Thread: I just discovered the guillotine stoke!

I've been having some trouble with the sideways neck growth and found out about the guillotine stroke. Supposedly it slices the hair more efficiently. I also found out the hard way tonight exactly how sharp my razors are. I made a nice slice into my chin and had to "cut" my shave short to stop the bleeding. So I went back a little later and tried again for a neck pass. Slowly and carefully I performed the correct guillotine stroke and it actually took out those pesky neck hairs. I think I'll wait a few days for my chin to heal before I shave again.

I think I was straight shaving a year before I finally got it but what a great stroke it is. As you say, take it easy until you really get the feel for it. No pressure is a given IMO.

I honestly can't remember any "ah-ha" moment when I stumbled across it for the first time, but I do remember thinking that a heel or toe leading stroke seemed to work much better than a straight cut. Then I found out it was called the guillotine stroke and I didn't feel so original after all

You're right - it's a great technique! If it weren't for the encouragement from reading about the guillotine stroke from several fellows here on SRP, I probably wouldn't have tried using it. I'm so glad that I did.

So there is a name for it ? I been calling it " just another lucky pass."

Anyone care to help me understand this stroke? Perhaps a video?

Originally Posted by unit

Anyone care to help me understand this stroke? Perhaps a video?

Like when you slice a tomato as opposed to chopping an onion. Or as applied to whiskers instead of a straight on attack a slight slicing motion gliding over the stretched skin and slicing the whiskers off rather than chopping them head on. If that makes any sense.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Like when you slice a tomato as opposed to chopping an onion. Or as applied to whiskers instead of a straight on attack a slight slicing motion gliding over the stretched skin and slicing the whiskers off rather than chopping them head on. If that makes any sense.

Yup! I thought that was called sithing strokes. Basically you impart a slight draw or push to your stroke?

I need to figure a stroke to get the odd-angle-growth hairs in the depressions on either side of my esophagus.

Originally Posted by unit

Anyone care to help me understand this stroke? Perhaps a video?

Here you go.

Shaving passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Originally Posted by unit

Yup! I thought that was called sithing strokes. Basically you impart a slight draw or push to your stroke?

I need to figure a stroke to get the odd-angle-growth hairs in the depressions on either side of my esophagus.

I have the hollows on either side and what I found was (i am a right handed shaver) I pull my right side of the neck to the right to flatten the area out and oddly I need to pull the left side to the right too. Pulling across my wind pipe. I tried pulling my left side to the left and it didn't get it but going to the right did. A matter of figuring out the best stretch to flatten it out and get rd of the hollow.