Need a couple of tips (technique)

[JPDyson]

Hey folks! So straights are going generally well, but I have a couple of questions that I think I know the answers to, but would like some confirmation and/or advice:

1. Trimming around facial hair: Let me tell you, I don't keep a goatee because it's (ostensibly) easier than shaving your chin. It's a little tricky to wield a 3" razor around your chin to create clean lines. Are you guys using straights to keep the edges clean, or do you pull out a type of safety razor to keep your intentionally-left-behind whiskers tidy?

2. The Nefarious Neck whiskers: My neck hair grows in 800 different directions. To keep things simple, so far I've decided to just shave N-S, and it has yielded satisfactory results. However, I get some tugging. Is this most likely blade angle? I know with a DE, that my neck problems boiled down to blade angle, and once I realized it, it was like a light switch. I feel like I've tried to correct the angle as I go here, but can't ever get the smooth shaving action I can achieve on my cheeks. Any thoughts here?

Thanks for humoring me; this is my second go with straights, and I feel like it's going quite a bit better than before, but I still have a lot of learning to do.

 

[johnmrson]

The tugging is probably blade angle but it's hard on spots where hair grows in multiple directions because you're trying to shave WTG, XTG and ATG in the same stroke but they all require a different angle. As long as you're happy that your razor is sharp, I don't think there's alot you can do about it.

 

[gull]

I use the top part of my blade to clean up tough areas. Try switching hands or grips till you can use a small portion of the blade with ease.

For the pulling, I guess that would be expected if you're going ATG or XTG. I too have messy neck hair and I get some pulling since going N-S won't always be hitting hairs WTG. I would try using quicker but smaller stokes. That reduced the pulling for me. Also a lower angle helped too.

 

[bradyarz]

Hey folks! So straights are going generally well, but I have a couple of questions that I think I know the answers to, but would like some confirmation and/or advice:

1. Trimming around facial hair: ...Are you guys using straights to keep the edges clean, or do you pull out a type of safety razor to keep your intentionally-left-behind whiskers tidy?

2. The Nefarious Neck whiskers: My neck hair grows in 800 different directions. To keep things simple, so far I've decided to just shave N-S, and it has yielded satisfactory results. However, I get some tugging. Is this most likely blade angle? ...

Thanks for humoring me; this is my second go with straights, and I feel like it's going quite a bit better than before, but I still have a lot of learning to do.

I find it a bit easier to use the straight rather than a de to keep the goat tidy.
Basically all I do is approach perpendicularly from the right, left, and bottom. The only difference with the bottom of the goatee is I round it slightly, which takes a bit more work.

I too, have neck hair growing in many different directions, and I've never achieved BBS on my neck (although the cheeks are no problem). I've basically figured out that I can get an acceptable neck shave by doing N-S in conjunction with wtg on my cheeks, and S-N with xtg and atg on my cheeks. If you can find one direction that [hopefully] the majority of your neck hair grows in, reduce as much as you can in that direction before attacking at a different angle.

The tugging is probably blade angle but it's hard on spots where hair grows in multiple directions because you're trying to shave WTG, XTG and ATG in the same stroke but they all require a different angle. As long as you're happy that your razor is sharp, I don't think there's alot you can do about it.

+1

I use the top part of my blade to clean up tough areas. Try switching hands or grips till you can use a small portion of the blade with ease.

For the pulling, I guess that would be expected if you're going ATG or XTG. I too have messy neck hair and I get some pulling since going N-S won't always be hitting hairs WTG. I would try using quicker but smaller stokes. That reduced the pulling for me. Also a lower angle helped too.

+1

 

[Blue58]

like you my neck hair goes in every direction but the one you want it to go... so I think in this case because the neck hair does go in every direction it would be like shaving ATG on the first pass on your cheeks so its gonna pull and tug a bit no matter what you do.

So my thinking in order to minimize the pulling and tugging is making sure you have good prep before you shave... Hot shower before you shave to soften the beard hair, lots of slick lather, which you probably already do. just be sure to concentrate the prep on the neck area to maximize the effects.

