Help With Jawline

I need help getting a close shave around the jaw line and bottom of neck. I can do cheeks, chin, sideburns, and upper lip fine.

Hi there,

Keeping in mind that I'm still a newbie with only a handful of straight razor shaves under my belt, I'll share with you some tips that have worked for me.

About the jaw line, try grabbing the skin around the bottom of your cheek and pulling it upwards as tight as you can. The goal is to pull the skin/whiskers around the jawline upwards so it's flatter and easier to shave. I find that tilting my head down a little makes this easier because it gives the skin in that jaw line area some slack which to pull.

About the bottom of the neck, that part's pretty easy for me. Tilt your head upwards to make the skin around your neck tight, and place your pointer finger flat, horizontal to your jawline, at the base of your neck. Use that finger to pull the skin down real tight. The whiskers on my neck mostly go up, so at this point, I just start from the bottom and shave upwards, at least the first time/pass. It took some getting used to shaving at that weird upwards angle. What I've learned from it is to be real careful when initially putting the edge in contact with your skin (it's easy to slightly cut yourself there) and then once you start moving the blade upwards (again, if your whiskers also go up on your neck), try to use the momentum to your advantage and move the blade as far as you can as long as it's cutting smoothly.

Besides that, related to the neck in general and tough areas on the neck. one valuable thing I learned from Lynn's DVD is to pull the skin on your neck either to the right or left (instead of down). So, you're still tightening the skin, but pulling it from a different angle. Very helpful for tough areas on the neck where there's a curvature that the blade misses. Going back to the jawline, something else that Lynn pointed out that's applicable is to try shaving the jawline sideways instead of down or up. I'm still working on that method but I see the logic in it.

I learned to watch the angle of the blade throughout the stroke around the chin. To me, it looks like a shallow angle as I get right to the edge of the jaw... the ridge of bone where the front meets the bottom. Does that make sense? In the mirror it looks shallow, but it's still about a spine and a half's distance from the skin.

Jawline:

When doing your cheeks, down at the bottom near the jaw, open you mouth--WIDE, and stretch the skin as modul8tor said. This should give you an extra inch or so, and allow you to shave that part flat as part of your cheek. When you release the stretch, and close your mouth, you should see that the entire curved portion of your jaw has been shaven in this fashion.

i'm glad you posted this as i have the same problem and have been trying different things to no avail so far. now i have some things to try. thanks http://bestsmileys.com/thumbs/2.gif

These are the toughest spots for me as well. As I have become more proficient with manipulating the blade, watching the angle, and going in different directions my results have improved. Sometimes changing the direction from which you attack can make the difference. Skin stretching and preparation are all important.

I usually shave after I shower. I wash my face vigorously twice before I get out and shave. Even if I shave sans shower I wash my face twice in very hot water to soften up the whiskers. I also gave up face lathering and started using a bowl to get more & thicker lather. All of the above have made the jawline and neck less of a problem to get a close and comfortable shave. Same with the tip of my chin which used to give me fits.

i am really new to this, but one thing i am doing now and seem to have good results is switching hands. kinda scary at first!!! i trip going up stairs, bite my lip when i chew gum and talk..... and so on. basically i am not very coordinated. start out slow and watch how much pressure you use. watch your angle. tough to get used to but easiier for me in the long run. my problem is i am very thin in the face. the middle of my neck sticks out and i have hollows on both sides of it. those are hard to get. pull your skin and relax.