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Odd grain direction

I learned early on that it's best to shave with the grain, but I've recently started shaving with a shavette, and I've encountered a problem.
The hair on my face grows in an odd direction. It's fairly equal in grain direction on the cheeks, but when it hits the neck, it all flips horizontal and starts growing to the right. As in, if I were to grow a full beard, the whole thing would point towards the right instead of down, giving me a permanently windswept look. Not surprisingly, this happens to be the only reason I don't grow a beard.
This makes it hard to shave with the grain on my neck using a shavette (and one day, a straight razor). The blade is too long to match the curved geometry of my neck, and i invariably end up shaving perpendicular or diagonally across the grain.
What would you recommend I do?
 
You did not specify the type of shavette you are using. Those that use half DE blades are a little shorter than the Artist Club style. If you can shave with a DE, you should be able to shave with one of them.

I would also suggest that you consider getting a real straight razor with a "shorty" blade.

Although it is preferable to shave with the grain on the first pass, I can understand how that might be difficult for you considering the unusual grain direction on your neck. So in your case, shave across the grain, but try to get as close to WTG as you can.

Do you shave with only your dominant hand? If you can learn to shave with both hands, I think that may make it easier to reach the more difficult spots of your neck.
 
My advice is to continue doing what is comfortable in those kinds of sensitive and difficult areas.

What I usually do on the neck and the jaw line is flattening areas as much as possible with my off hand or repositioning my skin to a flatter area as much as possible. I also shave those areas as if I am paring a fruit, one stripe of skin at a time. On the neck I also only usually do vertical-ish strokes, N/S and S/N. Because of the length of the spine,tang, and tail of a shavette or SR, strokes in those confined areas do take a bit more modification.
 
My neck hair is all over the map as well, but it is predominantly left to right. I don't even try for a BBS shave on the neck as a 3 inch blade is not conducive to nooks and crannies. I usually do a south to north pass, and a north to south pass. On the third pass, I get as close as I can by doing a lot of neck stretching and craning.
 
I have a similar growth pattern on my neck. Easy to shave with a DE, or SE, left to right across the neck.

It's become a fun challenge to work out the best way to tackle it with using either a straight, shavette, or my Feather SS.

This video has been posted several times here, but it's a great source of idea's on technique and is worth watching over and over.

 
I agree regarding the video above. I've posted it several times myself.

I mainly go N-S and then S-N on my neck. You can flatten the skin and shave the areas furthest from the Adam's Apple E-W or W-E if that's helpful. I generally don't unless it's to get a missed spot. As was mentioned just go up and down and move the skin to either side of the Adam's Apple or even just swallow and shave just as you are swallowing.

Some may be able to shave E-W easily but I'm guessing most aren't. I still get a smooth shave but the neck and chin are the most difficult (the chin even more so IMO).

The guy in the video above is very good and he has a very "square" face.

I wasn't really into shavette's but in my limited experience, they were even harder to use than a standard straight (with no vibe). :)
 
If you put your not shaving hand on your chin and stretch upwards you manage to get some of this area above the cheekbone. If you at the same time open the mouth and press the chin down it will extend this area. However most is not always the best so you need to try what works best for you.

Then when shaving what is left under the cheek bone test stretching with 2 fingers positioned perhaps 5 centimeters apart. Then press/stretch the fingers away from each other and at same time test moving around to see at what position area you can move the hair remaining. Be careful not shaving into the fingers.

After a while you can also test to just shave down doing XTG instead of WTG. Compare what give the best result.
 
You did not specify the type of shavette you are using. Those that use half DE blades are a little shorter than the Artist Club style. If you can shave with a DE, you should be able to shave with one of them.

I would also suggest that you consider getting a real straight razor with a "shorty" blade.

Although it is preferable to shave with the grain on the first pass, I can understand how that might be difficult for you considering the unusual grain direction on your neck. So in your case, shave across the grain, but try to get as close to WTG as you can.

Do you shave with only your dominant hand? If you can learn to shave with both hands, I think that may make it easier to reach the more difficult spots of your neck.
After a little research, I know know that I'm using a shavette in the style of a Parker SR1, with a DE.
 
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