As for your angle you probably have that down pretty good because you didn't say anything about nicks or irritation.

 

[JPDyson]

TONS of helpful input already. Man, I love B&B...

I think what you guys are saying rings true - all variables equal, the neck may just tug a bit more due to the direction of the stroke relative to the hair. I'll try shorter strokes, or maybe something crazy like going S-N first, just to see what that does. I always shave after I shower, I use conditioner on my beard, and generally face lather, so I figure I'm getting good prep. After all, my cheek whiskers cower before my presence. My neck is simply unruly.

As for the goatee trimming, I'm probably just not as skilled w/the tool at this point, so it's challenging. Even more so than the whiskers that hide under my nose. I'll keep at it.

 

[global_dev]

I like going from chin to side of neck, while pulling skin, on my second pass. It's like combo of diagonal and slide...the first neck pass for me is S to N.

 

[Woodash]

My neck hair grows in 800 different directions. To keep things simple, so far I've decided to just shave N-S, and it has yielded satisfactory results.

Over time I learned in great detail the minutiae of growth patterns on my neck. The only way that I can get BBS is to deal with each of these areas specifically, using an appropriate grip. Just depends on how much time I have or how good I want the results to be.

 

[bradyarz]

TONS of helpful input already. Man, I love B&B...

I think what you guys are saying rings true - all variables equal, the neck may just tug a bit more due to the direction of the stroke relative to the hair. I'll try shorter strokes, or maybe something crazy like going S-N first, just to see what that does. I always shave after I shower, I use conditioner on my beard, and generally face lather, so I figure I'm getting good prep. After all, my cheek whiskers cower before my presence. My neck is simply unruly.

As for the goatee trimming, I'm probably just not as skilled w/the tool at this point, so it's challenging. Even more so than the whiskers that hide under my nose. I'll keep at it.

someone may know where to find the original thread, but i remember someone (joel?) remarking about what different shampoos/conditioners do to a beard. some make the hair easier to shave, while others actually make the hair tougher and harder to shave. there is a specific ingredient to avoid, but it's name escapes me at the moment.

shampooing the beard can be nice when it gets a bit longer. every year or so i grow out a large beard for a few months, and using conditioner takes away some of the wiriness. pending identification of the ingredient, if you're willing to sacrifice in the name of science, try shaving without having conditioned and see if that makes a difference.

 

[JPDyson]

I do know that there are "strengthening" conditioners and "softening" conditioners; I use the latter on my head because I tend to have dry scalp particularly in the winter. I assumed if it helped my scalp/hair, it would help my beard (moisture, softness). I would be willing to forego it a couple times to see what happens, but it might be more meaningful when I'm dialing in less and have a more consistent technique. Willing to try though.

 

[Luc]

I only have the sideburns to go around, I usually do like I did with a DE. I don't shave at an angle near it, I go either 90 degrees from the sideburn or 180 degrees.

second, yes, lower the blade angle, it should help! You might want to try a slighly different direction if that doesn't do it.

 

[Gustav]

I find it awkward to position the blade in such a way as to get at some of the hairs on my neck but with trial and error I have found some things that work for me and hopefully they might help you:

1. Take a step back with one foot and lean forward slightly, then tilt your head backwards as far as it will go. This allows you to stretch the skin of the neck nice and taught, prevents the scales from getting caught on some part of the face or chest and allows you to position the blade flat on the neck. I use this for XTG passes.

2. Put your hand on the side of your neck with the fingers resting on the back of your neck and your palm facing forwards, then squeeze your hand. This should stretch the neck skin away from the Adam's apple and allow you to shave this area with greater ease.

3. My first pass WTG on the neck feels rather redundant in that little stubble seems to be removed but if I do it again after my two XTG passes, it seems to remove some hairs which are difficult to get otherwise.

As always YMMV. good luck!

 

[JPDyson]

Thanks, Erik - I think I already do a bit of #1, #2 sounds like you're reaching around your head to stretch (for example) the right side with the left hand. Not all that different from how I stretch my sideburns, so I'm not sure why I haven't tried this. Good tip. #3, well, right now I'm just getting as good as I can with 1 pass, but perhaps I just need to try 2 passes and see where that gets me. Good post, though - these are things I will try!

