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Your trouble spots and how you learned to deal

OK, I know this has been discussed, but there are new members joining daily so maybe it wouldn't hurt to revisit the topic. I know I might benefit.

My trouble spots are the common areas: chin, neck (on sides of Adam's Apple), and under the nose.

Under my nose, I've gotten better. I don't go ATG, but I have had success pushing and pulling my nose to the side while stretching my upper lip down over my teeth. Doing this has allowed me to get the bulk of the whiskers living there.

On my chin, I've been able to get pretty close by repeatedly and carefully shaving in all directions, though this is one area that requires particularly close attention to pressure which can often leave irritation or nicks/sweepers. Still, getting better.

On my neck, I've basically given up on BBS. Because of the way the whiskers grow in seemingly random directions, I cannot seem to find the magic stroke and am resigned to a WTG pass or two, followed by an XTG pass and stopping. I get a DFS, but still feel stubble ATG.

Which leads to my one trouble spot that still leaves me baffled: the sides of my neck, right below my ears, behind the back line of my jaw. Like the area on my neck around my windpipe, no matter which direction, which angle, WTG, XTG, ATG...I can't seem to get rid of the stubble. I can always feel something left when applying my AS and balm, which inevitably triggers me to go back yet again to attempt "fix" it, only to fail again. This one has me frustrated because there doesn't seem to be any obvious obstacle to accessing the area - it's basically a flat open surface. I'm thinking some more creative stretching and other contortions may be required, but I'm not throwing up the towel just yet.

So...how 'bout you?
 
Good idea. I have two types of trouble spots. The ones you mentioned and special shaving objects such as a small mole on my right cheek.

As for that mole - easy did it. No pressure and over time my skin adjusted to DE shaving and my technique did the rest.

On either side of my windpipe is more challenging. I find buffing to be a handy technique there and making sure I lather sufficiently.

The moustache area I first do with slanted/oblique strokes (L: NW-SE and NE-SW with R reversed). That takes care of most of the struggle without going overly ATG.

Speaking of which.
Which leads to my one trouble spot that still leaves me baffled: the sides of my neck, right below my ears, behind the back line of my jaw. Like the area on my neck around my windpipe, no matter which direction, which angle, WTG, XTG, ATG...I can't seem to get rid of the stubble.
A slightly slanted stroke does wonders (you could achieve the same with a slant razor obviously). I am a huge fan of the Gillette Slide myself and it has given me great results. Does require some practice but if not as daunting as some state. Mantic59 has a great video on YT explaining the basics and a Google search gives some old instructions as well (from Gillette hence the name).

One of my main revelations was joining this Forum and discovering the Four Pass Shave. Instant BBS for me. See: By Popular Demand-The Four Pass shave - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/by-popular-demand-the-four-pass-shave.297709/post-4219477

The main thing is to keep doing it - shaving I mean. Practice really makes perfect. That and a mild razor with usually a mild blade. Or at least a forgiving combination. I could say that all my trouble spots vanished when I switched to my Fatips, but maybe you are not there yet. Open comb is added focus on technique.

But then again, I switched to OC after about three months into DE shaving and never looked back. Excellent shaves. Usually BBS. And I still enjoy my KCG milder razor as well. That’s the beauty of razor rotation!

Keep it up!

Cheers,

Guido
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
OK, I know this has been discussed, but there are new members joining daily so maybe it wouldn't hurt to revisit the topic. I know I might benefit.

My trouble spots are the common areas: chin, neck (on sides of Adam's Apple), and under the nose.

Under my nose, I've gotten better. I don't go ATG, but I have had success pushing and pulling my nose to the side while stretching my upper lip down over my teeth. Doing this has allowed me to get the bulk of the whiskers living there.

On my chin, I've been able to get pretty close by repeatedly and carefully shaving in all directions, though this is one area that requires particularly close attention to pressure which can often leave irritation or nicks/sweepers. Still, getting better.

On my neck, I've basically given up on BBS. Because of the way the whiskers grow in seemingly random directions, I cannot seem to find the magic stroke and am resigned to a WTG pass or two, followed by an XTG pass and stopping. I get a DFS, but still feel stubble ATG.

Which leads to my one trouble spot that still leaves me baffled: the sides of my neck, right below my ears, behind the back line of my jaw. Like the area on my neck around my windpipe, no matter which direction, which angle, WTG, XTG, ATG...I can't seem to get rid of the stubble. I can always feel something left when applying my AS and balm, which inevitably triggers me to go back yet again to attempt "fix" it, only to fail again. This one has me frustrated because there doesn't seem to be any obvious obstacle to accessing the area - it's basically a flat open surface. I'm thinking some more creative stretching and other contortions may be required, but I'm not throwing up the towel just yet.

So...how 'bout you?

