Originally Posted by
Phrank
Another thing I've come to learn about this area, when I get a haircut, I will frequently make sure I can get a straight shave from my old Italian barber as well. Always a great learning experience, and he's old hat now with me bringing in one of my straights for him to use....it's funny to hear him comment on what I've brought him that day.
What I notice he does, in the entire area under the jawline, is actually use what I would describe as an enormous amount of pressure. When he does that area, he uses enough pressure that you want to straighten up like a board...he has never cut me, nor have I had any irritation there, and he pretty much get's it in one pass. He does one pass all over and then re-lathers and then takes his time cleaning up.
When I ask him about it, he says it's a tough area, and getting the blade hard against the skin is what you have to do! He doesn't know nor care to know things like ATG, WTG, XTG...he's in his 70's and he gives you a shave...he's good enough that he can tell from how my beard growth is what areas I do well and what I don't...
So now when I do that area, I know it's counter-intuitive to what we say here, but I increase the pressure, a lot, still takes me a WTG and an ATG in the area, still make sure the blade angle is very low, but at least the results I get now are more consistent...fascinating to listen to him and always a great learning experience.