ATG Question?

I tried going ATG on my neck to get a closer shave on my neck. I think I must be doing it wrong because my razor catches an unbelievable amount. If I do enough passes WTG and reduce my stubble down to almost next to nothing, then my ATG pass on my neck is very easy and the blade does not catch, it only glides.

Does anyone else experience this if they try to go ATG when there is "too much" stubble and the beard is not reduced enough?

If so should I lay off ATG until I can get a really close shave going WTG?

Thank you for the help. :)

Have you tried going more of a diagonal type stroke (XTG) instead of totally ATG? It will help reduce the stubble more before you go ATG.

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Originally Posted by CarrieM

Have you tried going more of a diagonal type stroke (XTG) instead of totally ATG? It will help reduce the stubble more before you go ATG.

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Yes, I tried to do a downward scything motion like Jockey's does in his videos, but I am probably doing it wrong because I tried this before going ATG. The razor was still hard to move and I learned the lesson of not using too much pressure. Oh the alum block burn!

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Originally Posted by CarrieM

Have you tried going more of a diagonal type stroke (XTG) instead of totally ATG? It will help reduce the stubble more before you go ATG.

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+1 on the XTG pass to reduce stubble!!! On the neck its hard to do XTG passes so normally I do 2 WTG then go ATG!! That works well for me :gl:

The neck area is a really difficult area to master. The only other thing I guess I can suggest is to lower your blade angle to 20 degrees or less and try that. Often trying to shave ATG with a 30 degree angle will result in quite a lot of tugging. Also make sure you are stretching your skin as you go. Not super tight. but enough to get a flatter surface area

A good stretch is important. Just learning the right way to stretch those tough spots will help!!

Now that I think about it I don't think I am flattening out that area enough. I will give it a go tomorrow. I am also going to try moving my blade when I go ATG at an angle so I am not hitting the whiskers dead on. Flitz gave me that tip of going from the windpipe towards the ears at a 45 degree angle. I will give that a shot too.

Could be that the razor isn't quite sharp enough as well. Does it easily go through the whiskers alongside and on the tip of your chin ? There and on either side of my windpipe is where the rubber meets the road for me.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Does it easily go through the whiskers alongside and on the tip of your chin ? There and on either side of my windpipe is where the rubber meets the road for me.

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Yes My chin is no problem, I think the razor is very sharp. I can go through my chin whiskers without a problem. I use the heel of the blade on my chin and I get a really close shave. It is quite enjoyable.

It seems that a lot of veteran shavers say the neck is the most challenging to get a close shave. It looks like I will have to keep practicing.

I am just now getting good at cleaning up the stubble from my neck. It is hard to get for me because it grows to the side almost and not up or down the neck. I have really been working on those spots and after a little bit of time I have gotten some great results. Lots of experimenting is all I can say!!!

Thanks for the advice...

I still have a question, does anyone notice that it is harder to go ATG on the neck when there is stubble compared to when there is little stubble?

For instance if I try to go ATG on the first pass, NO WAY. If I go ATG after several passes it is much easier.

For me it does not seem to matter on the neck, but the hair doesn't grow as thick on my neck as other places on my face. So sorry if I can't help. I can shave either way on my neck first pass without much trouble!

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Originally Posted by sbrouwers

For me it does not seem to matter on the neck, but the hair doesn't grow as thick on my neck as other places on my face. So sorry if I can't help. I can shave either way on my neck first pass without much trouble!

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I see, perhaps I will not do ATG on my neck until I get better at the other passes.

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

Thanks for the advice...
I still have a question, does anyone notice that it is harder to go ATG on the neck when there is stubble compared to when there is little stubble?
For instance if I try to go ATG on the first pass, NO WAY. If I go ATG after several passes it is much easier.

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I think what you describe has been noticed by a great many people, using both str8s and DE razors. The few who can get away with ATG on the first pass are ones with very sparse and soft, thin whiskers. Or on even fewer people whose whiskers grow straight out from the skin, so there is in essence no grain. When you use WTG and XTG passes to get the stubble very short, then the small length of whisker that is left is essentially pointing straight out from the skin.

Other than around my windpipe I may be one of the lucky ones Fritz describes. I could go ATG on the first pass on my neck if I chose to with little problem .... except on either side of the pipe.

I wouldn't say it is sparse but maybe my whiskers aren't as coarse and they may stick straight out. Unlucky at love but lucky at shaving. :)