How to get the throat between Jaw Bone hair.

Hello Everyone,

1st of all this is my first posted thread on straight razor place so be gentle lol.
Any ideas on getting all the hair between the chin bone and neck without opening up the main vein. I can go with the grain and against the grain hower I still have the hair growing in the other direction, and it is pretty long and can't be ignored. Just a bit of information I have been using a straight razor for about a year and half roughly Trilluim LT dragged me into it and I have been hooked ever since. Any way if you need more detail let me know. Thanks for any help. Martin (AKA straightshooter007)

I don't know if this is gonna help at all, but I hope so. I use the heel of the blade to get the spot. If I'm understanding you correctly. I can get it with a slight ( from center towards clavicle) sideways scything stroke. Sorry if it didn't help. It's the best I got.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by straightshooter007

Hello Everyone,

1st of all this is my first posted thread on straight razor place so be gentle lol.
Any ideas on getting all the hair between the chin bone and neck without opening up the main vein. I can go with the grain and against the grain hower I still have the hair growing in the other direction, and it is pretty long and can't be ignored. Just a bit of information I have been using a straight razor for about a year and half roughly Trilluim LT dragged me into it and I have been hooked ever since. Any way if you need more detail let me know. Thanks for any help. Martin (AKA straightshooter007)

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Since all faces are different this may or may not help.

Shave one pass in a systematic way and almost ignore the grain.
Once after all the lather has been wiped away feel for
patches to touch up... With the lather gone it is almost easy
to stretch the patches up/down/left/right so you can shave
it. Next apply one more layer of lather and again shave
in a systematic way with a light touch listening and feeling
for stubble as you shave.

If you have a hot date grab a tossable or a DE razor and
tidy up... Some patches are just difficult ... but not as
difficult as finding a social reason for a good shave.

One trick is to think 10:30 and 2:30 as you shave i.e. almost
with the grain. One pass is almost WTG at 10:30 and the second pass
is again almost WTG but from the 2:30 side of the clock ... For me this
catches a lot of whiskers as they dive into swirls and eddies constantly
changing direction.

If I map my whiskers it looks like a Van Gogh Starry Night painting.
The notion of WTG, ATG, XTG are silly in some patches.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by regularjoe

I don't know if this is gonna help at all, but I hope so. I use the heel of the blade to get the spot. If I'm understanding you correctly. I can get it with a slight ( from center towards clavicle) sideways scything stroke. Sorry if it didn't help. It's the best I got.

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This helped by letting me know I was on the right track, thanks for your help.
Martin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Since all faces are different this may or may not help.

Shave one pass in a systematic way and almost ignore the grain.
Once after all the lather has been wiped away feel for
patches to touch up... With the lather gone it is almost easy
to stretch the patches up/down/left/right so you can shave
it. Next apply one more layer of lather and again shave
in a systematic way with a light touch listening and feeling
for stubble as you shave.

If you have a hot date grab a tossable or a DE razor and
tidy up... Some patches are just difficult ... but not as
difficult as finding a social reason for a good shave.

One trick is to think 10:30 and 2:30 as you shave i.e. almost
with the grain. One pass is almost WTG at 10:30 and the second pass
is again almost WTG but from the 2:30 side of the clock ... For me this
catches a lot of whiskers as they dive into swirls and eddies constantly
changing direction.

If I map my whiskers it looks like a Van Gogh Starry Night painting.
The notion of WTG, ATG, XTG are silly in some patches.

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Niftyshaving thanks for the advice I like the part about
"If I map my whiskers it looks like a Van Gogh Starry Night painting."
This is so true. I will give your suggestions a try. It is better to ask then get more frustrated, or nick yourself doing something silly.
Thanks again for the advice.

I have this same question...I can get a passable shave now EVERYWHERE except for the hair on my neck under the jawbone. Hair goes horizontally, and I can't figure out how to go with the grain or ATG. I can do XTG at a couple different angles, but it still leaves some noticeable patches that bug the heck out of me and make me have to whip out the mach.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by geauxtig3rs

I have this same question...I can get a passable shave now EVERYWHERE except for the hair on my neck under the jawbone. Hair goes horizontally, and I can't figure out how to go with the grain or ATG. I can do XTG at a couple different angles, but it still leaves some noticeable patches that bug the heck out of me and make me have to whip out the mach.

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I have the same issue. What I did was allow my beard to grow for a day or two so that I can study the grain and get a sense of how the whiskers actually flow. We do know that they grow horizontally, but by allowing the whiskers to grow a little, it will help map out the area so you can stretch the skin to make them stand out better. Then I'll stretch the skin from various points to determine which will expose those patches the best. Then I'll remember how I stretch when I shave and reduce those whiskers and walk away with a very satisfying shave. I "attack" that area at about a 45 degree (+ or -) angle leading with the straight razor's heel since obviously we cannot go horizontal with the razor (razor fully vertical moving across that area); however, the cut will be a combination of XTG and ATG.

