Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Over the past several days I've had some itching on my neck.

This may coincide with the time period during which all of my shaves have been a bit less aggressive than my usual. That has been partly by design on some days, and partly by accident on others, like when I was running late.

My prep is always the same. My use of products has been fairly much the same and rather minimal and simple.

I am pretty sure the problem is not getting close enough or smooth enough neck shaves. I have a plan to address this, so we'll see how it goes. However, this is a balancing act. If I'm too aggressive there's pain. If not aggressive, itching.

I hope that last sentence is not the bottom line.

Happy shaves,

Jim

P.S. Noxzema (the Equate knock-off) helps with my itching. But, I can't wear Noxzema all day because of its scent.

 

[Rickpa]

The last 3 days I had 3 perfect shaves with my Rockwell 6C on plate #4 using Rockwell blades and Catie's Bubbles Spanish Holiday soap. The brush was the Semogue 620 Superior Boar Bristle Shaving Brush, and the aftershave was Captain's Choice Cat O' Nine Tails Bay Rum After Shave.

 

[Cal]

However, this is a balancing act. If I'm too aggressive there's pain. If not aggressive, itching.

You obviously need a "Happy Medium" Jim.

My prep is always the same. My use of products has been fairly much the same and rather minimal and simple.

I take it that you are jesting!

As you may remember, apart from shaving soap, my only additional product is ASL. Like you, I have dry skin. My best discovery so far has been Proraso Red soap (doesn't matter if it's in the tub or in the tube, it's the same stuff); it has been (and still is) great for my skin. Then when I add Proraso Red ASL for a bit of luxury or a special treat, that is truly the icing on the cake. But apart from that little bit of care my skin likes AIR.

My mind boggles at all the folk who complain about their skin, and regularly use numerous products (one after the other) on it daily. Think of it like food. Many times you can eat food you "think" disagrees with you, but on its own it's just fine; eat it along with something else and boy, you sure know you shouldn't have.

That's just my opinion and two cents, as ever.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Today's kit: My December to Remember Fixed Four.

That's a Proline blade in a Colonial General. A Stirling fan badger. Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica.

My shave focused on two things. Shaving my lower neck as if it were an area separate and distinct from my upper neck, at least part of the time. Riding the cap a bit more.

Riding the cap a bit more is nice. For sure nice. Maybe more so with the cap polished. There is less blade feel (not that I dislike blade feel).

I can do better with my lower neck at least in terms of how I approach shaving it.

Multiple passes on my neck. One pass XTG on my face + chin touch up work.

My face is BBS (that's easy). My neck is DFS even an hour or so after my shave; it's not been one of those shaves which seemed DFS and converted later to BBS. However, it is a very good DFS, and BBS in areas.

I did a better job of my lower neck, and of my neck in general, but it is still itching. I've used no products at all post shave. Maybe I should.

Cal is right. I need a happy medium in everything, but where did he get this picture of my wife all made up for Halloween?

I take it that you are jesting!

Not me, Cal. I really am using a lot less product than I used to. I'm trying to simplify things.

As you may remember, apart from shaving soap, my only additional product is ASL. Like you, I have dry skin. My best discovery so far has been Proraso Red soap in the tub or tube which is great for my skin. When I add Proraso Red ASL for a bit of luxury or a special treat, that is truly the icing on the cake. But apart from that little bit of care my skin likes AIR.

My skin likes air, too, but has some problems yours does not seem to have.

1. I get chapped skin on and around my beard area very easily, especially in cooler and cold weather.
2. My neck is far too often either painful, or irritated, or itchy.
3. Sometimes my neck is better. Sometimes its worse. Rarely is it truly comfortable.
4. When I shaved with cartridge razors these problems were far less frequent and bothersome.
5. I read about guys having a burning neck or something and applying a balm or a splash and having the pain just go away and I wonder if I'm from a different planet.

My mind boggles at all the folk who complain about their skin, and regularly use numerous products (one after the other) on it daily. Think of it like food. Many times you can eat food you "think" disagrees with you, but on its own it's just fine; eat it along with something else and boy, you sure know you shouldn't have.

You are absolutely right, Cal. Mixing stuff can be bad. I once applied two products to an area where I can't imagine shaving trying to deal with a problem there. I ended up running to the shower, practically insane with burning pain. I think I would have died had there been no shower close by.

