The Neck Area Shaving Info Thread : post tips, suggestions that would help others.

[Big Nickita]

Just wanted to say that those that have issues with soap reactions and bumps at times. Avoiding fragrance oils is a good first step. Stick with unscented or essential oils if possible. Some essential oils are in fact highly beneficial. Some fragrances are fine for me. Others definitely don't agree with my razor exfoliated face.

Then you can narrow it down for ingredients from there.

I have had a good experience with Stirling tea tree soap recently. The powers of tea tree oil are well known. Powerful anti fungal, antiseptic, anti inflammatory actions. The exact same soap with a particular fragrance oil causes a neck rash that looks exactly like razor burn/bumps. The unscented sample was a result in-between the two, just a small amount of irritation. A sample with fragrance oils, but not the fragrance oil in the irritating soap had the same result as the unscented. A double check to minimise technique variables established the link. So I know from the fragrance ingredients that it is one or both of two particular fragrance oils.

Methodical process of elimination.

 

[major_works]

This is a great thread and I'm so glad I've found it. I've read it from beginning to end and there's tons of great advice here.

Well, like many others, my neck is always the toughest area for me. I do wear a beard and 'stache (almost always trimmed pretty short, more like long stubble, I guess). So the neck shave for me is beard line down. That does include the areas to the side of my Adam's apple, which are notoriously hard to shave well. My neck is also prone to bouts of razor burn, and I nearly always nick myself somewhere.

As my signature states, my razor is a Merkur 38C barber pole. Last night's shave was, I think, the fifth with the first Rapira Lux Platinum I've ever used. I will start with the good news... I think I got the closest, most BBS-like shave ever on my neck. I typically start with N-S passes from left ear down, moving across with successive strokes toward my right ear. That does a good-enough job for the outer sides of my neck, but leaves me with more work in the center third or so. My whiskers grow in a relatively simple pattern, sweeping upward toward each ear from the center line.

Lately I'd been trying a more-or-less ATG pass in an E-W/W-E fashion to get closer on the sides of the apple and above. That does get me closer but often leaves irritation and a nick or two. So last night, emboldened by a Mantic video, I experimented with J-hooking those areas. And that's what gave me what I consider my closest shave ever in those areas. The bad news is that I did give myself a couple of nicks in the process, drawing a bit of blood but nothing that the alum couldn't stop.

I'll definitely continue the J-hooking experiment, doing so even more slowly and deliberately. I really tried to use no pressure but I'll have to redouble that effort, being mindful of "reduction, not removal." The next shave will be my first ever with a Voskhod, so we'll see what transpires.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great tips in this thread. It should be stickied IMHO. I mean, geez, who doesn't have trouble with their neck?

 

[major_works]

This is a great thread and I'm so glad I've found it. I've read it from beginning to end and there's tons of great advice here.

Well, like many others, my neck is always the toughest area for me. I do wear a beard and 'stache (almost always trimmed pretty short, more like long stubble, I guess). So the neck shave for me is beard line down. That does include the areas to the side of my Adam's apple, which are notoriously hard to shave well. My neck is also prone to bouts of razor burn, and I nearly always nick myself somewhere.

As my signature states, my razor is a Merkur 38C barber pole. Last night's shave was, I think, the fifth with the first Rapira Lux Platinum I've ever used. I will start with the good news... I think I got the closest, most BBS-like shave ever on my neck. I typically start with N-S passes from left ear down, moving across with successive strokes toward my right ear. That does a good-enough job for the outer sides of my neck, but leaves me with more work in the center third or so. My whiskers grow in a relatively simple pattern, sweeping upward toward each ear from the center line.

Lately I'd been trying a more-or-less ATG pass in an E-W/W-E fashion to get closer on the sides of the apple and above. That does get me closer but often leaves irritation and a nick or two. So last night, emboldened by a Mantic video, I experimented with J-hooking those areas. And that's what gave me what I consider my closest shave ever in those areas. The bad news is that I did give myself a couple of nicks in the process, drawing a bit of blood but nothing that the alum couldn't stop.

I'll definitely continue the J-hooking experiment, doing so even more slowly and deliberately. I really tried to use no pressure but I'll have to redouble that effort, being mindful of "reduction, not removal." The next shave will be my first ever with a Voskhod, so we'll see what transpires.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great tips in this thread. It should be stickied IMHO. I mean, geez, who doesn't have trouble with their neck?

I should have mentioned that this shave was with a La Toja stick, face lathered, of course, with a Semogue boar SOC.

 

[Methuselah]

I find that my shaves always work best if I'm listening to Hughes Taylor on the stereo. try, shook my world.

 

[tylehman]

i found this morning that going back to a razor that i have not used in some time, i got a better shave because my technique has improved. i went back to a Gillette old type with a feather blade and i think i got one of the best neck shaves yet. that has not always been the case with the old type, but a 4 month break from the razor seems to have done me good.
i have gone back to many razors that have given me issue only to find that they shave much better as i gain better technique with out even knowing it.

 

[alex2363]

This is a great thread and I'm so glad I've found it. I've read it from beginning to end and there's tons of great advice here.

Well, like many others, my neck is always the toughest area for me. I do wear a beard and 'stache (almost always trimmed pretty short, more like long stubble, I guess). So the neck shave for me is beard line down. That does include the areas to the side of my Adam's apple, which are notoriously hard to shave well. My neck is also prone to bouts of razor burn, and I nearly always nick myself somewhere.

