As far as I can recall, my father, who was born in the 1930s, did a one pass shave with his Gillette Superspeed, which he used every day, without fail. Mostly he shaved WTG, but in some areas he would probably go ATG or XTG, if that was easier. He wanted to look smart, but in as little time as possible, and that's the way he went about it.

If he wanted a really smooth shave, for a wedding or other event, he'd go to the barber he frequented for many decades for a straight shave.

Thinking about it a bit more, I also believe my father's shaving technique was probably not what B&B regulars would consider good. There would be fairly frequent mild curses as he shaved, when the razor bit home, and I suspect some degree of razor burn was pretty much accepted as inevitable.

Harry the barber, on the other hand, was an artist with his straights, which he honed meticulously, with a cigarette drooping from his lips as he chatted about that week's football results. He would shave the back of all his customers' necks with a straight when they had a haircut, as well as giving face shaves, and I don't remember anybody complaining about cuts. His haircuts, however, were pretty terrible -- short back and sides or pudding basin style.