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The Neck Area Shaving Info Thread : post tips, suggestions that would help others.

I had my first good neck shave today (albeit I've only had 20 DE shaves altogether!). From reading through this thread twice, I got two ideas:

1) At my current level of skill, three passes in any direction gives me hot spots for the rest of the day on my neck. The people who say don't do three passes got through to me.
2) If I don't go ATG, my fuzzies catch on my clothes and drive me crazy. One guy a few pages back said two works for him if he does WTG and then ATG. I figured I can always go back and work more on XTG technique if I savaged myself ATG.

So I did two passes only on my neck, one WTG and one ATG. My whiskers there are not as thick as higher on my face, so if I'm careful enough, ATG works. I got the best shave I've had so far. Close and comfortable all day long.

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.
 
I had my first good neck shave today (albeit I've only had 20 DE shaves altogether!). From reading through this thread twice, I got two ideas:

1) At my current level of skill, three passes in any direction gives me hot spots for the rest of the day on my neck. The people who say don't do three passes got through to me.
2) If I don't go ATG, my fuzzies catch on my clothes and drive me crazy. One guy a few pages back said two works for him if he does WTG and then ATG. I figured I can always go back and work more on XTG technique if I savaged myself ATG.

So I did two passes only on my neck, one WTG and one ATG. My whiskers there are not as thick as higher on my face, so if I'm careful enough, ATG works. I got the best shave I've had so far. Close and comfortable all day long.

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.
Do you use an alum block post shave? If not, buy one, Osma is a good one to consider. Alum will help with weepers, nicks, and irritation. Then cold water rinse off and apply a balm. It could improve your issue.
 
I had my first good neck shave today (albeit I've only had 20 DE shaves altogether!). From reading through this thread twice, I got two ideas:

1) At my current level of skill, three passes in any direction gives me hot spots for the rest of the day on my neck. The people who say don't do three passes got through to me.
2) If I don't go ATG, my fuzzies catch on my clothes and drive me crazy. One guy a few pages back said two works for him if he does WTG and then ATG. I figured I can always go back and work more on XTG technique if I savaged myself ATG.

So I did two passes only on my neck, one WTG and one ATG. My whiskers there are not as thick as higher on my face, so if I'm careful enough, ATG works. I got the best shave I've had so far. Close and comfortable all day long.

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.

Glad to hear your finding something that at least appears to work. Even if not repeated today, you know that it can work! It might just take some time to iron it in.

Happy Shaves!
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I had my first good neck shave today (albeit I've only had 20 DE shaves altogether!). From reading through this thread twice, I got two ideas:

1) At my current level of skill, three passes in any direction gives me hot spots for the rest of the day on my neck. The people who say don't do three passes got through to me.
2) If I don't go ATG, my fuzzies catch on my clothes and drive me crazy. One guy a few pages back said two works for him if he does WTG and then ATG. I figured I can always go back and work more on XTG technique if I savaged myself ATG.

So I did two passes only on my neck, one WTG and one ATG. My whiskers there are not as thick as higher on my face, so if I'm careful enough, ATG works. I got the best shave I've had so far. Close and comfortable all day long.

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.

You might be on to something.
 
I turn my head to either side so that my skin is tight on the side im shaving. Then I use light short repeated strokes especially in the areas where I know I have trouble. I usually do a 2 pass shave with a 3rd clean up on the neck area. Been getting better and better on the neck. I also go in all directions (wtg, atg, xtg).
 
I had my first good neck shave today . . .

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.

So the next day was great too! They have been the two best shaves of my short career. Time for some mean reversion: so then, I went on a trip and had to shave in bad lighting, I whacked myself up pretty bad. Not looking forward to tomorrow in the same conditions! I did too much “clean up” (i.e. deliberate self mutilation) and suffered all day. Gotta remember it’s better to stay fuzzy.

I will look into the alum block idea, although I’m scared. They sting don’t they? I am a delicate little thing.

I’m definitely still trying to find the right ways to put the right stretch where I need it. The “hollow” parts of my scrawny neck are still tricky to get a blade into and out of safely.
 
Yes, Alum will sting areas that are irritated. The sting is brief, and it will help heal nicks, weepers and help the irritated areas. Also, will help you find areas you need to improve. I think it also helps the skin, kills bacteria and tightens the pores. Just remember keep face wet with cold water, wet alum block. Leave it on for 1 minute or less, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Follow with a moisturizer / balm (no alcohol needed). Good Luck.
 
Do you use an alum block post shave? If not, buy one, Osma is a good one to consider. Alum will help with weepers, nicks, and irritation. Then cold water rinse off and apply a balm. It could improve your issue.

Thanks cytus! Got my Osma alum block and it stings maybe 1000 times less than my cheap styptic pencil and works better to boot. It actually "found" fewer touchy spots than I expected and fixed the ones I knew were there.
 
Thanks cytus! Got my Osma alum block and it stings maybe 1000 times less than my cheap styptic pencil and works better to boot. It actually "found" fewer touchy spots than I expected and fixed the ones I knew were there.
Glad I could help.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Good and helpful thread.

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Today I switched to this block. I've had it for a long time.
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I purchased both of these blocks (above) at the same time, back in October, 2017. Before that I had another small alum block that came in a gift package I'd gotten for Christmas the year before. Anyway, I used the initial alum block for a while in the traditional after the shave manner and hated it. I stopped using it.

Mostly I've just used, since then, a styptic pencil for cuts and nicks, but when I began learning the straight razor I began using my RR alum block to make my hands and fingers a lot less slippery for skin stretching.

Nothing wrong with the RR alum block for that purpose. Plus, the RR block came in a good plastic case. However, I've dropped the block a few times so it's now no larger than the Osma block.

