Back to a two-pass shave

Thoughts and input on anything related to wet shaving or men's grooming.
Post Reply
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Back to a two-pass shave

Post by EL Alamein »

Well, I posted some time ago that I retreated to one-pass shave. Lately though I have returned to a two-pass.

My inspiration for such a change came from re-reading the old barber's text book. Barbers of old did a second pass on their clients with water only. Wanting to get as close as I used to I tried it again and I'm thoroughly pleased. I've found that if I use water only on my second pass with a light touch I get a very smooth irritation free shave the same as what I used to get as a younger man doing two passes with re-lathering.

I surmise that with getting older my skin is getting more sensitive. Using water only I find that there is enough residual lather on my face to create enough slickness (really slick, I've found) to allow an extremely close shave, like I used to get, without irritating my now sensitive skin.

Anyone, using any type of blade, can probably replicate this and I thought I'd mention it just in case it helps someone.

Chris
brothers
Posts: 21514
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by brothers »

If the soap or cream I used on the single ATG pass is fortunate be as slick as I like, the water-only pass is exquisite. Any that aren't slick in the touchup water pass are not my cup of tea, and are gathering dust "in the box", or in the dumpster - it doesn't matter which.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
User avatar
aih
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:00 am
Location: Florida Panhandle

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by aih »

Interesting. I'll do touch ups with just the residual soap on my skin. But haven't tried a full pass. I guess it would work, but I think you would have to have the residual soap on your skin for lubrication. If it was really just water and no lingering soap, wouldn't the friction between razor and blade and the skin tend to drag and pull on the skin?
- Ira
brothers
Posts: 21514
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by brothers »

Ira, that lingering residue is the key for me. Without that slickness following the lather pass and a splash of water , the soap or cream is dead to me. As you say, just water and no lingering residue is lousy. I have thrown away or stopped using a number of soaps and creams that aren't as slick as I wanted them to be.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
User avatar
fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
Posts: 8813
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:59 am

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by fallingwickets »

wouldnt the difference between lathered second pass and plain water be the same given the 'light touch' of the blade? Or is the irritation from the cream/soap?

on the subject of age and skin, the older I get, the quicker the lather seems to be drying on my face

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by EL Alamein »

Ira, I'm with Gary on this. There's got to be a decent soap residue on the face when doing the second pass. Some soaps make the grade while others do not. If the soap doesn't make the grade don't use it anymore for such purpose.

When I lather these days I lather for quite a bit until the lather is really stiff and thick everywhere (we're taking stiff eggwhite peaks kind of stiff, and maybe stiffer still). Then I dip my brush into the soapy water in my mug and just mix that soapy water into the stiff lather - stops it from drying out and adds a level of slickness to the already highly protective lather. Once the first pass goes off I do my second pass in quadrants of the face. I just wet a quadrant and run the blade over it lightly but firmly and it removes pretty much any residual stubble - completely - and it's really comfortable to me. I go across the grain in most places on this pass. I go against the grain only in one place - under the chin on the throat but I confess I add water and do a quick lather, almost like an upside down triangle in that area then go at it.

There have been a few soaps that don't feel all that slick to me on the water pass that I am surprised about. I won't mention them here but perhaps in another future thread. Anyway, experimenting is the only way to know for one's self. Also, I have hard water. If I had soft water a lot of this sort of thing, I imagine, is negated because the slickness is off the scale good from what I remember of shaving in such an environment.

Hope that helps.

Chris
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by EL Alamein »

Clive, I found the same thing to be true as I got older because the longer I lathered the more stiff and protective the lather seemed to get, and I liked that property.

I also found that if you hold the cake of soap over a mug while loading it the soapy water that runs out into the mug can be used to help hydrate and slicken the already formed lather when lathering is done by lightly mixing it with the tip of the bristles. Sort of mimics the barbers of old lather that they made in a mug loaded with water and I cake of soap, I think. Anyway it works a treat for me and I hope it helps someone else.

Chris
User avatar
fallingwickets
Clive the Thumb
Posts: 8813
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:59 am

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by fallingwickets »

I have been face lathering for many years, but maybe its time to go back to a bowl to get that extra hydration etc. I'll try it when i get back home from sc

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
EL Alamein
Posts: 3102
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:55 pm

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by EL Alamein »

I forgot to mention I face lather. The soapy water comes out of the brush and into the mug/Moss Scuttle while I run the brush over the cake. I then take the loaded brush and lather on my face. I add the soapy water to the formed lather after that.

Hope that clarifies things.

Chris
Julius_Rodman
Posts: 664
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:44 am
Location: Toronto

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by Julius_Rodman »

That wouldn't work for me going against the grain on a second pass.
User avatar
jww
Woolly Bully
Posts: 10960
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:49 am
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Re: Back to a two-pass shave

Post by jww »

Two and single passes both work fine for me. Days when I am at my client site are single pass days, two pass days when I have skipped a day because I am working from home or not working at all. I recently got back into shaving most Saturdays as well (I have always shaved on Sundays with us being weekly church attenders our entire married lives of nearly 37 years).
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
Post Reply