I don't know if this has been treated in another thread here (I tried doing a search and looking through this section of the forums), so here goes:

I have been having problems getting my neck smooth with a straight. Granted, I have only shaved about a dozen times with a straight now, so I still have a lot of learning to do, but I'm still frustrated about this. I realise the neck area is a difficult part to shave for most people, so I'm not alone in this.

The hair on my neck grows diagonally downwards from my chin and diagonally upwards towards my ears, in no apparent pattern. Feeling my neck from the back and up towards my chin or from my ear and down towards my adams apple after a shave will feel very rough, and both these directions appear to be "against the grain" on my neck.

I've had lots of trouble contorting myself into various positions to get the razor to cut against the grain on my neck and never felt like I managed to get a "safe" and efficient position.

Anyway, last time I shaved with a straight, I tried using a technique normally used with a DE razor, called the "Gillette slide". I kept the blade horizontal and went diagonally down/up on my neck, against the grain. I guess it's the same as shaving with the heel or point leading. In any event, I managed to get the smoothest shave ever, using just the straight, on my neck. I have had smoother shaves using a DE razor, but this came pretty close.

Am I on to something here? Have any of you guys tried this technique?

/Nicholas