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I've decided to see if I like the Osma alum better. I will consider trying the Osma block for a post shave application, too. Just to see what I like and dislike about it now.

I'm going to try using it in lieu of a styptic pencil, too.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I had my first good neck shave today (albeit I've only had 20 DE shaves altogether!). From reading through this thread twice, I got two ideas:

1) At my current level of skill, three passes in any direction gives me hot spots for the rest of the day on my neck. The people who say don't do three passes got through to me.
2) If I don't go ATG, my fuzzies catch on my clothes and drive me crazy. One guy a few pages back said two works for him if he does WTG and then ATG. I figured I can always go back and work more on XTG technique if I savaged myself ATG.

So I did two passes only on my neck, one WTG and one ATG. My whiskers there are not as thick as higher on my face, so if I'm careful enough, ATG works. I got the best shave I've had so far. Close and comfortable all day long.

Tomorrow, I hope to find out whether I was just lucky this morning, or whether I've found a technique that works for me. My shave-to-shave variability is so high right now that one trial doesn't mean so much.
Any progress?
 
I’m using cheap aloe Vera gel as a pre-shave. It has helped, as I was getting redness on my chin and small part of neck when going ATG. Not perfect, but cheaper and nicer than oil.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Any progress?

Thanks for asking! Finally fixed it at shave #51 (I keep a shave journal). After a painful #21, I used the two pass method for a while, then started experimenting again. What works for me now is: WTG, XTG, XTG, then finally ATG. I use four passes only in the one specific area that was getting burned by ATG. Three passes work on the rest of my face.

I'm on shave #133 now, and still try three passes at that spot from time to time. With my favorite blades (Feather/Polsilver) I can get away with ATG on third pass now that my technique and prep are better. I'm now doing a systematic blade test to see if I can add any other blade brands to my favorites (not surprisingly - the answer is some yes and some no).

The best news is that I have not had any all day discomfort since shave #21, or any real first hour discomfort since #43. Now it's just fun and learning to optimize.
 
We're supposed to be clean-shaven for work. A lot of guys don't shave that day at all or just get by with the minimum to the point The Powers That Be are going to start cracking down on it. I don't have to worry about it because I love to shave. I observe these things. If a guy doesn't shave, it's going to be blatant on the cheeks and the chin. Nobody is going to notice a not-so-great shave on the neck. I really can't remember the last time I was cognizant of looking at a co-worker's neck, but the cheeks and chin are kind of hard to miss. In short: nobody is ever going to notice any stubble on your neck. After you shave and realize there's still some stubble there, it might seem like it's a quarter-inch long when you run your fingers over it, but I guarantee you nobody else can see it.

I could do 5 passes with a dull hatchet on my cheeks and be okay. My chin is a little more sensitive but my neck is most sensitive, especially the sides where my shirt collar rubs. The front of my neck is not sensitive: I can shave it any way I want. There are just two "pits" right below my ears on my neck that are very easily aggravated no matter what I do.

I just stopped worrying about the sides of my neck and just do one pass there. Nobody is going to notice it. It doesn't matter what way I go, because the hair pattern is all crazy there, anyway. That seems to be common amongst quite a few of us. I do one pass in the direction of least resistance and let it go at that. I figure it's just a battle I cannot win and I'd rather have some non-naked-eye-visible stubble on my neck than irritated skin

It's not the residual, non-visible stubble on the sides of your neck touching your shirt collar that creates the irritation, it's trying to get it all off and inflaming your skin that causes the problem.

Some people can get away with whatever they want on their neck and some can't. I'm one of those who can't and that's all there is to it.

Back when you were shaving with a cartridge, how many times did you finish your shave and run your hands over your face to gauge the quality of your work? If you're like me, you never did. I can't even compare my old cartridge shaves to my current DE shaves because I just never paid any attention to my cartridge shaves. I never had any complaints with my cartridge shaves, I just started DE shaving because it sounded interesting and have stuck with it because I like it.

Back in my cartridge/disposable days, I shaved and looked in the mirror and if my face looked clean, I was content. I can't remember once every running my hands over my face after shaving with a cartridge and I've always been in a profession where being clean-shaven was mandatory.

I've learned to do the same thing with a DE. It's easy to go too far in search of perfection and start thinking you're not getting A+ results because you're using the wrong razor/blade/cream/brush/technique. The fact is, you just might not ever get what you're after but your shave is most likely still quite great as far as shaves go.
So true. It's only been a few months for me but I can't remember how good the shave was with carts. And I certainly didn't do multiple passes or check for stubble with my fingers. Once the pass was done, the shave was done and I moved on with my day. I see DE shaving now more as an art form. An art form that in many ways is unique to each of us. Because everybody's face, hair coarseness, growth patterns, pain tolerance, comfort level, product preferences, scent preferences, etc, etc is different. I'm really enjoying it, but also have that bug to achieve an even better shave each time. I have to remember to not put so much pressure on myself and just enjoy the experience. I'm very happy with the shaves I'm getting on my face, and like many others here my neck is a work in progress. Lately, I've stuck with two passes max on my neck. It's not perfect, but it's irritation-free (most times). On my face, I do the 3 passes and sometimes a BBS, ridding the cap pass on the cheeks (learned from giofatboy on youtube).

I've mapped the neck hair patterns but there is quite a bit of variety. I'm trying to do WTG first over the largest sections in the correct direction. But likely not getting the right angle on the blade all the time yet. I also have a very prominent adams apple which is tough to shave around. Currently I try stretching the skin to either side in order to shave the area.

It's a work in progress. Great thread here. Learning a lot. Thank you all!
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
The only BBS I shoot for is not on my neck. One or two passes on my neck will suffice, especially if I'm nursing irritation. Cold water splash before shaving has also helped me some.
 
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