Thread: Shaving neck area!!

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.

Originally Posted by Obie

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,
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.

Originally Posted by Maxi

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,
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

Originally Posted by Obie

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. . .

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:

. . . 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.