Thread: handling horizontal hazards

My beard grows from left to right and is nearly horizontal on the neck. I can get the cheeks just fine and get a really close, smooth shave.

However, trying to shave my neck is another story. I currently do the first pass from top to bottom, vertical.

I cannot for the life of me do the second pass horizontal.... it just won't work. I currently do from bottom to top and try to angle it someway for a closer shave. Still, I'll end up with one side fairly close and the other more rough.

Any of you have the same difficulty? How do you handle it? The worst place is on either side of my esophogeal channel? in the middle of my neck. there's a valley on either side that is really hard to get to.

Originally Posted by kimo

Any of you have the same difficulty? How do you handle it? The worst place is on either side of my esophogeal channel? in the middle of my neck. there's a valley on either side that is really hard to get to.

That valley is also my toughest place to shave, along with the jaw line.
Since 2 weeks I use an antique frameback that has a curved blade.
The curve fits perfectly into that valley. That is how I solved it.

Whenever I use my 'straight' straight I have to do that area in several passes, with a lot of skin stretching back and forth.

Anoother thing that helped me very much: holding the razor flat against the skin while shaving against the grain. Maybe it'll work for you or maybe it doesn't. All beards are different.

I agree with Bruno, that awkward valley is a lot easier to get close with a smiling blade. Not sure why, since the curvature isn't that great, but even that little bit really helps.

Try going at a 45 degree angle - not quite as good as horizontal, but should give better results than straight up and down'

Originally Posted by mparker762

I agree with Bruno, that awkward valley is a lot easier to get close with a smiling blade. Not sure why, since the curvature isn't that great, but even that little bit really helps.

If you'd call my blade smiling, I'd have to classify it as a big grin.
It is definitely not a mona lisa smile.

I struggle with this too. I find it easier with my smaller razor, and the spike point helps as well.

Originally Posted by suzuki

Try going at a 45 degree angle - not quite as good as horizontal, but should give better results than straight up and down'

True, I do that.

Same here. If a smiling blade is one that has a curve to the edge, then it doesn't seem to help me much. I try to do like Suzuki says, just be sure that the 45 deg doesn't turn into a slice. I've been doing several NS - SN passes with lots of stretching and that helps quite a bit. Makes a well honed and stropped spoon sound inviting doesn't it?
Regards,
Zig

Don't bother trying to make a horizontal pass on the neck.

The classic barber method is to go downward on the area from below the angle of the jaw and jaw line to the mid neck, and then upward from the base of the neck to the mid point. This is much easier than trying a horizontal pass, although you may need to learn to use both hands as I do.

I am then able to make my second pass downward all the way from below the jaw line to the base of the neck. This usually gets any stray beard I may have missed, especially at the base of the neck. Using short strokes, instead of one long stroke, especially during the first pass, helps.

Also, one of the keys for a close shave is the angling of the blade so that the point leads. That way the blade cuts through, rather than pushes through, the beard.

BTW, my beard pattern is similar to what you describe.


Scott

I fold the razor scales in toward the edge slightly and employ a reverse grip. I also prefer 'smiling' blades for such tight corners.

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