Thread: How to shave ATG under the chin / throat area when the grain grows to the side?

for me I stretch my neck upwards and skin downwards to get maximum stretch..angle the heel of my razor along the sides of my adams apple..this is the ONLY way for me to get those prickly "cactus hairs"

This has been a tough one for me as well. I’ve started to get better at it though. My neck hair grows just as you say, side to side. And as you know, its hard to get a grip on the razor in such a way as to go directly side to side under the chin/neck. The grip I have been experimenting with is as such. I open the razor completely, bending it back to its furthest point. Going against the grain on my cheek, I hold the blade with index, middle finger, and thumb on the spine with the tang hanging over the back of my hand area where the index and thumb meet. In order to get under the chin this way, you have modify that grip such that the tang stands up off of your hand. You are really shaving by holding the spine and bent back handle. I can only do one pass this way as the flat part of my neck between the adams apple and chin is just large enough for the length of the blade. Don’t attempt to go down any further on the neck. Its an awkward maneuver that I’m getting better at and it doesn’t work well with blades that are 5/8 or less as there is just too little to hang on to. Keep the skin pulled tight as you attempt this and be careful getting the blade into position as that is when you’re most likely to cut yourself. But get a feel for holding the razor this way before you attempt it.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

This has been a tough one for me as well. I’ve started to get better at it though. My neck hair grows just as you say, side to side. And as you know, its hard to get a grip on the razor in such a way as to go directly side to side under the chin/neck. The grip I have been experimenting with is as such. I open the razor completely, bending it back to its furthest point. Going against the grain on my cheek, I hold the blade with index, middle finger, and thumb on the spine with the tang hanging over the back of my hand area where the index and thumb meet. In order to get under the chin this way, you have modify that grip such that the tang stands up off of your hand. You are really shaving by holding the spine and bent back handle. I can only do one pass this way as the flat part of my neck between the adams apple and chin is just large enough for the length of the blade. Don’t attempt to go down any further on the neck. Its an awkward maneuver that I’m getting better at and it doesn’t work well with blades that are 5/8 or less as there is just too little to hang on to. Keep the skin pulled tight as you attempt this and be careful getting the blade into position as that is when you’re most likely to cut yourself. But get a feel for holding the razor this way before you attempt it.

That sounds interesting. I've never thought about opening up fully like that and holding it by the blade as oppose to the shank. I did manage to shave in that area across the grain today, but I can't remember exactly what I did and it certainly is far from perfect. My main problem is my hand blocks off my field of sight, no matter if I use the left or right, I can't see exactly what I'm doing. Perhaps I've got to look at the mirror at another angle. This is all very well with a forgiving round point, but i've a few spikes waiting for me when I get home and I think by holding it towards my neck too far will cause a nasty cut. It's all experimentation though and learning is all part of the fun. Thanks for the tip, I will try that tomorrow. The main part is the horizontal part under the chin, I will not try this further down.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

That sounds interesting. I've never thought about opening up fully like that and holding it by the blade as oppose to the shank. I did manage to shave in that area across the grain today, but I can't remember exactly what I did and it certainly is far from perfect. My main problem is my hand blocks off my field of sight, no matter if I use the left or right, I can't see exactly what I'm doing. Perhaps I've got to look at the mirror at another angle. This is all very well with a forgiving round point, but i've a few spikes waiting for me when I get home and I think by holding it towards my neck too far will cause a nasty cut. It's all experimentation though and learning is all part of the fun. Thanks for the tip, I will try that tomorrow. The main part is the horizontal part under the chin, I will not try this further down.

Here's a pic of the grip I use. BTW, what do you think of the new scales on my Dovo? Thanks Stefan!

Aw thanks for the pic, I was holding it 180° the other way. I will give it a try. Nice scales, are they ivory?

I've heard Dovo do genuine mammoth ivory which I find intriguing, but pricey.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

Aw thanks for the pic, I was holding it 180° the other way. I will give it a try. Nice scales, are they ivory?

I've heard Dovo do genuine mammoth ivory which I find intriguing, but pricey.

No, of course they are not ivory....faux ivory perhaps. The cheap scales that it came with broke shortly after purchase, right at the hing pin. A gentleman here in the member services who does fine work replaced the scales with some new ones for me.

Nice looking scales! I have been following this thread with great interest and appreciate the suggestions. I will try them all until I find one that works for the most difficult area I have -- the left side of my throat adjacent to the windpipe. I have been trying south to north after my first WTG shave and then a third pass across but still find areas that are missed. And I'm a leftie so this area is not so foreign to my dominant hand. I don't know why that spot alone is so challenging but appreciate these tips.

Originally Posted by mumpig

Nice looking scales! I have been following this thread with great interest and appreciate the suggestions. I will try them all until I find one that works for the most difficult area I have -- the left side of my throat adjacent to the windpipe. I have been trying south to north after my first WTG shave and then a third pass across but still find areas that are missed. And I'm a leftie so this area is not so foreign to my dominant hand. I don't know why that spot alone is so challenging but appreciate these tips.

That spot troubles me as well. For some reason the hair there seems immune to any blade I put to it be it a SR or DE. It just allows whatever blade it encounters to run right over it without cutting it.

I just finished up a 20 shave run using a Feather Non Folding Clone (CJB) and Feather Pro Blades.

Not having to work around the scales is very nice when you start to do those XTG and ATG passes. There is a lot to be said for the shorter blade, fixed handle and scary sharp edge. Once you get the hang of it (5+ shaves for me) I found I was dealing with those problem areas on the first or second pass, and there was not much to do after that.

More that half of that test (13 days) was on the road, away from the Shave Den and the great lighting and mirrors. (5 Different Hotel Rooms) (All the more reason not to try this out on the road without a weeks practice)
The fact that I could get a close, comfortable shave in very short order really did impress me.

Not much to look at and no history or character other than that Cobra-like personality (it will strike at anything...) but it does get the job done.

Just a though...

I tried holding the razor as described for my shave this morning and found that it worked very well indeed. I'll experiment a bit more but this may be just the ticket! Much appreciated!