What do people mean by shave across the grain?

Answer 1

not in the direction that the hair is growing, but from the side. why?

Answer 2

When you shave in the opposite direction the hair is growing this is called shaving across the grain.

Answer 3

I've never heard anyone say that. Are you sure you didn't hear "against" the grain? That means in the direction opposite the direction the hair lies in. For example, if you pet your dog's back from the tail towards the head, that's petting the poor pup against the grain. (The phrase is also used to mean going against the usual way of things or the common opinion.)

Answer 4

Its from days when people worked more with wood.To go with the grain means to go with the flow and something is easier.To go across the grain means something is more difficult or harder to do,or instead of following the line of things,to go across or against it

Answer 5

it means to shave in the oposite direction as the hair grows. Run you hand along your face in sevral directions. The direction that feels rough is against the grain.

Answer 6

facial hair grows downwards so by applying the razor in an upwards stroke you shave against the grain , this makes for a closer shave

Answer 7

Shave in the opposite direction the hair is growing.

<< you shave >>>>> this way

Answer 8

it means go against the way something lies.Shaving your face means up strokes,against the way the hair grows...shaving wood, means across the lines in the wood....

Answer 9

i believe its "Against the grain" but what they mean is, your hair grown one way, and you'd be shaving the other way, so if your hair folicals are growing downward, then you'd shave upward.

Answer 10

It's like swimming upstream - it means not going along with the majority, but 'doing your own thing' or having your own ideas - going the opposite way to everyone else.

Hope this helps:>)

Answer 11

Generally don't shave upwards on your face. It takes too much stubble off and leaves you susceptible to a rash.