Pretty much as stated in the title. One key I remember when my Dad taught me to shave was to not shave on an angle. Well, guess what direction my beard grows on my neck?! Just curious if anyone else has a similar beard growth, and if you shave on an angle. I've been just using a N-S direction and it SEEMS to do ok, but not great. I've avoided using an E-W type direction on my neck as well, so if anyone does that and finds it works, let me know. Thanks.
Shave on an angle?
- Thread starter ByMyBeard
- Start date
I actually do E-W and N-S on my neck because my beard grows weird, it is okay mostly, I do get some irritation, depending on what blade I use. It never really feels smooth until after I rinse with cold water and slap on some clubman.
I shave on an angle on my neck area. Jaw/ear to bottom middle of my neck
I shave the bottom part of my neck on an angle. 3/4 of my neck from Jaw to right-side and the remainder Jaw to left-side. The hair on the bottom part of my neck grows almost straight across in one direction.
My neck hair grows from my chin towards my ear, but at a 45* downward angle. It's symmetric, so both sides grow away from each other. I usually shave my neck in a "X" pattern for the first 2 passes and then N-S for the final pass. This gets 95% of my neck to a DFS. I then blade buff two little spots to get the last 5%.
After the first north to south pass I shave my neck at an angle, which is different on each side. Otherwise the shave is uncomfortable and the result poor. That's the point of beard mapping, about which there have been many posts on B&B.
Gotta be one of those face mapping pics around here somewhere....
So you take a pic like this
View attachment 384826
and you mark it up like this, or whichever way your beard grows.
In a text book scenario:
1. First pass is with the grain (WTG), with the blade perpendicilar to growth, and the movement parallel to growth - for each mapped section
2. Second pass is across the grain (XTG) with the blade parallel to gorwoth and razor movement perpendicular for each mapped section
3. Third pass is another XTG, but from the opposite angle for each mapped section
4. Fourth pass is Against the Grain (ATG) where blade is perpendicular to growth, but movement is directly in the opposite direction to growth for each mapped section
In real life one compromises, but if you follow it generally, your shave will improve
N-S only really works if your beard goes N-S
Skip the ATG if you don't need it or if you are beginning to learn DE shaving.
So you take a pic like this
View attachment 384826
and you mark it up like this, or whichever way your beard grows.
In a text book scenario:
1. First pass is with the grain (WTG), with the blade perpendicilar to growth, and the movement parallel to growth - for each mapped section
2. Second pass is across the grain (XTG) with the blade parallel to gorwoth and razor movement perpendicular for each mapped section
3. Third pass is another XTG, but from the opposite angle for each mapped section
4. Fourth pass is Against the Grain (ATG) where blade is perpendicular to growth, but movement is directly in the opposite direction to growth for each mapped section
In real life one compromises, but if you follow it generally, your shave will improve
N-S only really works if your beard goes N-S
Skip the ATG if you don't need it or if you are beginning to learn DE shaving.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks guys. I've been sticking with N-S or S-N on my neck, as even E-W made me a little nervous. But it's good to see others are able to do it as well, so I'll give it a shot on my next shave. It's been interesting, as sometimes the N-S pass worked better for the angle, and sometimes S-N worked better. Now I have another move in my arsenal. Though I'll need to look into this blade buffing, haven't heard it yet.
My beard pattern is so squirrely that I have to J hook on my neck if I want a BBS. I make the first pass N-S, the second pass a clockwise J hook, and the third pass a counter-clockwise J hook. If there are still spots of stubble, I blade buff them. YMMV, but it works for me.
There is no reason at all to not go "at an angle". WTG, ATG, XTG are all relative to *your beard*. Map your beard, and shave WTG, ATG, XTG as needed.
I would suggest looking at the following pages in wiki, it should help:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Getting_started_wetshaving
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_DE_Razor_Shaving
To answer your question, I shave with the grain, across the grain and against the grain.
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Getting_started_wetshaving
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Interactive_Guide_to_DE_Razor_Shaving
To answer your question, I shave with the grain, across the grain and against the grain.
Certainly shave on an angle if you wish. That is the whole idea behind the slant razors, and they have a well deserved reputation for shaving efficiency and close shaves.
Seems to me the suggestion to not shave "on an angle" would be in regards to the blade, not in regards to your face.
As in, make sure your stroke is perpendicular to the blade and parallel with the handle, whatever direction you're going on your face. Shaving "on an angle" would mimic what a slant razor does and if you're doing that free-hand I could see some cuts resulting, hence the advice.
As in, make sure your stroke is perpendicular to the blade and parallel with the handle, whatever direction you're going on your face. Shaving "on an angle" would mimic what a slant razor does and if you're doing that free-hand I could see some cuts resulting, hence the advice.
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