I am careful with products. Not perhaps as careful as possible, but I tend to wash stuff off with soap and water if I'm concerned it might negatively interact with the next product I think might help. I used to be a chemist, and have some understanding of the potential issues.

Right now, about an hour after my shave, my neck is itching pretty bad. It's not fun. It is distracting. I am not going nuts from it, but I sure do not want to feel this way all day. I have no idea what to do for it in terms of knowing what will absolutely 100% fix the itching. I'm not going to put steroid cream on my neck; it is not that bad. Maybe I should try aloe gel. Maybe, shea butter. Maybe, Noxzema knock-off. Maybe Nivea. Maybe Cremo. Maybe witch hazel followed by shea butter. Maybe the Cool Fix. What would help? Different skin would help.



None of those seem to have worked all that great, but I know Noxzema knock off helps some.

I don't know what to do exactly, and I'm sorta fresh out of great ideas, but I know air isn't fixing what's going on with my lower neck.

It could be a lot worse. My daughter has skin and other problems which are constantly taking her to the dermatologist and various medical and surgical sub-specialists, all of whom tell her they know what the diagnoses are but they don't quite know what else to do. She has modified her diet to an extreme degree, following their advice, and that has helped some.

I'm truly glad air works for anybody it works for, and wish it were that simple and easy for me, but I'm grateful for the many blessings in my life which include a generally healthy and easy to live with body.

That's just my opinion and two cents, as ever.

Of course, and it is very much appreciated, Cal. I wish I could just do what you're doing and have it work.

Where did I put that crystal ball?

During the decades when I used a cartridge razor (Gillette Fusion with the powered vibrating handle) I usually could shave quickly without any prep, shower afterwards, throw on some Cremo Moisturizer (or something else maybe, but Cremo was good), and go on with my day without pain, irritation, or issues. Not always, but most always.

That was not me using a new blade very often. On the contrary, I used blades for at least several weeks, and sometimes several months. However, it didn't matter. I did not get the same shave with an old blade as I did with a new blade, but both worked okay, and neither usually much bothered my skin.

Sometimes I used canned shaving soap, like Gillette gel. Sometimes I used Cremo rub on shave cream. Sometimes I used a brush and some shaving soap from the local store. It didn't matter. Anything worked okay. Well, the gel in a can worked better than a soap in a can; it was less drying and seemed slicker, but that was only a marginal difference.

Even then, I would sometimes, particularly in the winter, have to apply a moisturizer later in the day, at work, because my skin would be so dry it was painful, but I notice more problems now than then, and I recall decades ago having similar problems when I used to shave with Gillette and Schick razors (before disposables and cartridges were on the market, I believe).

Anyway, here I sit, bothered by my lower neck's skin which is itchy. I used no products post shave except shaving soap and air. I put shea butter on my face last night after washing it, and Noxzema knock off on it this morning.

I woke up with itching skin. My neck is itchy now. I'm open to suggestions.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My best discovery so far has been Proraso Red soap...

I began using Proraso Green in a tube back when I still used cartridges. My daughter found it for me in a local shop, and decided I should try it. She knew I would like it because she knows my fondness for all things Italian. I liked it a lot. Did I like it more than Cremo? Maybe. I think so. I lathered it with a brush or applied it by hand.

I have some Proraso Red in a plastic container, but I've never used it. It might be the most wonderful of shaving soaps. I'll give it a try down the road.

Spoiler: A Total Aside Not Worth Reading

Why isn't Proraso made in Scotland? The Scots who left Scotland have contributed mightily to the world's commerce. Surely there's a Scottish shaving soap equal to Proraso?

I do not like that my great Italian SV shaving soap seems to have a scent approaching zero when the product is supposed to be pretty impressively scented. My can is a dud in the scent department. Still, it is the most enjoyable and protective soap I've tried. I've certainly not come to like it less during the Fixed Four, and I was actually using it pretty much every day before the Fixed Four. I like it a lot.

That's saying something because I really liked Wickham 1912, too, and I liked Captain's Choice (plus, CC North smells wonderful), and I liked DR Harris Arlington. Actually, I still like all of these, but I think I like SV more.

Tabac might be its equal or even better for shaving (I remember it being excellent the one time I used it, but I could be wrong about how good it shaved), but its scent caused me to bottom drawer it forever. I can't stand that lingering scent.

