How close should you shave?

Fido

Fido

Messages
6,286
Location
New Forest, England.
I have always thought that a good shave was one where my skin becomes completely smooth. This requires at least three passes, with, across and against the grain then a final pass on those last bits missed earlier. Achieving this, particularly with a new blade can sometimes lead to soreness with less than perfect shaving technique. Is it really good for the face to attempt a close shave every day? Having recently read "Sharp Practice" I am thinking about the benefits of fewer passes and days off thus abandoning the quest for a perfect daily shave. What do the aficionados think? Is it just a question of personal preference or are there skin care issues involved here?
 
If I can stroke my face in the direction of the beard growth and it feels smooth - that's good enough.

You can go for the multi-directional smoothness, but you do risk more irritation, and it just extends your shaving time.

From wet shaving, I have learned to say "that's good enough".

Ian
 
IanM is spot on.

With fewer passes your'e skin will be less irritable and it will look better in the long term. Best thing to do is map your'e beard growth accurately and shave accurately and you should be able to reduce the number of passes required for a "satisfactory" shave. Over time your'e beard does become more accustomed to the multi pass method and it will become easier to get better results. If your'e skin is sore I would definitely give it a chance to recover, reducing razor pressure will also help. As mantic59 says you are just aiming to shoot par.
 
I personally never aim for a perfect shave.Normally two passes with some quick cleanup on missed areas.
 
I am guilty of aiming for a perfect shave every time. I know it isn't ideal for the skin, and even results in the odd nick now and again, but once I start I just can't stop!

To me the biggest downside is having to wait 24 hours to shave again. I reckon if I did a single pass shave in the morning I would have sufficient growth by the evening to have another! Thus I could double the pleasure and enjoy more soaps/creams and have an excuse to buy more too!!

Unfortunately I can't see this happening as I just get a lot of satisfaction when I feel my face (almost) perfectly smooth each time... ;)
 
I have come in for a bit of stick now and then for this but I am quite happy with a "you'll do" shave.

I don't knock myself out trying to get my ugly mug smooth every day and in fact have never (as far as I can remember) had a completely smooth face with straight, DE or Feather AC.

The ONLY razors to give me a truely all-over smooth shave are the Sensor, Mach3 and Fusion . . . there, said it.

People have said that I don't get a smooth shave because I don't know how to shave properly. I don't accept that argument. I've been shaving my face for about 25 years and my head for about 20, so have washed more hair down the plug 'ole than many. For me, I just take the wiskers off and the job's a good 'un.

I don't see shaving as a form of tea ceremony to be mastered, and never has been (until GQ and Cosmopolitan told everyone a man should have silky smooth skin). My Granddads would p*ss themselves if I told them I wanted to get my face as smooth as a baby's bum! One of them would probably boot me in my special place (he was a bouncer in 60's London, shaved with a DE and had always has a chin like Desperate Dan's).

.
.
.
.
.

Just mentioned this post to the Missus. Apparently she likes it when I am very, very smoothly shaven. So there you have it. Women are mental.
 
joe mcclaine said:
I have come in for a bit of stick now and then for this but I am quite happy with a "you'll do" shave.

I don't knock myself out trying to get my ugly mug smooth every day and in fact have never (as far as I can remember) had a completely smooth face with straight, DE or Feather AC.

The ONLY razors to give me a truely all-over smooth shave are the Sensor, Mach3 and Fusion . . . there, said it.
Click to expand...
:shock: :shock: :shock: Go and write out a hundred times 'I must not shave with a multi-blade razor'
 
PaulH said:
joe mcclaine said:
The ONLY razors to give me a truely all-over smooth shave are the Sensor, Mach3 and Fusion . . . there, said it.
Click to expand...
:shock: :shock: :shock: Go and write out a hundred times 'I must not shave with a multi-blade razor'
Click to expand...

:D

Done.
 
Pig Cat said:
To me the biggest downside is having to wait 24 hours to shave again. I reckon if I did a single pass shave in the morning I would have sufficient growth by the evening to have another! Thus I could double the pleasure and enjoy more soaps/creams and have an excuse to buy more too!!
Click to expand...

Good plan - I've not shaved since Thursday evening since I cracked my back before I got to shaving on Friday. On the plus side I see that my Shavocalypse has edged in to January 2026 as a result.
 
Prety new to de shavint (2months) I can not get a close shave on 1 part of my neck. Cross grain, no problem.Against grain is a no no. Everywhere else is fine. I do a few passes with grain and a few cross and thats it.Anymore and I am in trouble. I wish I could get a babbys bum finish :cry:
 
dredge3 said:
Prety new to de shavint (2months) I can not get a close shave on 1 part of my neck. Cross grain, no problem.Against grain is a no no. Everywhere else is fine. I do a few passes with grain and a few cross and thats it.Anymore and I am in trouble. I wish I could get a babbys bum finish :cry:
Click to expand...

Don't worry mate, it's early days yet! It takes some practice and a little experimentation but you should get there. I've been at it around 18 months now and only now feel I'm really in my stride, but most chaps get there faster than me! :oops: The neck is the hardest place to get BBS (sorry, an Americanism!!) so you should be happy for the moment if you can even go across the grain. One of the most important things I've found is the prep. If you think you haven't spent enough time in the shower or with a hot towel etc. then don't even attempt BBS on your neck as you will almost certainly end up with lots of tiny nicks. :eek:
 
joe mcclaine said:
PaulH said:
joe mcclaine said:
The ONLY razors to give me a truely all-over smooth shave are the Sensor, Mach3 and Fusion . . . there, said it.
Click to expand...
:shock: :shock: :shock: Go and write out a hundred times 'I must not shave with a multi-blade razor'
Click to expand...

:D

Done.
Click to expand...
I'm wondering how the multi-blades compare with a straight. Anyway, I've put my name down for Exile's kind offer, so maybe I'll find out? :)
 
As im not customer facing (work from home) I often go a few days between shaves, although this is getting less and less now as I enjoy my shaves more and more.

I have a spot on my neck that i have never got smoth. its a different type of hair to everywhere else and goes below the normal line of growth.. nothing will touch it.

When i do shave i sometimes go to far in trying to get perfect but the bloods all part of the fun.. isnt it?
 
PaulH said:
I'm wondering how the multi-blades compare with a straight. Anyway, I've put my name down for Exile's kind offer, so maybe I'll find out? :)
Click to expand...

An analogy would be:

One is like tightening a screw with a power drill, the other is like tightening a screw with a screwdriver.

They both get the job done. It's just one needs a bit more user input.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom