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So, I've pretty much accomplished what I wanted with the rest of my face, but my neck, specifically in the front is giving me problems. It seems to go ATG here I would have to put the razor exactly vertical and go east to west across the area. Of course my razor is too long to do that. What to do? Get a short blade and make a neck razor? I've been kicking that around. Any opinions are appreciated.
Not to hijack, but I too would like to know this. I mean most my shaves are less than perfect. But it seems that the neck is really difficult and the only place where I can't get completely smooth.
Nope, no hijack here. Let's figure it out together!
Youtube. I can try to explain but I saw it on a video there. The gentleman shaves on a diagonal. I will now look for the video.
‪A Shave with a straight Razor‬‏ - YouTube
not the diagonal shave but If I remember correctly he flips his razor held upside down
I will keep looking
Hah, amen to that. It's driving me crazy. I've tried all sorts of dangerous things lol.
- I've tried tilting my head way back and then going up my neck toward jaw then pivoting the blade on the heel.
- I've tried using the point of the razor... That one left me bloody.
- I've tried going across my neck with the entire blade... Hello 2 inch scar.
- I've tried making an X pattern
The list goes on and on. I'm not afraid to try new way or cut myself... But it would be nice not too lol
I would suggest stretching and an across the grain angle... with practice this should yield as close a shave as against the grain.
‪BOKER EDELWEISS 3 PASS STRAIGHT RAZOR SHAVE: SHAVING WITH, ACROSS, AGAINST GRAIN. BADGER BRUSH CREAM‬‏ - YouTube
here is another vid. still not finding the diagonal. if these do not help I will keep searching
Interesting. I'll have to try his XTG pass. I mean the one he did on his right side. Perhaps that's what I'm looking for.Quote:
Originally Posted by bondpunk
Hi,Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
My neck was a huge problem for me when I was starting out. Basically, my beard under my jawline grows from my left ear down, across under my chin and up toward my right ear. ATG was never a problem with my Gillette Sensor but I couldn't figure out at first how I would ever do an ATG with my straight. Well, the solution was eventually easy, but not until I had incorporated the next two points of advice I'd like to pass on to you:
First, learn to trust your right brain to lead your hands into the correct stroke, the correct angle, and the correct stretch with practically no pressure of the blade against your skin. This is going to take some time, but before long you won't be giving it any conscious thought at all.
Second, learn to use the stroke demonstrated on pp 33 & 34 of the 1961 barbering manual.
By incorporating the two points of advice above into my shaving routine, the solution to shaving my neck ATG just came to me one day. Please understand that this is what works for me. Don't worry about going ATG under your neck yet. Just enjoy your time in the shave den and work on the two points of advice I mention above.
As I mentioned, it just came to me one day while I was pondering my challenging beard growth. I was holding my razor as pictured in Grip 1 but with the heel of the razor at 10:00 and the toe at 4:00. Starting under my right ear, using the stroke described in the 1961 barbering manual, I was able to go ATG (with zero pulling and zero razor burn) from my right ear, all the way down under my chin past the midline of my face. Keep in mind, though, my actual stroke is a bit more complicated than described. Hold a butter knife to an orange and see how wide a path you're going to shave -- using almost no pressure at all. Exactly what do I do? Don't worry about it. Just follow the two points of advice I offered above and it will come to you when you are ready. Count on it.
Off the point -- the first time I tried the above stroke (and I really felt confident about it) I discovered that my right hand and forearm completely blocked my view of the mirror. So what did I do? I closed my eyes and continued "by feel." That's why I say don't worry about this just yet. When you're ready, your right brain will lead your hands into the correct stroke, angle and stretch and you'll feel completely confident completing it.
Continuing, going ATG from underneath my chin up toward my left ear, I hold my razor in a manner that's maybe halfway between Grip 7 and Grip 8 as pictured here. Again, think about holding that butter knife against an orange using ALMOST NO PRESSURE AT ALL and you'll understand that my stroke is a bit more complicated than I describe above.
Don't make it a goal to try and copy what I do. I'm just letting you know what I discovered works for me. For now, work on incorporating the two bits of advice I offer above. When you're ready (and you WILL feel confident when you are), trust your right brain to lead your hands into the solution that works for you. It'll come to you; count on it.
Namaste,
Morty -_-
A short, smiling blade can be helpful. You will still need to become proficient with a grip that will give you control at that initially awkward position. Shaving the neck in the direction that is perpendicular to the jugular while stretching the skin at the same time takes some practice
edit: Safely shaving the neck in the direction that is perpendicular to the jugular while stretching the skin at the same time takes some practice
I could never ever go E-W on my neck except with a Kamisori because it's so much shorter. My neck is just too contoured so no matter the stretching or angle it really makes no difference. With some select razors the differing angles seems to work well but in general I do one wtg and one xtg and that's it. If I get BBS on my neck I consider that my lucky day.
For me, I go with gravity on the first pass, on the second pass I shave across on the part above the jawline, and south to north below. the 3rd pass, I start at the base of my neck below the ear and shave towards my chin at a 45 deg angle, and then south to north above the jawline. This seems to help me get this spot below the jaw in the hollow of my neck. Hope this helps, but you should keep experimenting and it will come to you. I picked one day when I could shave at leisure without distraction to work on technique. This seems to work for me, someone else may have better advice, hope this helps.
Attachment 75524
Seems my beard grows like this. I'd kind of already figured this out but its neat to see it on paper :)
Anyways I tried shaving like the guy in the video. Problem is I don't have that nice round neck he has. So I missed a huge chuck of neck shaving like that. So I held it Japanese style with the handle on the slightly more on the closed side. The result... almost got my neck smooth. LOL
Anyways anyone else got a beard chart?
