Funny that, I do upwards passed on my neck, but very rarely on my cheek's, where a with and against the grain is usually sufficient to keep me well-shaved-looking until evening hours.
Yes. I started doing ATG passes many, many moons ago, when I used a cartridge razor. It was all trial and error, figured out on my own. When I started using a DE razor a couple of years ago, I switched from WTG-ATG-XTG to WTG-XTG-ATG.
I tried the ATG pass this weekend for the first time. I found that the reward was not worth the risk; only a mimnally better shave but at the cost of some irritation. Not for me.
I used to do ATG, because I simply couldn't get a really close shave without it. But afterwards I found I have a few, not many, but a few bumps (i.e. in-grown hairs). Being someone with quite curly (African) hair, I can't seem to find a solution to this, so I'm browing the threads for help =)
heck yeah!!!! I do WTG to start,then something strange but I got it going for a while now,I go up, up to my chin,then sideways in my cheeks and 'stach area and then ATG all around and a 4 pass to retouch any tuff guys left behind.it works like a charm for me,YMMV of course,this is my own way of experimenting on my face.
That's exactly the way I've shaved for years with my Mach 3, so I assume I will continue as I get used to the DE.
And people wonder why they have razor burn and irritation after three passes with an M-3? Think about it, 3 passes X 3 blades = the same as 9 DE passes!
What do you mean 'conditioned'? Could you not do them when you first started DE shaving? I had some trouble before doing ATG, but I think it was my method (I was pushing down due to bad habit). I'll probably be giving it a shot again next week.
Anyone else get razor burn when trying to go ATG on your upper lip? Otherwise I find it impossible to get a close shave in that region.
I agree that it's a difficult area in which to get a truly close shave. My upper lip and my neck are both problem areas. Because of them, it's almost impossible for me to get a BBS shave.
Using a straight on my upper lip going ATG is a challenge at times, but not with a DE. I tend towards Feathers or the Voskhods. Good WTG and XTG passes are usually enough to allow me clean ATG passes. Being sure the skin is taught helps as well. If I find any dragging, or the blade "catching" to me and my experience tells me the first two passes weren't quite right and too much stubble was left to make a clean ATG pass possible. Hence , irritation. Using anything less than sharp blades will do the same thing. Also,,just as with straights, you can lower the angle a bit and this will help as well though you don't have as much leeway with a DE. The range is more limited. After my first two passes I'm pretty much at BBS. Again, the angles are important as well as prep. But this just makes the ATG a clean up pass with little resistance. What I've learned with straights just magnifies what I do with a DE. Only it's a bit more critical.
I keep telling myself that I won't do any ATG passes but when I get done with my WTG passes, I can't resist. Especially, if things are going well and there's no blood. A little voice comes to me and says, "go for it!"
I give 4 passes: 2 WTG, 1 XTG and the last one, ATG. This is the only way I am able to get a close shave.
Since I have a goatee, I do the WTG/ATG. I do all 3 on my neck, but I am still learning how to perfect technique on my neck and offhand side.
I've got some seriously stubborn stubble that seems to just lay absolutely flat against my skin, especially just to the left and right of my chin. If things are feeling alright, I can try to take an ATG as my final pass, but man am I ginger with it. I do the whole "Squeeze out the uber-lather from the center of the brush" trick, dial down the razor to a 1 setting, and reeeaaally take my time. I'd say my ATG pass, which is only chin and jawline, takes probably 2-3 times longer than my WTG and XTG passes combined.