I'm certainly open to try Proraso Red sometime after the Fixed Four, although I plan to change only one of the variables immediately after the Fixed Four ends. That one variable change will be a change to the new razor Santa brings me (assuming Santa comes through, which is highly likely).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cal]

I'm truly glad air works for anybody it works for, and wish it were that simple and easy for me, but I'm grateful for the many blessings in my life which include a generally healthy and easy to live with body.

And how would your skin be if you "completely" denied it air?

During the decades when I used a cartridge razor (Gillette Fusion with the powered vibrating handle) I usually could shave quickly without any prep, shower afterwards, throw on some Cremo Moisturizer (or something else maybe, but Cremo was good), and go on with my day without pain, irritation, or issues. Not always, but most always.

What about, when Fixed Four and Christmas/playing-with-new-toys/etc is over that you do a month's Fixed Three? That would be the Cartridge Razor, Brush, and Soap of your choice. (It's still legal, and it's still wet shaving.)

I put shea butter on my face last night after washing it, and Noxzema knock off on it this morning. I woke up with itching skin. My neck is itchy now. I'm open to suggestions.

Do these products really like each other? What about mixing a tiny bit of both together and applying that to your itchiest spot, for science.

 

[Cal]

I do not like that my great Italian SV shaving soap seems to have a scent approaching zero when the product is supposed to be pretty impressively scented. My can is a dud in the scent department.

After reading your many posts on SV Felce Aromatica... I had to purchase a tin!

I was definitely impressed by its performance straight away. Its scent (for me) is pleasant enough but not really something I'd like to live with; I also find the scent too strong for my liking. I spent seven very nice shaves with it. I gave my beloved Proraso Red a sniff and had to return home. Here's a comment straight out of my shaving spreadsheet after my first shave back with Proraso Red: "Wonderful! Easily as good as SV, and a better scent too. "

And of course the fact that PR costs less than quarter the price of SV is a great bonus for me.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

After reading your many posts on SV Felce Aromatica... I had to purchase a tin!

I was definitely impressed by its performance straight away. Its scent (for me) is pleasant enough but not really something I'd like to live with; I also find the scent too strong for my liking. I spent seven very nice shaves with it. I gave my beloved Proraso Red a sniff and had to return home. Here's a comment straight out of my shaving spreadsheet after my first shave back with Proraso Red: "Wonderful! Easily as good as SV, and a better scent too. "

And of course the fact that PR costs less than quarter the price of SV is a great bonus for me.

You got the scent they left out of mine. Trade?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

What about, when Fixed Four and Christmas/playing-with-new-toys/etc is over that you do a month's Fixed Three? That would be the Cartridge Razor, Brush, and Soap of your choice. (It's still legal, and it's still wet shaving.)

Hopefully the Christmas razor will fix everything. No crystal ball, but some razors are better than others. It was hard for me to put a razor on my Christmas list because my wife will expect me to love it.

It doesn't appeal to me to use the cartridges for a month, but it's an idea. I've certainly thought about trying the cartridge razors again - like once or twice - but signing up for a month is a bigger deal than that.

I know it's legal, but just barely. That's not the problem.

I know the cartridges give me an easy, comfortable, fast, and okay shave. However, I also know they can't give me the shave that I moved to single bladed razors to get. I spent a lot of time reading this forum and other shaving forums trying to figure out why you guys were using single bladed razors when the cartridges worked fine for me.

My conclusion was twofold.

One was the "saving money" notion. How's that going? I certainly knew it didn't apply to me as I could use a cartridge for months, but I'm sure some guys save a lot of money if they like the first razor they buy and don't get the diseases.

Second was the promise of getting a better shave with the single edged razors and all the other parts of the kit. A better shave being three things to me.

1. Close and long lasting.
2. BBS.
3. Damn Comfortable.

I was and am seeking daily shaves like the shaves delivered by the old-timey professional barbers I used to occasionally frequent with my father in my youth. Those shaves I remember! They really were close, long lasting, smooth, and super comfortable.

Do these products - shea butter and Noxzema - really like each other? What about mixing a tiny bit of both together and applying that to your itchiest spot, for science.

And how would your skin be if you "completely" denied it air?

I can do that - combine the products and apply the mixture - and will. Good idea.

Also, I could wash my face in the morning before applying Noxzema.

I'm not sure how to deny my skin air, or what you mean by that.

