Thread: Question about scything

Hello all. I'm only a neck shaver with a question about scything. More directly, how do I do it? I've been shaving for about 6 months w/ a straight, and want to really get the most out of it. I see a lot of people suggesting a scything stroke on the neck to help accommodate for the awkward contours, but can't find any direct "how to's" on the subject. Anyone that can either give me a good instruction or post a link to good instructions would be appreciated.

check out this thread.
There are several others around here, but this has a graphic or two that kinda shows how it is done

The second most important thing to learn to improve the comfort of a Straight razor shave IMHO is Scything, the first being how to Strop properly

I see images, but I'm looking for the actual stroke itself, not just the direction of travel. Are there any videos?

Originally Posted by apvonkanel

I see images, but I'm looking for the actual stroke itself, not just the direction of travel. Are there any videos?

I watch a bunch of videos when i started, and the one that help me the most was this one.
Maybe not what your looking for but certainly worth a few minutes to watch.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...ave-video.html

Thanks. That YouTube video was exactly what I needed. It looks similar to the "buffing" stroke with DE shaving.

You know, I'm sure scything will help but also do not discount plain old stretching on the neck area. That skin, on most of us, can be contorted into many and various positions and trying a few could really help when shaving the neck area. By all means work on the scythe, but don't forget stretching and also blade buffing - there are a lot of techniques that can be very useful, and the more of them you have in the toolkit the better off you will be in the long run.

James.

Originally Posted by apvonkanel

Thanks. That YouTube video was exactly what I needed. It looks similar to the "buffing" stroke with DE shaving.

No problem, a combination of skin stretching, buffing, scything, you just need to figure out what works for you!!

IMHO scything increases the risk of cutting your face. I don't think it is a beginners' thing.

Originally Posted by apvonkanel

a question about scything. More directly, how do I do it? I've been shaving for about 6 months w/ a straight, and want to really get the most out of it.

I believe the information you are looking for is here. The thread is nearly 50 posts long, but well worth the read. It helped me a lot, as I wasn't even able to get a DFS until I incorporated these techniques into my shave.

Bookmark the thread so you can come back to it as needed. As Kees cautions, there is a reason why advanced techniques aren't posted in "first shave" instructions. Don't hurry your progress. With an understanding of the technique, as your confidence builds, your right brain will lead your hands into an effective practice.
Namaste,
Morty -_-