Thread: Having trouble with my neck

Hi everyone, I have been looking around the forums and can't seem to find an answer, so I am asking the question directly. Please feel free to direct me if I have missed the correct thread in my search, or answer the question if you have overcome similar issues yourself.

The problem I have is that the hair on my neck grows quite a long way down (I am talking about the throat are under the chin, not the back of the neck) and the direction of the grain is upwards towards my chin. This area is the reason that I looked into different methods of shaving in the first place as the cheese grater was really giving me a terrible rash, DE was a big step up and helped a lot. I am hoping that straights are going to see an end to this razor burn for good. I did get it but greatly reduced when I first started DE shaving.

I am getting reasonably good shaves now everywhere else, and I can get a comfortable shave on my neck simply by going WTG, but the minute I try to change that direction on subsequent passes trouble and discomfort swiftly follow. Even if I do two passes WTG. I am currently just finishing that are with a DE, but I am really keen to let that go and fully commit to straights.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I believe that once I can master this area I will be on the way to becoming fully proficient.

Mine is a challenge as well. Hair grows all different directions and even a swirl or two down there. I would have to say that in my case, it was just time that told me how to shave each unique section.

Try something... light short strokes or long strokes and see how it worked. Try something else. That's what I did.

Been shaving for 40yrs and my neck seldom gets 100% with straights or DEs. I've just come to accept it and that the time spent chasing that last 1% is not worth it to me.

Good luck!

Did you try mapping your face? finding the direction of hair growth, and the shaving pass that will take care of it.
Link to mapping your face: http://www.pbjsite.com/shave/whiskarmap/

Shaving passes: Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Library

And stretching the skin to raise the whiskers is very important as well, Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Martin103

Did you try mapping your face? finding the direction of hair growth, and the shaving pass that will take care of it.
Link to mapping your face: http://www.pbjsite.com/shave/whiskarmap/

Shaving passes: Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Library

And stretching the skin to raise the whiskers is very important as well, Enjoy!

I did look at the whiskarmap but it didn't really give me any surprises as I have a pretty good handle on the direction of my beard growth.

There are some interesting strokes in the shaving passes guide I haven't tried yet, so I will give that a go and hopefully find some improvements. I do try to mix things up a little, keeping what works and losing waht doesn't. Even at the early stages my shave is more comfortable than it was under the cartridge system or electric razors that I have tried in the past. So I will be sticking with this until I master it (well get better at it at least).

I have the same issue with my neck, the only thing that work is, a keen edge and a sything stroke opposite the direction of growth, (ATG) after a with the grain stroke.

I do a 3 pass shave 2 with the grain and a third against, a semi forth, clean up against, in the problem area.

A ATG sything stroke get it every time.

I have the same problem with changing-direction whiskers on my neck. And middle-age, not-so-smooth skin. What worked for me is to stretch carefully with my non-razor hand, raise the angle of the blade a little and make short strokes and very light/ practically no pressure, moving from one small area to the next. I try to go with or across the grain whenever possible. And like Euclid440 said, a keen edge is essential, to get a clean shave and to avoid razor-burn.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

I do a 3 pass shave 2 with the grain and a third against, a semi forth, clean up against, in the problem area.

Doing 2 WTG passes first is what I generally do as I sometimes have trouble in other areas XTG too. Thank you for the advice, now all I need is my beard to grow back out so I can put it to good use

Originally Posted by JeffR

very light/ practically no pressure.

I am still getting to grips with what this really means. When I get it right I know it, sadly the same is true when I get it wrong

I am with the majority, I struggle with me neck. My Adam's apple sticks out like the iceberg that took the titanic down and my neck is skinny. I get the most I can with a straight then tidy that area with my DE. I get as smooth as I can and call it a day. Wish I had better advice but I feel your pain.

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If you have "that kind of neck" it can be near impossible to get it all. Old Time Barbers were able to do it because they were shaving you and could really manipulate your skin in ways you can't when you are shaving yourself.

I have a few spots on my neck that are like that too and after trying everything I basically gave up. Actually I have a few razors with pronounced smiles and they do get in there and do the job. I also have a 2/8s trim razor that can do it too.