greater control over blade angle means you can got XTG or ATG right away, and partly because the greater angle control means you can use pressure more productively without getting burned. My upper lip and chin are shaved XTG only, the upper lip gets one pass (outside in on each side), the filtrum gets one downward pass, and the chin gets two XTG passes (RL then LR with a bit of pressure). My cheeks get XTG then a diagonal XTG/ATG pass. My neck gets two ATG passes, and my jowls get three passes: WTG, ATG, then XTG pass with a bit of pressure.

Figuring out what works best for you takes a bit of experimenting and a bit of time because there are so many variables you can control, and so much flexibility in how you go about it. The complete control over blade angle, how much pressure to use, how sharp the blade is (sharper isn't always better), how polished and smooth the edge is, how thick or thin your lather is or even whether you use lather at all (the barber manuals recommend using only water after the first pass). Many of these variables aren't even conceivable to a DE shaver. Most of this isn't necessary to get a good shave - given a sharp razor you can get a good shave pretty quickly - but eventually you'll notice that you're beginning to take these things into account and your shaves will keep improving over a period of years.

**richmondesi** · 04-28-2009, 09:54 AM

mparker-

Thanks for that. very informative

**Tone deaf** · 04-28-2009, 10:10 AM

Thank you mparker, that explanation has certainly debunked a lot of misinformation that I had about using straights admittedly mostly of my own making.

**Doc4** · 04-28-2009, 05:23 PM

+1 to MParker's comments.

Individuality and uniqueness are the order of the day, and every face is different. My face is a patchwork of all sorts of different techniques, from only-WTG right up to ATG and everthing in between.

Take it easy and experiment cautiously (but still experiment!) when you feel you are ready.

**Ferannia** · 04-29-2009, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by Tone deaf

Most barbershop Utube clips I have seen usually only show the barber doing one pass, is this also normal once you have become proficient?

A barber runs a business, he makes his living in a barber shop. At least in Europe they do ATG, but they have their price for it. Shaving only WTG will make people presentable for the duration of a shift they work, and most clients are content with only WTG. You can request an extra pass (atg), and the barber will tell how much extra you have to pay for it.

**twoods** · 04-30-2009, 06:14 AM

I don't know if my face could stand more than 2 passes with some touch ups. How long do you guys take to shave? It's already taking me long enough with 2 passes I can only think of the time it would take me to do three.

**mparker762** · 04-30-2009, 07:08 AM

It's about 7-10 minutes for the actual shave, but I've been doing this for awhile. When I first started it was about 20 minutes, but I started out doing the DE-style 3-pass shave.