Against the grain pain

Dcshaves

Dcshaves

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Belfast
I'm in a tough position with against the grain shaving. Using an adjustable razor and going down in increments ive worked out that my 2 options are either

A) have a great shave with an WTG pass and possibly a XTG pass with no irritation but still have what looks like a 5 oclock shadow all over which is smooth when I run my hand with the grain but rough (sandpaper like) when I run it against the grain because the hair is so short. Or

B) complete a third pass ATG and be BBS and wait 10 mins after the shave for my face to burst into flames with razor burn.

There doesn't seem to be any in-between for me. My stubble is very coarse and I've yet to try a blade that doesn't drag when going ATG.

Any ideas out there?

Do I need to go up a setting for my WTG passes and forget about the ATG pass? I'm still going to be left with a shadow like stubble I think either way.

Abit disappointing if I'm honest but I don't see any other option.

For reference this is the case for all my razors. Going against the grain on standard non adjustable razors seems to drag my face off and ignite a furnace.
 
Dcshaves said:
I'm in a tough position with against the grain shaving. Using an adjustable razor and going down in increments ive worked out that my 2 options are either

A) have a great shave with an WTG pass and possibly a XTG pass with no irritation but still have what looks like a 5 oclock shadow all over which is smooth when I run my hand with the grain but rough (sandpaper like) when I run it against the grain because the hair is so short. Or

B) complete a third pass ATG and be BBS and wait 10 mins after the shave for my face to burst into flames with razor burn.

There doesn't seem to be any in-between for me. My stubble is very coarse and I've yet to try a blade that doesn't drag when going ATG.

Any ideas out there?

Do I need to go up a setting for my WTG passes and forget about the ATG pass? I'm still going to be left with a shadow like stubble I think either way.

Abit disappointing if I'm honest but I don't see any other option.

For reference this is the case for all my razors. Going against the grain on standard non adjustable razors seems to drag my face off and ignite a furnace.
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If shaving against the grain causes you pain then don't do it, shaving should be a nice experience not one full of pain and raw skin. A DFS shave may be the best you can hope for with your beard
You could try a pass on the diagonal and see if that removes more hair but without the burn. :) P.
 
Blademonkey said:
If shaving against the grain causes you pain then don't do it, shaving should be a nice experience not one full of pain and raw skin. A DFS shave may be the best you can hope for with your beard
You could try a pass on the diagonal and see if that removes more hair but without the burn. :) P.
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+1 to this. You can try a XTG pass in both directions.
 
NatJag said:
I don't do a ATG pass on all my face. In fact on my third (ATG) pass, parts are probably just XTG I'm the opposite direction to the previous. It's possible you could still be applying too much pressure as well.
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Thanks for that. My cheeks and side burns could probably cope with ATG strokes come to think of it. My neck and chin area is just a no no.
 
i have real problems under the jawline - my stubble is wiry enough to bobble / trash the inside of shirt collars.

I shave downwards whole face and then upwards whole face and thats all ok if i go slowly and carefully.

Going sideways across the neck can cause real irritation if i try to mow that lawn, so i do a very light pass sideways, at slightly less angle just to reduce it a little and then do two VERY light diagonal passes.

One going across the neck doing downwards diagonal stripes, then one going across the neck doing upwards diagonal stripes, so they overlap in an X pattern.

I get a much closer shave this way and i don't get any irritation - it just doesnt drag anywere near as much as if i try to do a regular sideways horizontal pass.

Takes longer, but it works for me.
 
Zorro said:
i have real problems under the jawline - my stubble is wiry enough to bobble / trash the inside of shirt collars.

I shave downwards whole face and then upwards whole face and thats all ok if i go slowly and carefully.

Going sideways across the neck can cause real irritation if i try to mow that lawn, so i do a very light pass sideways, at slightly less angle just to reduce it a little and then do two VERY light diagonal passes.

One going across the neck doing downwards diagonal stripes, then one going across the neck doing upwards diagonal stripes, so they overlap in an X pattern.

I get a much closer shave this way and i don't get any irritation - it just doesnt drag anywere near as much as if i try to do a regular sideways horizontal pass.

Takes longer, but it works for me.
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Hadnt thought about diagonal passes to be honest but if it works for you amd others then its worth a try. This is the great thing about wet shaving....we're all different. What works for one won't work for another.

Useful info that anyway :)
 
I'm in a similar boat to you. Very tough facial hair. I can tolerate against the grain, but only if I don't do it every single day. I need the odd break.
Someone mentioned shaving across the grain in both directions, I've done that and it sure does help.

My dad was in a similar boat to you and I (Norn iron thing maybe? lol), and what he settled for was a DFS with and across the grain only at 6am each morning, repeated again in the afternoon. He found even with the damage of a second shave, it was preferable to against the grain, which he just could not tolerate on a daily basis.
 
Ed-Belfast said:
I'm in a similar boat to you. Very tough facial hair. I can tolerate against the grain, but only if I don't do it every single day. I need the odd break.
Someone mentioned shaving across the grain in both directions, I've done that and it sure does help.

My dad was in a similar boat to you and I (Norn iron thing maybe? lol), and what he settled for was a DFS with and across the grain only at 6am each morning, repeated again in the afternoon. He found even with the damage of a second shave, it was preferable to against the grain, which he just could not tolerate on a daily basis.
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Haha may well be a Norn Iron thing Ed. I'll try the across the grain in both directions and see how it goes. Never had any irritation after going across the grain so if I can do that twice....get a closer shave and feel OK after it ill happily stick to that routine.
 
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