Shaving the Chin

Hello, SRP forums. I've been shaving with a Dovo Special for the past couple of months now with reasonable success (that is to say, few nicks or cuts and a decent shave). However, I've been having trouble with the area on and right beneath my chin -- whenever I do a pass there, I always seem to have stubble remaining, especially right under my chin and jaw.

I've tried doing XTG and ATG passes on my chin, but the razor always seems to bite me there. Do you guys have any tips for shaving there smoothly?

Thanks!

Stretch the skin tight and shave the chin in small sections. I use my index finer and thumb of my non-shave hand to stretch, then I shave in very small sections until the chin is complete. Hang in there, one day it will just "click" for you. Enjoy!:beer1:

Hello, DocZombie:

The chin and the area just below it on the neck are trouble for many of us. Here are some suggestions:

1. For the jawline on both sides, pull the skin up from your cheeks to create a relatively smooth path across the jawline and have north to south. You should get much of the stubble here.

2. In the hollow of the neck just below the jawline, if the stubble grows from the chin toward the ears, then you must stretch the skin in such a way to make the hair stand before your blade. You also might have to come in at an angle from the ear toward the Adam's apple. You must be careful here so that you don't cut yourself.

3. The chin area has many hills and valleys and, therefore, quite difficult. Going against the grain on the chin invites trouble, unless a real pro at shaving. Your best bet would be to shave the area both vertically and horizontally. Keep the razor pressure as light as you can and lower the spine, thus lowering the angle.

These suggestions might not work for you, but they do seem to work for me. That's why you can use them as the basis for your approach and from there experiment and improvise. You will eventually get it.

Regards,
Obie

Just finished shaving and paid attention to "how" I was doing these trouble spots...

I pull my lower lip up over my teeth and open my mouth wide... it brings a good portion of the tough chin skin onto the flat/vertical surface. Makes that much easier to get too.
The underside of the chin I usually have to make two passes. One WTG and then one from left shoulder to right shoulder making short scything motions and using the toe of the razor to do the work. (Yes, I do it with a Spike... works for me)

The hollows of my neck on either side of the Adam's apple were the hardest area for me to learn how to shave... (I'm right handed) I do the left side with my right hand, toe of the blade toward my centerline and make short arc/scythe motions from jawline to shoulder moving from the rear of my neck (ear area) toward the centerline.
I do the right side in a similar manner, but moving from Adam's Apple to shoulder... using the toe in scything motions up to down.
Only time I've managed to cut myself doing the neck was using a round point... Spike points may, in fact, be safer for my technique. :confused:

Take your time... relather as needed. Let the blade do the work. Don't shave naked... All also good advice.

Thanks for the tips; I'll keep them in mind next time I shave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, DocZombie:

The chin and the area just below it on the neck are trouble for many of us. Here are some suggestions:

1. For the jawline on both sides, pull the skin up from your cheeks to create a relatively smooth path across the jawline and have north to south. You should get much of the stubble here.

2. In the hollow of the neck just below the jawline, if the stubble grows from the chin toward the ears, then you must stretch the skin in such a way to make the hair stand before your blade. You also might have to come in at an angle from the ear toward the Adam's apple. You must be careful here so that you don't cut yourself.

3. The chin area has many hills and valleys and, therefore, quite difficult. Going against the grain on the chin invites trouble, unless a real pro at shaving. Your best bet would be to shave the area both vertically and horizontally. Keep the razor pressure as light as you can and lower the spine, thus lowering the angle.

These suggestions might not work for you, but they do seem to work for me. That's why you can use them as the basis for your approach and from there experiment and improvise. You will eventually get it.

Regards,
Obie

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by OiRogers

Just finished shaving and paid attention to "how" I was doing these trouble spots...

I pull my lower lip up over my teeth and open my mouth wide... it brings a good portion of the tough chin skin onto the flat/vertical surface. Makes that much easier to get too.
The underside of the chin I usually have to make two passes. One WTG and then one from left shoulder to right shoulder making short scything motions and using the toe of the razor to do the work. (Yes, I do it with a Spike... works for me)

The hollows of my neck on either side of the Adam's apple were the hardest area for me to learn how to shave... (I'm right handed) I do the left side with my right hand, toe of the blade toward my centerline and make short arc/scythe motions from jawline to shoulder moving from the rear of my neck (ear area) toward the centerline.
I do the right side in a similar manner, but moving from Adam's Apple to shoulder... using the toe in scything motions up to down.
Only time I've managed to cut myself doing the neck was using a round point... Spike points may, in fact, be safer for my technique. :confused:

Take your time... relather as needed. Let the blade do the work. Don't shave naked... All also good advice.

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BIG +1 on what Obie and OiRogers said. Couldn't have said it better myself. Take your time and don't rush to get this just right the first few times out.

I would add that the goal during the learning process is to work toward improvement and not perfection. The only way to stick with something and master it is to enjoy the ride.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

I would add that the goal during the learning process is to work toward improvement and not perfection. The only way to stick with something and master it is to enjoy the ride.

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QFT! I think this should always be a goal, even if you feel you are getting good shaves. It seems to me that there is always something I could be doing better, whether if its angles, approach, stretching, stropping, anything!

I started getting pretty good shaves about a month into straight shaving and for a few weeks didn't improve at all because I figured I had a decent shave and improvement would come with experience. Then I shifted my attitude toward one of constantly looking to better my technique in some way shape or form and have been getting better and better shaves since.

DocZombie,

Excellent advice above. I would also add that careful inspection of angle of whisker growth may help. I too had problems immediately under the jawline. For quite some time I thought my angle was wrong as I rounded the sharp angle of the jawline. No matter how I adjusted my angle stubble remained.

One day I read a post that mentioned putting some lather on a finger and running it over trouble spots to discover which direction the grain actually runs. I discovered that despite what I thought, the hairs were not actually growing north to south in this area, but north-south-medial-lateral (i.e. down and out). Once I discovered this and actually went ATG, there was no stubble remaining.

Aye, thanks again for all your tips and advice.

I tried OiRogers' advice (pulling my lower lip up and opening my mouth) and that did improve my shave. I'll work on the finding the grain direction and the other suggested techniques next shave.

I use a buffing technique with the heel of the blade when I shave under the chin. The heel of the blade doesn't get as much use as the rest of the blade so it tends to be a bit sharper too.

Disclaimer:
I know some people use the heel just as much as the rest of the blade. From the blades sent to me, I have noticed that most people don't use the first inch of the blade as much as the rest. YMMV.

+1 to techniques already mentioned. Also, take a look at Chimensch's 30th shaving anniversary video--he holds the blade in both hands as he goes ATG up the chin and upper lip. After seeing his video, I added that technique to my shaves and have had very good results. Using both hands really helps with keeping the angle very flat there, and you can also feel what's going on better.