Being a new wet shaving convert I find myself questioning every aspect of my shave. For decades I have always gone N-S on my face and neck first. I see this in most how-to articles and instructional videos as well. However I just realized that my grain runs mostly S-N on my neck to chin line and wonder if my first pass (which is usually my only pass due to perceived irritation) should be S-N. Is my neck grain different than most or am I missing something? Thanks.
Neck First Pass- N-S or S-N?
- Thread starter JeffM
- Start date
I have found that if I start N-S on my cheeks and chin and then S-N on my neck, I get a lot less irritation. Then I do an XTG pass and then S-N on cheeks and chin and a N-S on my neck.
I would concur with this assessment. Try to perform WTG passes until you are comfortable with wet shaving. The goal is to become comfortable with your technique before you tackle the difficult areas (e.g. neck) with XTG passes.
Hey Jeff - welcome to B&B!
If your neck is like mine, your hair growth changes in places. Mine sort-of swirls around. What you're looking for is WTG, XTG and ATG directions and on your neck WTG does not necessarily equal N-S. On most of my neck WTG is NE-SW or NW-SE, depending on which side of my neck I'm on. Do some mapping and experiment a little and you should find what works best for you.
If your neck is like mine, your hair growth changes in places. Mine sort-of swirls around. What you're looking for is WTG, XTG and ATG directions and on your neck WTG does not necessarily equal N-S. On most of my neck WTG is NE-SW or NW-SE, depending on which side of my neck I'm on. Do some mapping and experiment a little and you should find what works best for you.
Jeff,
Welcome to B&B my friend. You have received some really good advice here. You need to let your beard grow out a day or two and actually seriously study for a minute or two the direction of your growth. After that point, your first pass should always be WTG...regardless of where "WTG" is on your face.
You can't really ask if your hair direction "is different that most" etc. We are all as different as snowflakes my friend...there is no right or wrong answer!
Welcome to B&B my friend. You have received some really good advice here. You need to let your beard grow out a day or two and actually seriously study for a minute or two the direction of your growth. After that point, your first pass should always be WTG...regardless of where "WTG" is on your face.
You can't really ask if your hair direction "is different that most" etc. We are all as different as snowflakes my friend...there is no right or wrong answer!
Just to demonstrate how much this is a YMMV issue, here's what I do:
I start at the middle of my neck about in line with my Adam's apple. I shave towards the ear and then I repeat with the other side - again from the middle towards the ear. That completes the first pass.
My second neck pass consists of strokes on the left side of my face (imagine a center-line running down the face) going from SW to NE. Then, on the right side of my face, the second pass consists of strokes going SE to NW. This completes the second pass.
My third pass on my neck consists of a N to S stroke down to the top of my Adam's apple. Underneath the Adam's apple, the third stroke consists of short S to N passes.
It took me a LONG time to figure this out, but it was worth it. I can shave my neck 9 times out of 10 now with no blood whatsoever.
I start at the middle of my neck about in line with my Adam's apple. I shave towards the ear and then I repeat with the other side - again from the middle towards the ear. That completes the first pass.
My second neck pass consists of strokes on the left side of my face (imagine a center-line running down the face) going from SW to NE. Then, on the right side of my face, the second pass consists of strokes going SE to NW. This completes the second pass.
My third pass on my neck consists of a N to S stroke down to the top of my Adam's apple. Underneath the Adam's apple, the third stroke consists of short S to N passes.
It took me a LONG time to figure this out, but it was worth it. I can shave my neck 9 times out of 10 now with no blood whatsoever.
I usually go South to North, but start from the furthest part back towards my throat. So I am going either South East to North West or South West to Nort East...make since?
Then my second pass goes from North to South, again going from back to front so to speak.
Then my second pass goes from North to South, again going from back to front so to speak.
I assume this is because you too have some really solid sideways growth on your neck?
Its nice that you can go in each direction with a confident, straight stroke. I seemed to have trouble with this starting out. I found it was easier to simply shave XTG S---N up to my jawline (my neck hair is all E----W).
Its amazing how different we all truly are!
You got it. I'm all kinds of sideways on my neck. Give my method a shot some time and see what you think. It's almost been like a magic bullet for me.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
You need to "map" your beard. With a full day's stubble, soap up with a thin watery lather. Don't soften the whiskers first... you want to feel them. Run your fingertips in every direction over every square centimeter of your face, and remember the direction where you felt the most friction from going against the grain, for every location. The opposite direction will be WTG for that little area. Most beards grow in various directions in various parts of the face, and sometimes there seems to be no reason or rhyme to it. Don't be systematic... customize your shave direction to the peculiarities of your own face. I have one area to the left and just above my adams apple where it grows in a whirlpool pattern, but not on the right, for instance. You got to map your own face for best results.
My neck whiskers grow diagonally in a general downward direction. So, I first go straight down, then go straight up, and both of those amount to a somewhat cross-cutting pass. The final pass is diagonal, fully against the grain.
That's the only way I've been able to get anywhere close to smooth on my neck.
That's the only way I've been able to get anywhere close to smooth on my neck.
For everyone's enjoyment... 
I could see doing your method with a DE...but I'd have to do it all across the neck in one direction. If I did it exactly as you do, I'd essentially be covering one half of my neck ATG on the first pass...a big no no!
With a str8 however, I'm not sure your method (or any full-on sideways cutting) is feasible. XTG seems the only option for the first two passes as the length of the str8 limits your ability to get a flat surface going sideways on the neck.
On my first pass, I always go WTG...no matter what direction(s) that ends up being.
down then up
For me, N-S, once across, last S-N blade buffing.
Brent.
Brent.
I usually do the first pass WTG. So on my neck it is mostly S-N.
Everyone's face is unique...
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