Thread: Suggestions for the Neck

This has probably been brought up in another thread, so I apologize in advance for mentioning it again. I have been straight shaving for over 2 years now. Everything is perfect! Only one issue I can't overcome and need a suggestion, unless I'm doing it correctly already. I have major OCD when it comes to getting every bit of scruff possible that I can feel. The my neck is the menace. Those sideways hairs! I can't seem to find that correct grip, or angle to place the SR at to hit them clean. I angle down and to the side a bit and swoop in a circular motion, but still no cigar. So I have always shaved everything I can with my SR and hit my awkward neck hairs with a DE. Does a great job, but I hate ending my straight shave with a DE. Please give some advice if you can. Thanks guys!

How does your DE get to those areas? Maybe you could experiment a little to observe how it does, and try to match that action with the straight razor.
(What works for me is to make sure the razor is well stropped, use really light pressure and increase the blade angle a little by raising the spine. Much smoothness with no irritation is the result.)

Im feeling your pain Raptor, they way I did it was to practice in the lift mirror when I was alone. Remember the razor deals with flat surfaces, I found that if I stretch by looking up and in the opposite direction my neck area becames flat enough to do a ATG pass. Come from the right of the jaw line, right side with right hand and left side with left hand. I do the stroke completely by feel although if you have been shaving for two years you should get the hang of it quickly. The heel of the blade will come down under the jaw line and sort of scith up towards your chin with the toe in a small crescent arc.

I remember a thread along these lines years ago. Too long ago in fact!

One suggestion I remember had to do with stretching the skin at angles - perhaps you do that already, I don't know. But there's no rule that you have to stretch N-S, E-W - perhaps there are stretching angles that will make that hair stand up for you.

The neck is always a problem area for the OCD shaver I'm afraid. I personally have swirls either side of the adam's apple that are difficult to get smooth. In the end I simply accepted that I was never going to get it perfect there and let well enough alone.

Good luck!

James.

These suggestion help a lot. Haven't thought to try that yet. Thank you gentlemen!

I am still very much a beginner this being my second month of SR shaving. For the first month it was all I could do to get a decent shave WTG after several passes. Then a couple of weeks ago I started with XTG more of a diagonal stroke from chin down across the neck area. That helped quite a bit. Now, I have yet to attempt the true ATG pass on the neck but I'm getting closer. All of the tips are very helpful.

Try this, http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...ml#post1028821

and this,

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...ml#post1028898

I think most of us have some swirly trouble patch on the neck/throat.
And after shaving with a straight for a while this area seems to narrow down to something the size of your thumbpad to maybe a matchbook.

What helped me the most (after lots of shaves) was trying to master the Kamisori blade with the traditional "flat side to the face" method.
The angles and contortions involved for a newbie can be frustrating.
But watching one of the video clips (sorry, not handy) I noted a barber using two finger (thumb and forefinger) stretching, working the small patch in between the outstretched fingers.

So it was not only skin tension (keep you from cutting yourself) but direction (making the hair stand up as apposed to lay down) that was the "learning".

Except for an occasional shave with my Brian Brown Kamisori grind, I've moved on from "the way" - but the lessons have stayed with me.

Also helpful was a smiling blade (the SRP LI from Robert Williams is todays razor and a good example of the form) and also sweeping (think "windshield wiper) and angled as in snow plow blade passes.

And time with the blade using an edge that is at its very best...

And then one day it comes together and its all good, your day becomes magical; parking spots open up in front of you, there is no line at the coffee shop, the rain stops as you park your car and that cute girl in accounting asks you if you would like to grab some lunch...so you should stay on it....

Smooth Shaving...

You just have to practice with angles and extreme stretching to get to those hard to reach areas and because everyone is different there is no universal advice.

Sometimes if you have a neck that is deeply sculpted it can be almost impossible to get a really close shave in those areas. That is the issue I have and frankly I don't fret about it anymore.

I have some razors that seem to get into those area better than others. Smiling razors are better for sure as are smaller razors too that are more maneuverable.

Clean your glasses and watch the 30th anni shave video about three times. It's all there if you're looking for it, IMHO Well, it was for me, anyhow. Maybe I imagined it.