Will a straight razor solve my issues..?

[Mr_Spiffy]

Hey, everyone! It's my first post in the straight razor section, and hopefully you'll be able to answer my questions.

I've been using an Edwin Jagger DE razor for several months now, and I'm really enjoying the improvement in my shaves since I've started. But, I've run into a consistent problem:

When I shave my neck, particularly about halfway between the front and back, and where it starts to curve upward toward my jaw, that concave area is really difficult to shave well. When I shave back-to-front (so, horizontally) in that area, I never make good contact in the center of the razor, and tend to get nicks at the corners of the razor. While the nicks are very minor, and do close up well with a cold rinse, I figure that continuously nicking my skin really isn't a good thing.

So, now comes my main question to all of you: Would a straight razor, particularly one with a rounded tip, really help me shave that area well? And, right now, I've been going WTG, XTG, ATG with my DE. How difficult is it to go ATG with a straight? The last thing I want to do is slice a jugular or go to work looking like I fought with an angry badger.

So, if nothing else, I'm at least considering a straight to touch up around the neck, and maybe other difficult spots. Is this a good idea? How often do people use DEs and straights together? (Not often, I'm guessing.)

I'm curious to see what you guys have to say. Thanks in advance for any help! B&B has been nothing but awesome to me, thus far.

 

[Luc]

To answer your question if a straight razor will solve your issue, it's no!

Technique is what you need to practice. It could be a DE, SE, cartridge or straight razor, once you get your technique right, it will get better. Nothing should stop you from trying it but keep in mind that the first shaves are mediocre at best (usually). YMMV!

 

[ridnovir]

At first it will be difficult but with practice and improved technique you can get a better results with a straight.

 

[sychodelix]

Straight razor technique is even harder to get down, so I'd definitely say no.

 

[Doc226]

Once your technique is tuned in-yes. Sadly it takes around 100 shaves to get there.

 

[inspiringK]

I am still getting used to straight razors, but have a lot of experience with DEs. I must say, the area that you are talking about is particularly difficult for me to get with a straight, but I don't have any trouble getting to it with a DE. They do say that straights can eventually provide a better shave than DEs, but 50 shave or so in, I cannot attest to that.

Using a straight is perhaps a good option and is an enjoyable experience, but I do not believe it is the solution to this problem per se. As a general tip, to get to that area with my DEs, I do ATG strokes that only use about 30% of the blade length at a time - it is easier to make sure that 30% is making good contact than it is to find a position where all 100% of the blade is making contact without pressure.

 

[Mr_Spiffy]

Thanks, guys! It sounds like I just need to work at that area a bit more. Perhaps I can find a better way to stretch the skin tight to get a flatter surface for the blade. I'm definitely curious about straight razors, too. So, I'm sure I'll come back around here sometime in the future to think about giving them a try.

It's really tough to get a flat blade to shave an area that's concave. I can get that area going up and down, but going back-to-front (ATG) is tough for me. I always do ATG, since I always want a very smooth shave (BBS, if you will). I can get just about everything else, but just not that spot. Strangely, it's only on the right side that it gives me problems. But that's probably due to the direction of hair growth in that area.

Anyway, just thought I'd toss the idea out there. I know straights take time to get used to. But it sounds like they're still not the answer to my problem. I just need more practice.

 

[johnmrson]

A straight razor is the answer to every question. Even the ones you haven't yet thought of.

 

[Mr_Spiffy]

A straight razor is the answer to eery question. Even the ones you haven't yet thought of.

Straights aren't for everyone. But I definitely want to give them a try.

 

[Go West Young Man]

If you can't get it done with a DE, odds are you're not going to be able to with a straight as well, sorry.

 

[Mr_Spiffy]

Do they make straight razors with a slight curve in the blade? Perhaps that may help conform to the curves a bit more.

 

[jrp316]

I'm in the same boat with a rather sharp turn in from my jaw to neck; alas, I gave up going XTG around my neck because of it. It's hit and miss with a DE and I'd probably lop my head off if I tried it with my straights. If you map out your facial hair growth pattern on your face and neck, you might find that you don't necessarily need a XTG pass on your neck to get a good shave. With my straights, I do two ATG passes on my neck in a three pass shave, but I vary slightly the angle of the upward stroke. The first ATG would be straight south to north, for example, while the second pass would see a SW to NE angle on my right hand side and a SE to NW angle on my left hand side. While not 100% BBS, it delivers a very nice shave nonetheless.

 

[Jporco]

If you have trouble shifting gears when driving a Volkswagen, buying a Ferrari will not making the shifting any easier...you need to practice and experiment. Pull the skin taught, go slow and work in small increments. I have a huge adam's apple and it took quite a few tries to get my angle correct. Once I got it, it became easy to clip all those valley hairs on either side of my adam's apple. Good luck!

 

[Fast Eddie]

The closest shaves I get are when I pull the skin tight and shave ATG (up).

My barber always checks my cheek to see how close my shaves are. I make every effort to show off nothing but skin when I go in for a haircut.

Fast E

 

[Kentos]

I would say that someone would be more inclined to learn to work the shift gate in a Ferrari, than a clapped out V-dub. So if using a straight appeals to you more than a DE, you might be more inclined to persevere in the quest for a good shave.