As my signature states, my razor is a Merkur 38C barber pole. Last night's shave was, I think, the fifth with the first Rapira Lux Platinum I've ever used. I will start with the good news... I think I got the closest, most BBS-like shave ever on my neck. I typically start with N-S passes from left ear down, moving across with successive strokes toward my right ear. That does a good-enough job for the outer sides of my neck, but leaves me with more work in the center third or so. My whiskers grow in a relatively simple pattern, sweeping upward toward each ear from the center line.

Lately I'd been trying a more-or-less ATG pass in an E-W/W-E fashion to get closer on the sides of the apple and above. That does get me closer but often leaves irritation and a nick or two. So last night, emboldened by a Mantic video, I experimented with J-hooking those areas. And that's what gave me what I consider my closest shave ever in those areas. The bad news is that I did give myself a couple of nicks in the process, drawing a bit of blood but nothing that the alum couldn't stop.

I'll definitely continue the J-hooking experiment, doing so even more slowly and deliberately. I really tried to use no pressure but I'll have to redouble that effort, being mindful of "reduction, not removal." The next shave will be my first ever with a Voskhod, so we'll see what transpires.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great tips in this thread. It should be stickied IMHO. I mean, geez, who doesn't have trouble with their neck?

I totally agree, our members advise is the greatest...

 

[alex2363]

i found this morning that going back to a razor that i have not used in some time, i got a better shave because my technique has improved. i went back to a Gillette old type with a feather blade and i think i got one of the best neck shaves yet. that has not always been the case with the old type, but a 4 month break from the razor seems to have done me good.
i have gone back to many razors that have given me issue only to find that they shave much better as i gain better technique with out even knowing it.

Thanks for your time and insight

 

[alex2363]

I find that my shaves always work best if I'm listening to Hughes Taylor on the stereo. try, shook my world.

Lol..half your band looks pissed off

 

[alex2363]

This is a great thread and I'm so glad I've found it. I've read it from beginning to end and there's tons of great advice here.

Well, like many others, my neck is always the toughest area for me. I do wear a beard and 'stache (almost always trimmed pretty short, more like long stubble, I guess). So the neck shave for me is beard line down. That does include the areas to the side of my Adam's apple, which are notoriously hard to shave well. My neck is also prone to bouts of razor burn, and I nearly always nick myself somewhere.

As my signature states, my razor is a Merkur 38C barber pole. Last night's shave was, I think, the fifth with the first Rapira Lux Platinum I've ever used. I will start with the good news... I think I got the closest, most BBS-like shave ever on my neck. I typically start with N-S passes from left ear down, moving across with successive strokes toward my right ear. That does a good-enough job for the outer sides of my neck, but leaves me with more work in the center third or so. My whiskers grow in a relatively simple pattern, sweeping upward toward each ear from the center line.

Lately I'd been trying a more-or-less ATG pass in an E-W/W-E fashion to get closer on the sides of the apple and above. That does get me closer but often leaves irritation and a nick or two. So last night, emboldened by a Mantic video, I experimented with J-hooking those areas. And that's what gave me what I consider my closest shave ever in those areas. The bad news is that I did give myself a couple of nicks in the process, drawing a bit of blood but nothing that the alum couldn't stop.

I'll definitely continue the J-hooking experiment, doing so even more slowly and deliberately. I really tried to use no pressure but I'll have to redouble that effort, being mindful of "reduction, not removal." The next shave will be my first ever with a Voskhod, so we'll see what transpires.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great tips in this thread. It should be stickied IMHO. I mean, geez, who doesn't have trouble with their neck?

i found this morning that going back to a razor that i have not used in some time, i got a better shave because my technique has improved. i went back to a Gillette old type with a feather blade and i think i got one of the best neck shaves yet. that has not always been the case with the old type, but a 4 month break from the razor seems to have done me good.
i have gone back to many razors that have given me issue only to find that they shave much better as i gain better technique with out even knowing it.

J hooking is a favorite pass for many here...

 

[Methuselah]

Lol..half your band looks pissed off

That's because they use cartridge razors. And just now found out about slant heads.

 

[mbarn]

That's because they use cartridge razors. And just now found out about slant heads.View attachment 837005

Which razor is that? The head is a thing of beauty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[alex2363]

That's because they use cartridge razors. And just now found out about slant heads.View attachment 837005

Lol

 

[Methuselah]

Which razor is that? The head is a thing of beauty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

ATT S1 with a maguards M5 stainless steel handle

 

[ackvil]

ATT S1 with a maguards M5 stainless steel handle

The S-1 is my my favorite razor.

 

[alex2363]

GREAT INFORMATION MEMBERS

 

[alex2363]

Superb info and helpful advise from all....

 

[mkiraly]

What a great thread, thanks to all!

 

[alex2363]

What a great thread, thanks to all!

I'm glad you are utilizing it to your advantage ...

 

[BigJ]

I totally agree, our members advise is the greatest...

EXCELLENT THREAD!! Thanks for posting it here!

 

[Twelvefret]

For me the secret has been a good prep coupled with a feather touch and going ATG and WTG rather than trying to do it all in one pass. The blade needs to be sharp and the razor tight so the blade does not flex.