Thread: My dang neck!

On a completely different tack, how is your lather? If it is a little paste like/dry maybe that could help produce the sticking and skipping.

Bob

Originally Posted by Creox

I'm attempting to shave from the neck up to the jaw line on each side with the first pass going south to north. I find the first strokes at the bottom of my neck jump and I stall a bit. I am unsure of my angle or how to get a shallower one...just nerves.

Lay the razor flat on your neck, spine touching. There should be no sticking or stalling. If you still get irritation it's not your angle.

Originally Posted by Creox

I guess my biggest question mark is why the shavette would be easier to use, smoother etc? Is that just due to the obvious differences in the way they are designed?

You haven't stropped the shavette so you have not influenced its edge. Did you strop the TI before use or did you have trouble from the start ?

Originally Posted by kwlfca

Using .25 diamond on leather probably won't help in terms of comfort...a lot of people find it to be too harsh. Even when using .5 diamond, it's common to follow up with .5 chromium oxide. This is because the diamond particles are sharp, while the chromium particles are smooth. If I were using .25 diamond, I'd still follow up with .5 chromium oxide.

The medium that you apply these compounds to is also a factor. Diamond on hard pressed wool or some sort of soft fabric would be smoother than diamond on leather or balsa. The same is true with crox.

Another thing to know is that the more you use a pasted strop, the more the compound is worked into it's medium.

What is the .25 diamond on, felt or leather?

Thanks for the reply

I'm using the .25 on a felt hanging strop that comes with a leather bridle strop. Thanks for the info on the crox. Could I use it on the felt as well or is that now the domain of the diamond spray?

Originally Posted by BobH

On a completely different tack, how is your lather? If it is a little paste like/dry maybe that could help produce the sticking and skipping.

Bob

Now that you mention it my lather tends to dry out quickly. It is a part of this quest I'm finding out along the way.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Lay the razor flat on your neck, spine touching. There should be no sticking or stalling. If you still get irritation it's not your angle.




You haven't stropped the shavette so you have not influenced its edge. Did you strop the TI before use or did you have trouble from the start ?

I had trouble from the start but then again I held and used the straight like the shavette. I will try laying the blade flat...never did that before as I usually hold it 10-15 degrees from my skin.

Thanks a lot....!

Originally Posted by Creox

Thanks for the reply

I'm using the .25 on a felt hanging strop that comes with a leather bridle strop. Thanks for the info on the crox. Could I use it on the felt as well or is that now the domain of the diamond spray?

You'd have to use the crox on something else. I'd undo the screws and flip the felt piece over and just use the clean side for now. I'd do 15-20 on the felt, followed by 50-60 on leather.

Originally Posted by kwlfca

You'd have to use the crox on something else. I'd undo the screws and flip the felt piece over and just use the clean side for now. I'd do 15-20 on the felt, followed by 50-60 on leather.

I will do that..thanks for the tip.

Creox,

I read all the posts, but a couple of things.....the shavette usually will be a more rigid edge/blade than a full hollow ground razor. The shavette edge won't flex as much when contacting and cutting the whiskers. A full hollow grind is thin and wider than the shavette and if you have an angle on the blade similar to the shavette it is going to flex much more and try to dig in. As Onimaru said.....flatten out the blade, spine close to or touching the skin. If it doesn't shave, increase just slightly and try again.

Of course sharpness is key and I know Phil gives good edges. But if you have used too high of an angle the scraping of the skin can dull the razor, and that scraping also causes irritation. Stropping..? You'll have to judge that.

Dealing with prep, blade angles and what to expect from a good edge.....here's a video that should help.



Howard

What is "The Shave Test" for a Straight Razor - YouTube