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Hello to everyone from British Columbia.
i am a newbie to straight razors and i was wondering what the best method is for shaving the neck area. The hair on my neck grows vertically, from bottom of neck up towards middle neck. Any suggestions?
Cheers
Hello, celestino,
Initially, until you get to know the straight razor a bit better, shave the neck north-south and call it quits. Don't forget stretching. Then start shaving at an angle, carefully, varying your stretching. This will take time, but it will come. Experimentation and improvisation will work. Keep the pressure light.
Obie,Quote:
Originally Posted by Obie
Thanks for replying and the information. i am proceeding very slowly with high respect for the razor. i find the neck area very challenging as it is very sensitive with many contours and not many flat surfaces when using a western straight razor.
i hope you are well.
Cheers
The neck is definitely a difficult part to shave. I have the same affliction. As Obie mentioned, I tend towards an angle going from the outside of my chin down to under my ear, one each side. Then from under my chin I go straight south, half way....finishing up with a south-north pass for the other half. If I stray from that pattern at all...its ingrown hair season.
Maxi,Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxi
Thanks for the info. It is comforting to know that not all straight shavers have an easy time of it. Some of these guys i see on YouTube seem to perform this task with such ease that it is confounding how they do this.
Great to see another fellow Canadian on this site.
Thanks, again.
Cheers
Maxi,
Where do you live in Toronto? My sister lives in Richmond Hill and we were originally from Leamington, a small town in southwestern Ontario.
Cheers
Don't forget to add yourself to the google map
link : http://straightrazorpalace.com/vbgooglemapme.php
Christophe,
Great to see another Vancouverite on this site. i tried the google map link, but was unsuccessful. Any suggestions how to proceed?
Where do you live in Vancouver? i am in East Van. Maybe we will run into each other some day.
Cheers
From what he says about how his hair grows, "north to south" is against the grain in that area. "South to north" would be "with the grain", and easier to do. I just learned a simple trick from watching somebody else shave:Quote:
Originally Posted by Obie
. . . Get the razor into the correct orientation, and then find a comfortable grip. That's much easier than holding the razor in "standard grip", and contorting my wrist.
It's amazing how long it takes to understand some simple things.<g>
I agree about stretching the skin. If my neck skin bunches up, I get cut a lot. I still favor a DE razor for neck work.
Charles
Quality soap, sharp razor, light touch, and proper stretching.
I live right in the middle of it all. North of Downtown and South of the 401Quote:
Originally Posted by celestino
Did you try this link?Quote:
Originally Posted by celestino
Attachment 81772
I PMed you.Quote:
Originally Posted by celestino
Cheers
Christophe.
That's boonie-land! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Maxi
As for neck shaving, I use a sort of diagonal stroke with/across the grain, then a diagonal across/against the grain. My hair grows west to east. If yours grows up (ie. south to north), you might think about starting by shaving upwards and see if that's more comfortable, then on the second pass you could try some more diagonal. I also find that the diagonal strokes are easier than straight up and down on my neck, but it's my neck, not yours :)
Maxi,Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxi
Thanks for getting back to me. Great to see some Canadians on SRP.
i wish you continued success with your shaving.
celestino
Christophe,
i tried the googlemap entry, but it would not allow me to post because it ask for some of the markers to be filled out and i am not sure what information into the markers. Any suggestions?
sorry I did it a long time ago and don't really remember how it works.
maybe you could ask a forum moderator/administrator...
Hello, Charles,Quote:
Originally Posted by cpcohen1945
I am well aware of that. When I suggest north and south, despite the direction in which the beard grows, it is in respect to the newbie shaver's skill in handling the straight razor. In the initial stages of learning, going from north to south on the neck is the safest way to handle the task. As the newbie hones his skill, he can easily maneuver his way on the neck.
Greetings Celestino,
My neck is as craggy as Wales, but I have managed not to make it any craggier. I start my entire shave from the collar line and work upwards from there, so my neck is the first area shaved. As has already been said, the light touch is key. Aim to scrape away the lather only; if the whiskers don't follow it then your blade needs some touching up.
I start with about 2" sweeps down toward my collar line, with my stretching grips just below the lather. With that first band done, both left and right sides, I shift my grip upward and stretch again from where I just shaved, and do another 1" or so. The shorter weep is because the barbs are a little denser and the grain starts to shift a little, and I have to start navigating around my adams apple.
Good stretches are key everywhere. You can get a good one for your whole neck by putting a one-handed choke hold at the base and tilting your chin up a little. You can also pull skin to the side, to get the peak of your adams apple over a flatter background. I have a hollow spot beneath my right ear that needs to migrate a couple of inches before I can shave it. If I try to reach it in place, the tip or heel get a nice snack.
I don't work too hard to follow the grain; instead I've found my good stretch points and just consistently shave toward them.
Remember, there is no shame in using your previous shaving method (electric, disposables, whatever) on the spots where you're not comfortable yet with the straight. My own transition took about three months, and my neck was the last area to learn.
Good luck and best wishes.