I once applied a super thick sunscreen to my sun exposed skin (my wife insisted I try it for reasons I've forgotten). Within minutes I felt like I was choking to death in that my skin could not breath. It was very distressing. Fortunately, we were at the swimming pool, and I had my pool bag which contained soap, and the pool had a shower. The problem was fixed by soap and water. It sure felt like I'd denied my skin air, but maybe that's not what you meant at all.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Following a suggestion @Cal, I applied some Noxzema knock-off Equate to my neck. Then I warmed up some shea butter by rubbing it between my palms to liquify it, and applied it to my face (no Noxzema there), and my neck on top of the Noxzema, rubbing them both in together and mixing them on my face (as well as that can be done).

Shea butter at room temperature is far too solid to rub on my face, but it becomes just fine with some body temperature and friction.

Whether Noxzema and shea butter will actually mix together well in a vessel or in my hand is another experiment, but I believe today's experiment answers the question of how they play together.

So far, so good. I noticed a very quick reduction in the itching. It is not totally gone, but it is a lot better. No bad consequences at all. Of course, this application was only about an hour or less ago. Maybe my neck will fall off in another hour.



Good idea, Cal, for an experiment.

Happy shaves to everyone,

Jim

 

[Cal]

I once applied a super thick sunscreen to my sun exposed skin (my wife insisted I try it for reasons I've forgotten).

Big Pharma and their buddies LOVE YOU TO DO THAT! Let's face it, they make their living out of making people so sick that they need more and more medication till their bodies finally give up altogether. Sunscreen and medicine are poisons. You won't catch me using either. And I always get several good laughs round this time each year when my Doc's office text me to make an appointment for my flu jab. No way!

Within minutes I felt like I was choking to death in that my skin could not breathe. It was very distressing. Fortunately, we were at the swimming pool, and I had my pool bag which contained soap, and the pool had a shower. The problem was fixed by soap and water. It sure felt like I'd denied my skin air, but maybe that's not what you meant at all.

That is indeed what I meant Jim.

 

[Esox]

Big Pharma and their buddies LOVE YOU TO DO THAT! Let's face it, they make their living out of making people so sick that they need more and more medication till their bodies finally give up altogether. Sunscreen and medicine are poisons.

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this. Many medications are in fact poisons, some by design.

Look at Lipitor. One of the most widely prescribed and popular medications in the world. Why is that?

"From 1996 to 2012 under the trade name Lipitor, atorvastatin became the world's best-selling drug to that point, with more than US$125 billion in sales over approximately 14.5 years. As of 2016, in the UK, atorvastatin costs about 2 pounds per month."

Atorvastatin - Wikipedia

Statin drugs, by design, poison an enzyme your body creates. You are literally taking a poison.

"Statins work by poisoning an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) which is needed to produce cholesterol, adrenal and sex hormones, memory proteins and maintain cell energy. The highest concentration of cholesterol in the body is found in the brain. Can you guess an organ that will suffer when cholesterol production is blocked? If you guessed the brain, you would win the prize."

https://www.globalresearch.ca/stati...billion-dollar-profits-for-big-pharma/5421483

Pharmaceutical Terrorism is real. Especially in Canada with our government controlled healthcare system.

I've had much experience with this the last 2 1/2 years and I've done a lot of reading and learning on the entire subject.

"Some might think it an exaggeration to put mainstream doctors in the same boat as extremely sick and dangerous people but modern medicine in the United States is putting people in their graves in large numbers but before it does, the system is beating them into bankruptcy. It matters little to them the hundreds of thousands of people each year who suffer and die at their hands. Most people do not recognize doctors as psychopaths or sociopaths until they are trapped, suffering or dying at the hands of one. Most mainstream doctors are practicing pharmaceutical terrorism, even at the highest levels at the CDC."

Medical Sociopaths

My mother is 81, healthy as a horse and might out walk one if she felt the need lol. Shes taken virtually no medications her entire life and she says its 'population control'. I might agree with her.

Normally I wouldnt go on a rant like this, but this is something everyone needs to know, learn about and understand.

Now carry on with shaving related info lol.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Big Pharma and their buddies LOVE YOU TO DO THAT! Let's face it, they make their living out of making people so sick that they need more and more medication till their bodies finally give up altogether. Sunscreen and medicine are poisons. You won't catch me using either. And I always get several good laughs round this time each year when my Doc's office text me to make an appointment for my flu jab. No way!

That is indeed what I meant Jim.

I certainly won't be using that sunscreen as an aftershave balm.

I do not get flu shots either, but it's a leap to say "medicine" is poison. Your brush is too broad, I believe. I would not be alive but for medicine, and suspect that's the case for millions of people.

