horizontal strokes under the chin?
- Thread starter antsjack
- Start date
You will find that shaving along the neck is not going to be perfectly vertical OR perfectly horizontal, but with practice you will find the right path to accomodate your beard.
I don't imagine that you will be able to go exactly horizontal, if only because it is a little awkward to hold the razor like that and keep the proper contact with the skin. But what about shaving first downwards and towards the sides at a 45 degree angle, and then shaving upwards and towards the center at a 45 degree angle? That would be almost WTG and ATG for your growth, and it will give you a path for shaving that does not threaten to carve up your skin.
If you are in doubt, don't worry -- it's actually much clearer how to get the shaving done ONCE YOU ARE ALREADY DOING IT. And you will be amazed at the difference once you develop some skill with it.
I don't imagine that you will be able to go exactly horizontal, if only because it is a little awkward to hold the razor like that and keep the proper contact with the skin. But what about shaving first downwards and towards the sides at a 45 degree angle, and then shaving upwards and towards the center at a 45 degree angle? That would be almost WTG and ATG for your growth, and it will give you a path for shaving that does not threaten to carve up your skin.
If you are in doubt, don't worry -- it's actually much clearer how to get the shaving done ONCE YOU ARE ALREADY DOING IT. And you will be amazed at the difference once you develop some skill with it.
I have the exact problem under my chin. Most of the time I just do up and down strokes (both XTG) and live with it not being perfect. It is possible to shave horizontally though and I do it from time to time. The tricky part is getting your hand out of the way so you can see where you are shaving - I shave right to left and I am a right hander so I have to tilt my head up and to the right to see behind my right hand. The upward tilt turn of my head and left hand pushing my left cheek up makes the skin tight enough to get a good shave. Sounds complicated but it works, there is always a way!
Another really useful trick is to twist the skin around so the hair is pointing in a more convenient direction. You can't get 90 degrees doing this, but 15-30 is often achievable and usually sufficient.
You can do diagonal ones, sweeping ones, made up ones... the possibilities are endless!!!
Join us!!!!
I had to learn when I first started to get those advanced techniques down to get the results I was wanting. "Slicing" works great for me. Leighton has a guide on his sig for this.
Once you get comfortable you will figure out the best way to do your neck. Mine goes right to left and I get BBS when I want to. The straight will shave better than anything else once you learn.
IMHO slicing is an advanced technique because you have to be very careful not to cut your skin. Not for someone who wants to take the plunge like the OP.
+1, before tackling slicing, I would work on developing a grip that allows you to position the razor correctly. I use a grip that has the tang resting in the V between by thumb and forefinger.
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