The next step

cheese_dave

cheese_dave

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1,133
Okay, I'm doing a WTG pass most days using a straight, and I'm pretty confident with it. But the next step is to follow it up with the XTG and ATG passes that I'm currently doing with a DE. I'm finding it a bit of a struggle, both in terms of hand/arm positioning, and also the way the blade goes over my skin - it just doesn't go as smoothly as with the WTG pass.

Is that anyone else's experience? Is this just part of the learning curve, or is there something I'm missing? Are XTG and WTG a bar-raising exercise in straight razor terms?
 
I tried XTG when I was trying to use a straight a put a gauge on the side of my face which has left a scare. I got the angle completely wrong. I think I'd probably miss the XTG and go straight for the AGT when I get back to using the straight again.
 
Decreasing the blade angle a little for against the grain may pay dividends: it does for me. A slight slicing action also helps, but please be careful. I skip ATG on known trouble spots (either side of my neck) because the whole point of me adopting a straight razor was to decrease irritation.
 
ATG always has a slight hesitation when first starting it. The tendency (for me, at least) is to want to pull the blade, therefore slicing, in stead of pushing the blade upward. Stretching the skin as much as possible also helps to cut down on the resistance. On my cheeks, I pull down and shave up, but I also pull up and shave up (be careful of the fingers!). I'll do an XTG on the cheeks while pulling down on the skin, and when near my jaw and ear, I'll pull the skin back.

Do be careful of the blade angle. You can raise it, but if you go to high, it will want to slice you.

I hope this helps!
:shave
 
Grab your ear with the same side hand and keep a shallow blade angle. As soon as you remove enough lather, move the hand to your upper cheek and pull taut again with your finger tips, slightly upward this time. Repeat for each area until that side of your face has been shaved XTG. Very important for me to keep the skin taut lower toward my chin, tough whiskers there, and upper lip. The angle of the blade can be adjusted so you come at the tougher parts from an oblique.

XTG really helps with beard reduction making the ATG passes much smoother.

When I first started XTG I found it best to only lather one side of my face at a time. It became a habit and I continue that practice, although I really no longer need to do it that way.
 
The taut skin thing is for sure the kicker. I don't have to bother doing it much with the DE, but with the straight it's almost impossible if you don't stretch the skin.
 
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