 

[Disburden]

For trimming around beards and mustaches I usually just use my straights but I don't own any large ones. I usually stick with 5/8s blades and they work for this task although it takes practice. Until then there is no shame in using a DE or something to touch up the boarders.

As far as the neck is concerned you probably need to use a scything motion with the razor to get better results. What you do is (This is an example) for your N-S pass on your neck, stretch the skin so the hairs stand up (not down), and then stroke the razor downward AND foward with the toe leading at the same time. Use very very VERY light pressure so you down slice while you're stroking downward. Straight razors are actually designed to use this stroke, they're not meant to just chop downward as that leaves spots behind, it's actually like the way you slice bread with a bread knife.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Cant answer question #1 as I dont keep facial hair...just small sideburns which in my book, dont count.

As far as the neck goes tho...I feel your pain. Angle and prep are the key to a swirly, whirly neck. I almost (not quite...but almost) always hot towel the neck prior to str8 shaving it...helps me get that extra edge on the whiskers...

 

[gull]

What also helped me with the neck is put your lather on, then go stropping. That will let the lather do its work and help cut the neck hair.

I used to hate stropping but now I can see that I now have something to do while I wait for the lather to settle in. I switched up to my DE the other day, didn't let the lather set, and boy was there a difference!

 

[Ru4scuba?]

What also helped me with the neck is put your lather on, then go stropping. That will let the lather do its work and help cut the neck hair.

I used to hate stropping but now I can see that I now have something to do while I wait for the lather to settle in. I switched up to my DE the other day, didn't let the lather set, and boy was there a difference!

Alot of folks have said this is a good technique to use to soften up the whiskers before the fall of the blade.

I've never lathered the neck...but used Proraso Pre/Post on occasion while stropping.

 

[Gustav]

Alot of folks have said this is a good technique to use to soften up the whiskers before the fall of the blade.

I've never lathered the neck...but used Proraso Pre/Post on occasion while stropping.

If you then apply a hot towel to your face or top of the lather/pre shave the effect is even more enhanced.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

If you then apply a hot towel to your face or top of the lather/pre shave the effect is even more enhanced.

Erik,

Absolutely! I've dont this a ton of times using Kyle's Prep...

Works wonders unless you're in a hurry!

 

[SliceOfLife]

There are a lot of reasons for tugging. For instance. I just touched up a razor on a recently arrived thuringian. Stropped it up, and had it silent falling hairs clean as a whistle. Then I lathered up and shaved. For some reason I was inspired to grab a glycerin soap. It felt like I was shaving off 1k. I actually worried for a second that I had forgotten that the razor was just beveled and not sharpened and so I just had a well polished bread knife. Still, I was pretty sure that the razor was sharp, so I rinsed off, relathered with a tallowy soap and spend through a WTG and a sloppy ATG in about 30 seconds flat. The spots I didn't miss are BBS. Turns out I am just used to so much slip from my soaps that going back to such a non-performer didn't suit my technique at all, and the lack of slip was causing the bevel to grab my face (friction) and skitter along my cheek rather than sliding. Needless to say, that soap has found itself in my pile of non-shavers.

But that's just one possible cause. Like I suggested, a dull razor will of course tug, expecially if it's got microchips.

As for the neck... Just be very careful and try every angle you can think of using both hands. Eventually you'll find something that works (I hope... I still am not totally happy with my technique on my neck).

As for goatee's. I just make box goatee's. I draw the blade perpendicular to my jawline straight up my throat and then along my cheeks in towards my lips. It makes a perfectly trimmed goatee for me in three strokes.


With a straight, provided it is sharp, blade angle doesn't cause much tugging for me. I'm either scraping the hairs (angle too deep). Which isn't that close and is very loud, but doesn't tug either. Or else I'm just driving around my lawn with the blades raised up. (Angle too shallow) IE, everything goes smoothly, I just don't get my beard much if any shorter.