Why with the grain?

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by firecaptain2009, Apr 5, 2016.

  1. chrisbd

    chrisbd Well-Known Member

    Brave man for attempting the experiment. Not for everyone and, as you say, you're missing out on part of the ritual, which is part of the enjoyment for the likes of me.

    Regards,
    Chris
     
    battle.munky likes this.
  2. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    Yeah, I have to admit now that it is time to shave again, that I don't really want to only do 1-1.5 passes all ATG. It happened so fast last shave that I don't even really rmember it. Completely robbed me of the ritual. I stand on my comment that this is probably a fine thing to do but if you are a ritualized shaver, it isn't for you. I may save it for times when I don't have time but in nearly 7 years, I haven't had one of those times.
     
    Robyflexx likes this.
  3. chrisbd

    chrisbd Well-Known Member

    True dat, my good man. But since it's taken me half a lifetime to get to this point I wouldn't want to forego the ritual and I can't do ATG on the neck anyway without carnage (a cheeky pass at about 45 degrees is the most I can risk).

    Well done for trying and reporting it though.

    Regards,
    Chris
     
    battle.munky and Robyflexx like this.
  4. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    And I am a ritualized shaver.
    I'm with you in that if I don't have time to enjoy my shave my way, I don't shave.
     
    chrisbd, Rufus T. and battle.munky like this.
  5. MattCB

    MattCB Well-Known Member


    I agree completely that if it works.. do it! My explanation is more of a general purpose statement. Most people will find this to be true, but not everyone. The hair on my neck grows from left to right so I actually end up doing to bastardized XTG passes (N to S, S to N) and it works pretty well for me.
     
    chrisbd and battle.munky like this.
  6. Rufus T.

    Rufus T. Late for dinner

    Whoa! 8th grade teacher?!! What was the name of that course and why were they teaching it? I still had just peach fuzz way back then! :chores016:

    Though as I recall, one of my buddies had quite the 5 o'clock shadow...but he was on the 8th grade 3-year plan! :happy108:
     
    chrisbd and battle.munky like this.
  7. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    English, and he was speaking with me after class was over for the day. ;)

    That said, one of my classmates had a full beard in 6th grade. . . and no, he wasn't any years behind schedule for reaching 6th grade.
     
    chrisbd, battle.munky and Rufus T. like this.
  8. firecaptain2009

    firecaptain2009 Active Member

    Thank you all for the comments! I do agree that it's robs the ritual!
     
    chrisbd, battle.munky and Robyflexx like this.
  9. Rufus T.

    Rufus T. Late for dinner

    See you were way ahead of your time even then and on your way to having a beard like Bogey! ;)
     
    chrisbd and battle.munky like this.
  10. waddowedonowmo

    waddowedonowmo Well-Known Member

    Hello and welcome
     
    chrisbd and Robyflexx like this.
  11. hairball

    hairball New Member

    here is a question, no 24 states hold the handle at an angle that allows both the top cap and safety bar to engage the skin.

    How do you "ride the top cap" folks think of THAT?
     
    Robyflexx likes this.
  12. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Riding the cap is not meant to be an end all to be all recipe for the perfect shave. It is a method of shaving which always applies the shallowest angle a razor of which a razor is capable. This is useful for both new shavers having difficulty with finding a comfortable shaving angle, and for anyone picking up a new model of razor for the first time.

    Not every razor and every beard type are best suited for the shallowest possible angle, but generally with this method, the most comfortable shaves can be had while learning. Many new shavers having difficulties have benefitted from trying this.

    Use it or don't, that's what this "ride the cap" guy says. It isn't some kind of merit badge.
     
  13. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Trolling?

    I don't see "riding the cap" as meaning to put the top of the cap flat against your face. Common sense will tell you that ain't gonna do a thing. You have to angle down to get the blade edge on the face - again, common sense. Common sense also says that to put just the bar on the face (no contact with the cap), ain't gonna do a thing, either.

    I thing "ride the cap" is a way to help new folks understand a way to help them find optimum angle for their razor to their face.
     
    PLANofMAN and Bama Samurai like this.
  14. Matt0210

    Matt0210 Well-Known Member

    I never shave ATG, my skin just can't handle it. But I can get a perfectly acceptable, irritation free DFS WTG only. If I have a patch of stubborn hair I go XTG. But to me going ATG is asking for irritation and it's not worth the trouble.
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  15. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    And that's all that matters! :):happy088:
     
    Matt0210 likes this.
  16. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    That it's your face and your shave.

    It's shaving, not some kind of complicated choreography ...

    "Riding the cap" is still excellent advice in my opinion. Please feel free to think otherwise, but don't make it more complicated than it really is.
     
    Robyflexx likes this.
  17. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    I did this when I started shaving as a teen. However, thirty years later my beard is a lot tougher than when I was 20 years old. I switched from ATG-only to WTG/ATG sometime in the 1990's I think.
     
    Robyflexx likes this.
  18. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    I've been blaspheming a bit since I posted that and have basically adopted that as my new method. It works and I don't have any irritation still and with most things with traditional wet shaving, the more you do it, the better you get.

    My current routine is:
    Shower
    dry off
    rewet my face with cold water from the tap
    lather up
    one ATG pass
    touch-up if needed
    cold water rinse
    pat dry on towel
    apply Lucky Tiger vanishing cream
    apply AS du jour
    smile all day
     
  19. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    Good that it works for you!
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2017
    battle.munky likes this.
  20. FranklinFurter

    FranklinFurter Well-Known Member

    Re: Shaving With A Gillette

    I think it is a hand holding something not visible between thumb and forefinger.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2017

Share This Page