Thread: Trouble going ATG on parts of my neck... Suggestions?

Haha! Yeah, I definitely don't try and force the blade. I made that mistake once going ATG up towards my chin. Once. That was enough...

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The red circled areas are also some of the toughest for me. I found a pulling stretch, toward the back of my neck is key to getting those areas. Oddly enough, in my case, both the right and left hollows respond best to pulling toward the right side. Early on I tried pulling the left side to the left and the results weren't good. Pulling toward the right did the trick I also have to manipulate the razor in a partially XTG, ATG direction. Not true straight up ATG but on an oblique angle to the vertical. Anyway ..... give it a shot.

That was dangerous for me to learn. I still have to be careful and frankly am more successful some days than others. But that's part of the fun. Safety razor shaving bores me if I do it 3-4 days in a row. I don't get bored with a straight because I enjoy the challenge and the superior results.

I think the Merkur 37C Slant safety razor is better than all the other safety razors because it attacks hard to get areas in much the same manner.

For me it has been a good skin stretch, a perfectly honed and stropped blade, care to brush up the hairs when applying lather and an aggressive angle on the blade. This works for me whether its a smiler or a straight blade.

All you need is that alien skin stretching machine from that Star trek Movie and you will have no problems getting the most difficult areas with ease and as a bonus any skin wrinkles will be gone.

I think we all had or have similar areas that are hard to get to. I recently started using a slicing stroke, heel leading at about 30 degree angle(I first started at 45 but the I cut myself a couple times, minor didn't need the styptic) . I started on the neck about 2 weeks ago and I'm getting it done in 2 passes and a little touch up. My edges are lasting longer also. I got 15 shaves so far without the crox and the edge is still cutting fine.

Also, look into youtubes on scything cut motions. The one by hibudgl100 shows it very well.

Thanks for the input, guys. Luckily, my Norton starter set came in yesterday. I lapped everything up except the 220 side of the 220/1k stone (I'm tipping my hat to you, Glen, for the awesome video on lapping) for what seemed like ages using the lapping stone that came with the kit. Afterwards, I honed up 3 of my razors using just the 4k/8k stone (again, thanks to Glen's posts on YouTube) and finished on my barber's hone. I then stropped 50 linen and 50 leather, and all three were popping arm hairs like the Grim Reaper himself had tempered the blade in the fires of Hades and honed it with his own rage.

And by then, it was 11:30 and too late to shave.

But, at least now I know that I can begin to eliminate variables. I figure start with sharpness, then move to technique, then lather then skin care/prep/post routines.

Either way, I will find the linchpin in this and learn along the way.

I seem to remember something about Edision saying "If I find 10,000 ways a razor won't shave, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."

Or wait, maybe he was referring to light bulbs?

I'm looking forward to reading your results with the newly honed blade!

Well, I finally got to shave last night (and tried to reply here as well, but life kept getting in the way).

The result: BBS with just the slightest hint of burn (only in the hollows of my neck) for a couple of hours afterward. I attribute the burn to having to make so many short scything strokes in the hollows to get to BBS. I also managed to nick my neck once, just above my Adam's Apple, but the styptic pencil made short work of that.

I really focused on angle, pressure and stroke pattern whilst shaving this time. Combined with the sharpness of the blade, all in all I'd say it was a success. I'm going to continue using the same blade for the next few shaves to see if it mellows out just a bit... my understanding is that some of us experience that a shave or two down the road from a fresh honing session. After that, I plan on using a smiling Geneva straight I just recently got in (actually, all my straights are Geneva/Genco except for a Birko with a shortened blade I found on the bay for $5) just the hollows of my neck to see if that helps any.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice and encouragement!! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: This is why I love this place!!!

rub in a little olive or grape seed oil on the hollows of your neck right after the shower and in addition to any other prep you do. This will likely prevent any future burn.