But also bear in mind, your facial topography is different than mine, so that's why I suggest you allow your beard to grow a little bit to really get to see your grain pattern.

Once you have your face mapped, you can shave everyday and not have to let it grow out because you know your beard's growth/grain pattern.

Good pre-shave prep, good shaving technique, and a good lather as well as a well-honed razor all play an important factor too; but knowing your beard pattern in my opinion is essential to SR shaving. They all work together for you.

Remember this, once your face cools and your pores close up, the remainder of the whiskers will retreat back under the skin line. This was discussed in this forum some time ago.

It all takes time and practice.

I try to stretch that portion of skin up onto the jaw so it gets exposed to an easier stroke. Then on my south to north neck pass (which is XTG for me) it gets most of the jawline stuff done. It's never 100% perfect, but good enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdto

I try to stretch that portion of skin up onto the jaw so it gets exposed to an easier stroke. Then on my south to north neck pass (which is XTG for me) it gets most of the jawline stuff done. It's never 100% perfect, but good enough.

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Becoming familiar with your beard's growth pattern can help you adjust your stretching and razor handling for a closer shave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Becoming familiar with your beard's growth pattern can help you adjust your stretching and razor handling for a closer shave.

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Indeed, you are correct.

One thing to remember, pores do not "close up" or open, as they do not have muscles operating that function. That is a bit of a fallacy perpetuated in the skin care and especially shaving industry. Your pores don't change in size, though they can be clogged or unclogged and can appear larger if they are irritated. Exfoliation as provided by shaving will help your pores to remain unclogged and performing their function fully. Hot or warm water softens the skin and the natural oils, which allows for deeper cleaning and easier exfoliation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdto

Indeed, you are correct.

One thing to remember, pores do not "close up" or open, as they do not have muscles operating that function. That is a bit of a fallacy perpetuated in the skin care and especially shaving industry. Your pores don't change in size, though they can be clogged or unclogged and can appear larger if they are irritated. Exfoliation as provided by shaving will help your pores to remain unclogged and performing their function fully. Hot or warm water softens the skin and the natural oils, which allows for deeper cleaning and easier exfoliation.

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Good point about the fallacy on the pores. I fell for it lock, stock, and barrel. I found this article to support your point on the pores: Discovery Health "Do pores open wider in hotter water?"

Keep on SR shaving!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Good point about the fallacy on the pores. I fell for it lock, stock, and barrel. I found this article to support your point on the pores: Discovery Health "Do pores open wider in hotter water?"

Keep on SR shaving!

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Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

jdto, Thank You for the "Like".

I wonder the true misnomer is that our skin swells and shrinks due to temperature which also creates the illusion about pores opening and closing; also has an affect on the stretching of the skin during the shaving process?

Here is a thought, has any one tried cooling those under the jaw line patch(es) down with cold water prior to shaving to see if that makes any difference?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdto

I try to stretch that portion of skin up onto the jaw so it gets exposed to an easier stroke. Then on my south to north neck pass (which is XTG for me) it gets most of the jawline stuff done. It's never 100% perfect, but good enough.

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This is what I do and it has worked for me for a long time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

jdto, Thank You for the "Like".

I wonder the true misnomer is that our skin swells and shrinks due to temperature which also creates the illusion about pores opening and closing; also has an affect on the stretching of the skin during the shaving process?

Here is a thought, has any one tried cooling those under the jaw line patch(es) down with cold water prior to shaving to see if that makes any difference?

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There are some dedicated cold/cool water shavers out there, so it could be worth a try.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdto

There are some dedicated cold/cool water shavers out there, so it could be worth a try.

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Tell you what, I usually use hot water, but for touching up those pesky patches, I'll cool them down before lathering and see what happens and post back with the results. I usually get them pretty good with my technique, not perfect, but the patches are well reduced. Maybe cooling the area will allow me to get them closer, you never know until you try.

I look forward to your results.

Martin,

I struggled with this for awhile when starting out. It's probably VERY common. And, I admit that I used to finish under my jaw with a safety. But, I'm stubborn and wanted an all smooth, all straight razor shave.

To expound on what jdto said about stretching the skin above the jawline to shave it, you might try this.

The contortionist method (mine): Just for ear to chin ATG...

For the right jawline, cock your head over your left shoulder. With your left hand, reach over your head and grab your cheek skin and pull it up until the portion you want to shave is now on your cheek (alum on fingertips helps immensely). With the razor's tang pointing up, toe down, stroke from ear to chin.

I hope this helps.
Jimbo

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Originally Posted by oldschooltools

Martin,

I struggled with this for awhile when starting out. It's probably VERY common. And, I admit that I used to finish under my jaw with a safety. But, I'm stubborn and wanted an all smooth, all straight razor shave.