Does someone have similar beard growth?
Any other methods I could try?
I had the same problem. Although i havent entirely solved it I've made progress. I hold the blade on a 45 degree angle and shave directly sideways on the neck.
Doubt this helps but theres my two cents!
You might find this thread helpful: http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...-neck-xtg.html
There's good discussion of techniques that might help and also a useful diagram at the bottom of the first page. Good luck!
Check out Chimensch's YouTube shaving video here, starting at around 5:06. Watch the whole video, it's all great; but the part starting at 5:06 is directly relevant to your issue.
Chimensch's video is deceptive, because it's very subtle and he makes this look so easy and non-dramatic, shaving his neck with his opposite-side hand ATG. But as many great shaving videos as I've seen posted on SRP, I must say that I've learned more from watching this video carefully and repeatedly than any other.
The first time I tried this technique on my neck shown starting at 5:06, I burned my skin up, because I used too much pressure! A VERY light and sure touch is needed, which comes with practice and care. I actually pull up on my earlobe rather than stretch up on my cheek as Chimensch does. But however you pull this move off, it's very effective as part of a 3rd pass ATG neck shave. Watch carefully, and try this. If nothing else, you will learn. Experiment. No one shave will make or break you, this is a long-distance game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIM0Coix6Gg
The video I found helpful for this is this one, where he describes how to do a "diagonal pass" on the neck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH1f7...ature=youtu.be
Actually, this is what I've been doing, but with moderate success. It's a modification of the same stroke I used with my SE razor. I'm not confident enough yet to do it smoothly. I had a shave where I got my dominant side baby smooth, but my off side was still rough. However, while it was only one shave, I suppose that means it can work.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrIdentical
Great video. That guy is very confident shaving!Quote:
Originally Posted by FatboySlim
Yeah its kinda scary too because it can feel like you're about to cut your own throat too!Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
Ah yeah, that's an understatement! One thing to note about Chimensch's shave is how he gets all the lather off. The other guys have lather left all over their face, in their hair, on their fingers, etc! One immediately realizes that Chimensch is a very precise and studied shaver. I'll bet if he made another video, it would look just like the first.Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
I use a guillotine stroke on my neck (and no I'm not Louie!) Start just above the collar bone under the ear and finish under the chin. Holding the blade about 20 degrees off perpendicular to the direction of the cut.
Something that I just tried tonight, to which I will have to try again to see how well it works for me.
The hair on my throat runs horrizontaly from left to right. So what I did was to hold the razor in my left hand angling the blade from top left downward to right, and shaved downward. But more specificly was I did was a blade buffering type strokes (quick-short-light strokes).
That seems to have done quite well on that problem area of the neck.
gssixgun did this for me. He shortened the blade on my 4/8 razor to 2 inches. It is really maneuverable now. I'm stuck in a body that is too small for me, and the contours of my (short) neck make for difficult shaving.Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
Glad you brought up this topic!
This has been working for me, too. I'm also experimenting with the pitch of the blade when I do this.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrIdentical
Thanks for pointing out that stroke. I've seen it, but I've not been able to duplicate it. I concur that shaving "opposite" handed works much better for my neck.Quote:
Originally Posted by FatboySlim
I may try that one as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by JCummins
I'm with the TBS on this one. I normally just do two passes on my neck, basically, up, and down, no sideways, If I get BBS, great, if not. I don't sweat it. I'm going for comfort, as well as BBS. I have to be careful on my neck, it's very sensitive and subject to irritation. I have be aware of the contours, and the blade angle.
Good Luck....
That "buffing " stroke seems to work well for me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by JCummins
I guess I am lucky here, while it's not always BBS a few X patterns on my neck and it's done, The direction of growth is various and with some very good stretching; just thinking on it though I am very consious on the blade angle though.
Sam.
I use something i call "the reverse guillotine".. will try to post a vid in the next few days. I had a 3 passer 2 days ago and a 2 passer yesterday so inned to let my face rest for a day
On my neck, in order to go near horizontal, I swing the scales out of the way and grab the tang between my index finger and thumb -- sort of as if it were a Japanese style razor. NB: unless you have a firm grip and concentrate on the angle and little/no pressure, THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. Without your fingers on the scales to stabilize the stroke, if the razor slips vertically you will slice yourself. This has not happened to me (yet), but I recognize that it could if I became careless.
My beard grows from left to right on my throat. So, I'm basically doing four passes to get close to BBS. The first pass is, of course, down. Then, up. The third stroke is down at about 45° from ear to the bottom of the larynx on my right. Then a repeat from the center to the left. The fourth is a "fan stroke" that's as close to ATG as I can get at this point in time.
I'm relatively new, but I find that I get quite close on my neck now with a very comfortable shave.
My system is:
1. I start with my neck only, only lather my neck so that I can grip the rest of my face and the blade is sharp.
2. I do a bottom up shave. This grabs the easy hairs and makes for an effective XTG on those that grow horizontally from left to right.
3. Hot towel, and relather.
4. Pull the skin as far to the right as I can and start an ATG on those, with light, short strokes, leading with either the heel or the point of the blade. I do this all the way along the right side and middle of my neck.
5. Once to the left side of my neck, I pull that skin as far over as I possibly can and continue from right to left until I've taken all the lather off or I am confident I got the area.
6. Begin the rest of my shave as usual.
I find that since I only do 2 passes, I don't usually get much if any irritation. Keep in mind, this may work for me only because I have a moderate amount of hair on my neck, though it is very coarse and tough. I hope this helps if you choose to attempt it, It works for me.