It really is a matter of understanding what the risk:benefit is. Another way of looking at it is to learn about NNT and NNH (Number Needed to Treat, Number Needed to Harm) with any medicine anybody wants you to take. You want the first to be 1 and the second to be 100,000,000,000.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cal]

Just in case any Mods are displeased with this post, please feel free to remove it.

My mother is 81, healthy as a horse and might out walk one if she felt the need lol. She's taken virtually no medications her entire life and she says it's 'population control'. I might agree with her.

She's obviously a sweetie, that's a very nice way to describe genocide.

 

[Esox]

She's obviously a sweetie, that's a very nice way to describe genocide.

Her parents came to Canada in November 1929 from Hungary. They understood and so does she. I can still hear her mother, at 90 years old, calling the police here Gestapo.

Once trust is broken, its hard to regain.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I'm trying to figure out why only my lower neck itches. It seems to me the skin there is different from the skin on my upper neck and face. I've tried numerous little experiments to see if the matter has to do with products, and I have not been able to isolate anything.

To me, that means the variables are fixed stuff like my skin, and things I can change like how I shave that area of my neck.

Actually, I'd say the skin on my lower neck + the skin on my upper neck under my chin are the weird area. One area like an upside down T. It feels, to my fingers, more fragile, not as tough, and more sensitive.

It's sort of a pain, but it is also an interesting and challenging project. Imagine how satisfying it will be to finally figure out a good solution.

There was a time when my jaw line was a big problem. Hard to shave. Not sensitive and easily irritated. Now it's a lot less of a shaving problem most of the time. The General and the AC blade get a lot of credit.

I read some threads and stuff on the ingredients of Equate, the Noxzema knock off. It has anti-itch properties, etc.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

I'm trying to figure out why only my lower neck itches.

I've been thinking about this since I read it earlier today.

I wondered if maybe the shave wasnt closer than it seemed and the itch is from the hairs growing back and breaking the surface of the skin.

If that does happen to be the case, it will go away as you become accustomed to it.

 

[Esox]

If I'm too aggressive there's pain. If not aggressive, itching

It was the above statement that made me wonder, I had to scroll the page and find it again lol.

If you shave too aggressively, you irritate your skin. If you dont shave aggressively you dont irritate your skin, but you develop an itch.

I'm wondering if you arent getting a closer shave than you maybe realize and are use too, and need time to adjust.

I went through a similar phase after getting my NEW SC. It shaved me closer than anything ever had before and I'd get an itch. You may remember me talking about a 'deep burning itch' that I put off to 2 blades. I used one not long ago and had no itching...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

It was the above statement that made me wonder, I had to scroll the page and find it again lol.

If you shave too aggressively, you irritate your skin. If you dont shave aggressively you dont irritate your skin, but you develop an itch.

I'm wondering if you arent getting a closer shave than you maybe realize and are use too, and need time to adjust.

I went through a similar phase after getting my NEW SC. It shaved me closer than anything ever had before and I'd get an itch. You may remember me talking about a 'deep burning itch' that I put off to 2 blades. I used one not long ago and had no itching...

Well, maybe, but I don't think so. Still, it would be nice if this is a normal adjustment and is just going away soon because it is sort of "a phase" in my skin.

I'm backing off on the aggressiveness of my pursuit of baby, and have been for a few days, sometimes just because of being in a hurry to get to work or something. In other words I'm letting myself have a shave I know is not so close or smooth. And, getting an itch.

Today, for example, plenty of passes, but no effort to be really, really smooth. Plenty of areas on my neck that I knew at the shave's end were not smooth. I could have gone after them. More passes. Touch ups. But, I didn't. Itch. Might have itched worse had I chased baby and caught baby.

Of course, sometimes things are resultant from stuff we did or didn't do yesterday or several days ago. Healing can cause itching.

A few minutes ago I put a bunch of Noxzema (knock off) Equate and shea butter all over my beard area because it seemed to help some earlier when I applied it. So, tonight it was my post face washing balm, if you will.

One thing I've not tried with this itching is the Cool Fix. That stuff works really well for pain, like from razor burn. I don't want to use it though for this if I can avoid it. I may have to use it in the morning before work if this persists.

The whole itching thing got a little better today as the day went on, and even better when I put Noxzema Equate on it, but it is still not gone. I don't mean it is driving me crazy, but I'd like it to be a problem I used to have.