To expound on what jdto said about stretching the skin above the jawline to shave it, you might try this.

The contortionist method (mine): Just for ear to chin ATG...

For the right jawline, cock your head over your left shoulder. With your left hand, reach over your head and grab your cheek skin and pull it up until the portion you want to shave is now on your cheek (alum on fingertips helps immensely). With the razor's tang pointing up, toe down, stroke from ear to chin.

I hope this helps.
Jimbo

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Now that you described it, that is pretty much what I do except I have the toe up and tang down, only you explained easier than I.

Do you switch the razor from one hand to the other? I just use my dominant hand for XTG and ATG, however, I switch hands for WTG passes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Now that you described it, that is pretty much what I do except I have the toe up and tang down, only you explained easier than I.

Do you switch the razor from one hand to the other? I just use my dominant hand for XTG and ATG, however, I switch hands for WTG passes.

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I switch hands. In other words, for the left cheek, I reverse everything. It took some time to become proficient with my non-dominant hand, though well worth the effort.

if need be use a cartride or safty razor on that area untill you get more practice with a straight. i started using straights when all i had was fuzz and i find the jaw line to be difiuct. just go slow and steady and follow nifftys advice and you should do fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdto

I look forward to your results.

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jdto,
When I did my ATG/XTG pass for under my jaw, I applied cold water, I found no difference because I achieved the same shave as I would if I used hot water. So therefore, the cold water did not help me get those under jaw patches any closer than hot water.

This is not to say shaving with cold water is not effective, it did not make any difference in my little experiment. In fact, the cold water did feel good with my lather, but it did not affect my shave one way or another in getting the under jaw patches cut closer. This is a YMMV moment.

Oldshool has the same procedure that I have. I rub the fingers on an Alum block that I am going to stretch the skin with. I pull pretty hard and really get that skin up to the top of the jaw line. It took me about a year also to figure this one out. It does depend which direction your hair grows.

Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by riooso

Oldshool has the same procedure that I have. I rub the fingers on an Alum block that I am going to stretch the skin with. I pull pretty hard and really get that skin up to the top of the jaw line. It took me about a year also to figure this one out. It does depend which direction your hair grows.

Richard

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Do your whiskers in that spot grow horizontal? Mine do and I'll have to do more skin stretching to really nail those pesky stubbles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Does your whiskers in that spot grow horizontal?

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Yes, from neck to chin direction. If it grew the other direction it would seem to me that it would be some derivation of the same thing. The problem with that area is that a straight is to long to get into the curved part. It is a trick to reach over the top of your face with one hand and shave with the other but it is very effective.

R

Quote:

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Originally Posted by riooso

Yes, from neck to chin direction. If it grew the other direction it would seem to me that it would be some derivation of the same thing. The problem with that area is that a straight is to long to get into the curved part. It is a trick to reach over the top of your face with one hand and shave with the other but it is very effective.

R

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I'll make sure I try that at my next shave. I nail the spot pretty good, but I am so tenacious that I want to see if I can really smooth out that area.
Thanks!

Thanks PMburk mapping the beard growth sounds like a good idea. I am kind of glad that I am not the only one having this issue this isd what this is for to support each other in our shaving endevors.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

I have the same issue. What I did was allow my beard to grow for a day or two so that I can study the grain and get a sense of how the whiskers actually flow. We do know that they grow horizontally, but by allowing the whiskers to grow a little, it will help map out the area so you can stretch the skin to make them stand out better. Then I'll stretch the skin from various points to determine which will expose those patches the best. Then I'll remember how I stretch when I shave and reduce those whiskers and walk away with a very satisfying shave. I "attack" that area at about a 45 degree (+ or -) angle leading with the straight razor's heel since obviously we cannot go horizontal with the razor (razor fully vertical moving across that area); however, the cut will be a combination of XTG and ATG.

But also bear in mind, your facial topography is different than mine, so that's why I suggest you allow your beard to grow a little bit to really get to see your grain pattern.

Once you have your face mapped, you can shave everyday and not have to let it grow out because you know your beard's growth/grain pattern.

Good pre-shave prep, good shaving technique, and a good lather as well as a well-honed razor all play an important factor too; but knowing your beard pattern in my opinion is essential to SR shaving. They all work together for you.

Remember this, once your face cools and your pores close up, the remainder of the whiskers will retreat back under the skin line. This was discussed in this forum some time ago.

It all takes time and practice.

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No worries you are not hijacking the thread you appear to be having the same issues as me and other people are coming forward with great ideas.

Martin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmburk

Sorry for the thread hi-jack.

jdto, Thank You for the "Like".

I wonder the true misnomer is that our skin swells and shrinks due to temperature which also creates the illusion about pores opening and closing; also has an affect on the stretching of the skin during the shaving process?

Here is a thought, has any one tried cooling those under the jaw line patch(es) down with cold water prior to shaving to see if that makes any difference?

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