Question on the 4-pass shave tutorial

[Patriot45]

Hey everyone! I have a question about the 4-pass shave technique that is presented in the shave tutorial section of the forums. It is a very interesting technique that I plan to try. I took the suggestion and tried to execute the shave bladeless. However, I am unable to get a pure "horizontal" stroke on my neck (Q3 and Q4). When I do that I have air gaps under the razor due to the shape of the my neck. I certainly do NOT want to press down hard enough to eliminate the gap! I have to almost do short angled strokes to and away from the general direction of my chin. So, hopefully the technique will still work when I go "live" with a blade.

Do any of you have the same problem? If so, how did you compensate?

Thanks!!!

 

[cfriend]

I look down just enough to flatten the area out, without going too slack. Works well enough, sometimes

 

[Compaq]

sometimes

 

[Blondie]

The neck is just a difficult area for everyone I believe. I have a similar problem, and look up when doing those strokes. If you pay close attention to the growth pattern on your neck, you will see that the hair grows in MANY different directions. Try to pay more attention to going WTG, XTG, XTG, ATG to the individual growth patterns to achieve BBS on your neck.

 

[Patriot45]

I look down just enough to flatten the area out, without going too slack. Works well enough, sometimes

That's hillarious!! Is is that "sometimes" that I am most worried about. I thought about what you wrote, and when I bend down, I have too much loose flesh that that hungry little razor would like to bite into!

 

[SiBurning]

I think there's too much emphasis on going perfectly north-to-south or perfectly with or against the grain. You should be able to find some paths along your face that you can follow more comfortably. It's a face, not a tall building. You shouldn't need a protractor and slide rule.

 

[Saltchuck]

Try stretching the skin to flatten out those areas, either by using your free hand or by turning your head. And use short strokes.

 

[JCD]

I use a hook stroke moving the handle of the razor from almost parallel to the floor to perpendicular. When going ATG move gently and slowly.

 

[Pavespawn]

I use the Gillette Glide technique on my neck because my neck hairs all grow W-E or E-W. I will say it still hard for me to get around my adam's apple.

 

[SUMMERSRL]

I think there's too much emphasis on going perfectly north-to-south or perfectly with or against the grain. You should be able to find some paths along your face that you can follow more comfortably. It's a face, not a tall building. You shouldn't need a protractor and slide rule.

Well said...

 

[SiBurning]

BTW, I find the best 4 pass on my neck to be

1. roughly straight down in the middle and at the very back corner, and straight but angled somewhat back in the rest of the neck
2. straight up the middle, upward and partly backward for the rest of the neck
3. Up and inward for the third pass, more straight up as I get toward the rear, while near the center it's more across than up
4. almost straight inward on the sides of the adam's apple, almost straight forward but slightly up under the right jaw, mostly up but slightly forward under the left jaw, straight up down the center, and an up and inward curve on the sides

Not exactly the typical WTG, XTG, XTG (opposite side), ATG, but this is the best way for me to shave in four passes. It mostly matches the grain, not so much in terms of actual direction, which varies quite a bit, but in terms of how hard it is to shave the varying grains in each pass. In other words, it's what feels most like what WTG, XTG, and ATG should feel like. It's also adapted somewhat to be able to keep the blade flat. Again, being guided mostly by what feels best in each pass, yet is still effective without undue burn.