I'm pretty sure it would help me to skip a day or two or three of shaving. If this persists, I think I can maybe skip shaving Wednesday, and then again on Saturday and Sunday. Maybe. I'll have to see what's on the agenda.

I appreciate your concern and thoughts about this. I remember the itch you had and didn't know you'd come to some firm conclusion about it. I thought it was from a blade you'd already found did you wrong, a blade you were revisiting maybe.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Johnnynroy]

Well, maybe, but I don't think so. Still, it would be nice if this is a normal adjustment and is just going away soon because it is sort of "a phase" in my skin.

I'm backing off on the aggressiveness of my pursuit of baby, and have been for a few days, sometimes just because of being in a hurry to get to work or something. In other words I'm letting myself have a shave I know is not so close or smooth. And, getting an itch.

Today, for example, plenty of passes, but no effort to be really, really smooth. Plenty of areas on my neck that I knew at the shave's end were not smooth. I could have gone after them. More passes. Touch ups. But, I didn't. Itch. Might have itched worse had I chased baby and caught baby.

Of course, sometimes things are resultant from stuff we did or didn't do yesterday or several days ago. Healing can cause itching.

A few minutes ago I put a bunch of Noxzema (knock off) Equate and shea butter all over my beard area because it seemed to help some earlier when I applied it. So, tonight it was my post face washing balm, if you will.

One thing I've not tried with this itching is the Cool Fix. That stuff works really well for pain, like from razor burn. I don't want to use it though for this if I can avoid it. I may have to use it in the morning before work if this persists.

The whole itching thing got a little better today as the day went on, and even better when I put Noxzema Equate on it, but it is still not gone. I don't mean it is driving me crazy, but I'd like it to be a problem I used to have.

I'm pretty sure it would help me to skip a day or two or three of shaving. If this persists, I think I can maybe skip shaving Wednesday, and then again on Saturday and Sunday. Maybe. I'll have to see what's on the agenda.

I appreciate your concern and thoughts about this. I remember the itch you had and didn't know you'd come to some firm conclusion about it. I thought it was from a blade you'd already found did you wrong, a blade you were revisiting maybe.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I wonder how often you exfoliate your skin Jim? I do not think your skin issue is at all similar to what I have, but I have eczema. During the winter, I find that I get very dry skin and flare ups of my eczema. I will only occasionally get any dry skin in my beard area or on my face, however. I get it very severely on my hands and elbows, etc. Whenever I bathe or wash my hands, the areas of dry skin itch and burn for quite awhile afterwards. Same feeling when I apply any kind of lotion or moisturizer to the dry skin areas, and for awhile afterwards. If I apply lotion to the areas enough days in a row, it eventually subsides and will also eventually go away totally as the area heals.

I have gotten an itching in my beard area with my ingrown hairs, but that is quite uncommon for me. This really doesn't sound like ingrown hairs (extrafollicular or intrafollicular) to me. Gentle exfoliation of the affected areas with a washcloth every other day or even every day could help with either dry skin or ingrown hairs.

I have noticed with the RR Baby Smooth and the Gillette 7 Oclock yellow blades (and I have double checked with my wife to verify) that my stubble is less sharp feeling to my fingers as it is coming in. My stubble usually has an almost needle like quality to it after about 24 hours of growth, and retains that feel no matter its length. My guess is that this is due to the blade contacting the hair at the right angle for it to cut it cleanly and perpendicular to the skin, rather than at an angle to it. I have long heard that the stubble not being cut perpendicular to the skin can cause ingrown hairs (especially intrafollicular). Is it possible that your stubble coming back out of the skin is causing the itching? My lower neck stubble (which I hardly bother with as no matter what I do it won't get to a DFS, let alone BBS) in particular has become less sharp which I wish I had discovered prior to all of those interviews which necessitated a collared shirt... Sorry, the purpose of this rambling was to encourage a study of the angle you use with the razor. I don't know that the RR Baby Smooth was the reason I was able to find the right angle to cut the hairs at, or if my technique just improved to the point that I can now get the right angle easily. Whatever the case is, I know that it is possible to get the hairs cut at a point where they are no longer sharp feeling which, if it is in some way related to your itching, could help your neck feeling. I have felt incredibly lucky the past week to have found a razor and blade that are cutting my beard so well. I may do more blade exploration, just to make sure a better blade isn't out there, but I this past week has been some of the most important learning for me in regards to shaving that I've had.