What are your shaving tricks like swallowing to flatten adams apple?

[WindyShaver]

I just read on reddit.com a man-trick of swallowing to not cut yourself and flatten your adams apple while shaving. Brilliant!

It then made me wonder what other shaving tricks are out there? Aside from the essential bread and butter advice (that I'm still adopting) such as "map your neck growth patterns" and "check the blade angle" and "create slick lather", what other little know tricks or habits do you use for successful and/or more enjoyable shaving?

 

[musicman1951]

When I swallow my adam's apple rises for about one second. I'm not comfortable with that time frame and use my thumb to stretch the skin to the side in both directions to avoid bloodshed.

 

[gks]

When I swallow my adam's apple rises for about one second. I'm not comfortable with that time frame and use my thumb to stretch the skin to the side in both directions to avoid bloodshed.

This.

I just shave around it. Then stretch the skin slightly to the left and right and shave. It works well and requires no fancy tricks.

 

[seattleshaver]

Moving the skin is the only 'trick" I use as well. It also works well along the jaw line.

 

[Giant Kiwi]

Moving the skin or holding a kinda half swallow.
It moves MY apple (not Adams) up and outta the way

 

[gus1942]

I just read on reddit.com a man-trick of swallowing to not cut yourself and flatten your adams apple while shaving. Brilliant!

It then made me wonder what other shaving tricks are out there? Aside from the essential bread and butter advice (that I'm still adopting) such as "map your neck growth patterns" and "check the blade angle" and "create slick lather", what other little know tricks or habits do you use for successful and/or more enjoyable shaving?

I'm a no tricks shaver.

 

[gegarrenton]

When I swallow my adam's apple rises for about one second. I'm not comfortable with that time frame and use my thumb to stretch the skin to the side in both directions to avoid bloodshed.

Exactly. Turn head and stretch skin.

 

[Mick]

Puff air into your cheeks is one that works for me (not for the adam's apple though)

 

[barnstormer]

The only trick I have is to relax the skin instead of stretching it. After reading about this technique in a post here about old school barbers in Morocco (they were using straights but I use a DE), I thought I'd give it a try. I just tilt my head towards the side of my face and neck that I am shaving to loosen the skin. I used to have terrible irritation on my neck where the hair grows in all different ways and now I have none. It's terrific! I have not achieved BBS with this but I never could really attain that before either and the comfort more than makes up for it. I am still new to this technique but I think as the kinks get worked out the shaves will only get better.

 

[Lather]

I tried the swallowing method for shaving around my Adam's apple but I got a nick. Mine is a little pointier than others so stretching the skin is a lot safer. It is an area, at least for me, that requires a lot of care.

 

[jarhead]

The old morocco barber method works very well
also stretching works.
In short. ,whatever gets the job done comfortably

 

[BlackBard]

There are no "tricks" to shaving - just different techniques. Some work well for me, some don't.

 

[dpmtherrien]

The stretching to the side works really good for me. Then I use a really light pressure, and the area is really smooth. It took me some time to hit on the right technique, but now I'm able to shave that area with no problems. Backing way off on the pressure thing cuts way down on any nicks or cuts.

 

[Omp]

Rubbing your fingertips on an alum block to give them some grip for stretching your skin is a good tip I picked up here.

 

[N2theBreech]

Semi-circular strokes for problem areas.

• To trim around the base of my nose, I make a semi-circular stroke. Starting at the outside edge of my nose, I'll sweep around the base, below the nostrils and up the other side to catch the whiskers at the apex of my upper lip.
• I also use them around the corners of my mouth. This is a south to north stroke, more or less. Starting with the upper corner of the blade at the corner of my mouth and the rest of the blade edge angling at a roughly 45° angle towards my jawline, I sweep the blade up and around the territory near the corner of my mouth to my upper lip, stretching the skin with my other hand.

Pay attention to the edges

• I'll frequently see men with an otherwise good shave, except that the skin at the edges of their beard area isn't as smooth as it is in the middle of their cheeks. By "edges," I mean any place where the bearded area adjoins non-bearded area: along the top of the cheeks; the outside edge of the sideburns area; under the bottom of the earlobe; around the base of the neck; all around the lips; the base of the nose; and so forth. I think that making sure the edges are cleaned up can make the difference between a good shave and a great shave.

Use alum to get traction

• Just in case this isn't as widely known as I think it is, alum can help your fingers get a grip on wet, slick skin. Simply wet your fingers and rub them across an alum block before you stretch your skin. It also helps you keep hold of a slippery razor. Note: when you rinse your face between passes, pay a little extra attention to the areas you touched with your fingers. The skin can sometimes retain the tackiness.

 

[jamesspo]

Pull up on your cheeks to pull your the skin under your jaw, up over the jaw and onto your cheek area (or as far as you can depending on how loose your skin is), then shave it (ear to chin, or whatever makes sense for your beard). Alum block on the fingers makes this easier. This is much easier than actually shaving that skin while it is under your jawline.

 

[Nagash]

Pull up on your cheeks to pull your the skin under your jaw, up over the jaw and onto your cheek area (or as far as you can depending on how loose your skin is), then shave it (ear to chin, or whatever makes sense for your beard). Alum block on the fingers makes this easier. This is much easier than actually shaving that skin while it is under your jawline.

Hmmm, Great tip. I can't wait to try this one. My jawline is where I always end up getting razor burn from over blade buffing. Looking forward to trying this.

 

[jansob]

Pay attention to the edges

• I'll frequently see men with an otherwise good shave, except that the skin at the edges of their beard area isn't as smooth as it is in the middle of their cheeks. By "edges," I mean any place where the bearded area adjoins non-bearded area: along the top of the cheeks; the outside edge of the sideburns area; under the bottom of the earlobe; around the base of the neck; all around the lips; the base of the nose; and so forth. I think that making sure the edges are cleaned up can make the difference between a good shave and a great shave.

I find that skipping a couple days (a weekend when I'm doing house/car maintenance) and "establishing" the edges in the heavier growth makes it easier to get a clean line.