As mentioned before, in and of itself a straight won't solve your problems.

 

[Mr_Spiffy]

The car analogy can make sense either way. If someone isn't willing to learn stick in their beat-up car, it indicates lack of motivation to learn it in the Ferrari. However, if someone handed me a Ferrari, and I didn't already know stick-shift (which I do!), I'd learn, darn-it! So there's motivation on that end, too. Either way, I do want to improve my shaving technique, and prevent further nicks and cuts.

I'll try tilting my head a bit in different angles to see if I can get those patches to flatten out a bit, and go slower. I've gotten comfortable with my shaving, and tend to go faster than I probably should. And I'll try pulling the skin a bit tighter, too.

But mark my words, I WILL try a straight, eventually!

 

[Jporco]

My point is, if you can't shift in a VW, buying a Ferrari is not going to solve your problem. You still need to learn how to shift properly. Now we can talk about tolerances in shifting and which may be more appealing. But simply having a Ferrari is not going to make one a better shifter. Just like using a straight is not going to make the shave any better if you have technique problems. I agree having a Ferrari may make my 'need' to learn to properly shift a bit more important....clutches are just a tad more $$$ from the Italians! But technique comes first, then WHAT you use makes the process more enjoyable and personal.

After you learn what works best for you, then you can assess which tool (DE, SE, straight, chopstick Kami, or all) provides the better/best experience. But that technique work must come first...of course YMMV.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Yes. A straight razor will make you successful in business, it will give you excellent health and a long life, and it will make women love you.

Actually, you kinda have to help it along with your own efforts.

I disagree that a straight is harder to learn than a DE. But that's maybe just me. I find being able to see the blade and the angle of attack without it hidden by a safety razor head makes things much simpler. Also there are no clogging issues whatsoever. Also one is inclined I think to be more careful with a straight. After all, the DE is a SAFETY razor and the straight is a CUTTHROAT razor. WOOOOOOOOHHHH!

But you are already well into the larning curve on the DE so I would not abandon it just yet. However, there are some straight shaving techniques that can apply to your DE shave. The main one is stretching the skin. Stretch that skin! Tight, flat skin gives the razor something to work with instead of something to scrape and nick.

Do you absolutely HAVE to go ATG on your neck? If so, why? Is it the only way you believe you can get BBS on your neck? Do you HAVE to get BBS on your neck? Nobody else will notice if you don't. So maybe you will find that just settling for DFS on the neck will be satisfactory and will also not be as hard on your neck skin.

If I were having the problems that you are having, I think I would just go with two WTG passes on the neck. Maybe only ONE WTG pass there. And actually, my normal, everyday shave is a single WTG pass. It is absolutely without irritation or cuts (I use a straight) and the shave is good enough for everyday. For special occasions, I go WTG WTG ATG. If I did this every day, though, I might get a little irritated, and I know not to go for solid BBS over my entire neck.

Re examine your prep and especially the slickness of your lather. Replenish often! Don't take a whole bunch of strokes on the same skin without relathering. Shaving dry skin WILL irritate.

Sometimes you just can't have it both ways. Adjust your expectations as well as your technique and you might NOT be successful or wealthy healthy as a triathlete or eagerly sought by the world's most beautiful women but you will enjoy your shave.

 

[Kentos]

My point is, if you can't shift in a VW, buying a Ferrari is not going to solve your problem. You still need to learn how to shift properly. Now we can talk about tolerances in shifting and which may be more appealing. But simply having a Ferrari is not going to make one a better shifter. Just like using a straight is not going to make the shave any better if you have technique problems. I agree having a Ferrari may make my 'need' to learn to properly shift a bit more important....clutches are just a tad more $$$ from the Italians! But technique comes first, then WHAT you use makes the process more enjoyable and personal.

After you learn what works best for you, then you can assess which tool (DE, SE, straight, chopstick Kami, or all) provides the better/best experience. But that technique work must come first...of course YMMV.

I understood your point totally.

A better analogy may be, "it's the Indian, not the arrow" .

You have to admit tho, if someone gave you a Ferrari to learn how to drive a stick you would be out cruising for chicks(or dudes depending) in a flash. While if your old man gave you his 89 Tercel 4 speed to learn in you wouldn't leave the neighborhood.

 

[Mr_Spiffy]

I understood your point totally.

A better analogy may be, "it's the Indian, not the arrow" .

You have to admit tho, if someone gave you a Ferrari to learn how to drive a stick you would be out cruising for chicks(or dudes depending) in a flash. While if your old man gave you his 89 Tercel 4 speed to learn in you wouldn't leave the neighborhood.

That's pretty funny!

All points are understood, and I'll try to work on my technique some more.

As for the question of why I go ATG, hoping for BBS shaves..? I guess that's just me being a perfectionist. I know that other people won't notice the rough patch in that spot, but I do and it bugs me! I know it's being pretty picky, but I also want to get this right. There has to be some way for me to shave that area, and do it well. I just need to figure out what that technique really is. That's why I come here and ask you guys! I don't know everything, so it helps to get some advice or perspective on things.

Thanks again! I'll keep at it and see how it goes.