You are describing one of my issues. And it requires mapping your beard, in order to figure out what is going on. The hair on my neck grows diagonally, which means a standard WTG, XTG, ATG is not going to get them all. And on my neck, XTG just opens me up to nicks and weepers. The first shave I got with my brand new razor, I made the mistake of going XTG, and that was a big mistake!

Anyways, if you map your beard and you find that the whiskers on your neck are growing diagonally on your neck, the best thing to do, is to go DTG, I call it diagonally the grain, for a lack of a better term. Anyways, just run the razor diagonally, and it will cut some extra hairs that were not cut before, leaving you closer to being BBS, or actually achieving BBS all together.

So here's the plan of attack for my neck.

(1) WTG pass, removes the bulk!
(2) DTG pass, gets them tricky hairs!
(3) ATG, finish pass for BBS!
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
My neck is my trouble area too. As an Excalibur member I don't always get a BBS on my neck (nor in my opinion do I need one). My neck hair grows at a particular angle so on the XTG pass instead of a XTG on my neck I use a diagonal stroke at a particular angle as mentioned in @Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker post and that solves it in the early stages of a blades life. It is really just about developing your shave to suit you and your beard and it can take a long time to solve some of the problems
 
You are describing one of my issues. And it requires mapping your beard, in order to figure out what is going on. The hair on my neck grows diagonally, which means a standard WTG, XTG, ATG is not going to get them all. And on my neck, XTG just opens me up to nicks and weepers. The first shave I got with my brand new razor, I made the mistake of going XTG, and that was a big mistake!

Anyways, if you map your beard and you find that the whiskers on your neck are growing diagonally on your neck, the best thing to do, is to go DTG, I call it diagonally the grain, for a lack of a better term. Anyways, just run the razor diagonally, and it will cut some extra hairs that were not cut before, leaving you closer to being BBS, or actually achieving BBS all together.

So here's the plan of attack for my neck.

(1) WTG pass, removes the bulk!
(2) DTG pass, gets them tricky hairs!
(3) ATG, finish pass for BBS!
I was pondering some more on growth patterns and when your growth is diagonal and you shave diagonal aren’t you actually performing a WTG pass or ATG when you go in the opposite direction obviously? Or is DTG in your case XTG if you shave diagonal to the diagonal growth (if that still makes sense 🤪).

This is exactly why, as SWCT said, making a beard map is so important because WTG XTG ATG is different depending on the direction of the growth. I have put a link below so you, @gpjoe, get an idea of growth patterns.


Cheers,

Guido
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
I was pondering some more on growth patterns and when your growth is diagonal and you shave diagonal aren’t you actually performing a WTG pass or ATG when you go in the opposite direction obviously? Or is DTG in your case XTG if you shave diagonal to the diagonal growth (if that still makes sense 🤪).

This is exactly why, as SWCT said, making a beard map is so important because WTG XTG ATG is different depending on the direction of the growth. I have put a link below so you, @gpjoe, get an idea of growth patterns.


Cheers,

Guido

Congratulations Guido, you just confused me to the 10th powered squared. 😵‍💫 At this point, I don't want to think about it too much, it makes my brain hurt. 🤯 Regardless of the proper terminology, just go the direction, that actually removes the hairs, without providing you nicks and weepers. ;)
 
Congratulations Guido, you just confused me to the 10th powered squared.
I seem to have that effect on people 😏. But to the OPs point this is exactly what new joiners should understand: all the abbreviations only mean something when you know the direction your beard Is growing in.

No over-sciencing but let your beard grow for a day or two and have a feel. When you go with the growth (WTG) it should be smoother. Going against the growth (ATG) should feel more resistant.

Once you have that somewhat dialled in then the stroke direction makes sense.

Said differently WTG is not the same as a N-S pass and XTG is not the same as a horizontal pass from ear to mouth.

And it has been my experience to that once you know and do that the irritation especially in the neck disappears. Using a sharp or mild blade makes no differs to me anymore in that sense.

I sometimes still have nicks but that’s all due to too much pressure!

Guido
 
The main trouble spot for me is the collar line on my neck. Those whiskers grow diagonally parallel to a line from my Adam’s apple to the nearest ear. The whiskers also lay flat to the skin so they don’t get BBS unless you go directly ATG.

Basically an ATG pass with some J-hooking does the trick.
 
Good advice above!

For me the ‘answers’ were:
Adam’s apple and jawline: skin ‘stretching’ and moving my head to provide a flat surface.
Upper lip: I substitute two XTG passes in opposite directions for the traditional ATG pass.

Works for me!! :thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1:
 
For me it's the outer 1/2 to 1/3 of the mustache, chin (except for the center), and coin-sized patches at the jaw hinge. Aside from amount of coverage and hardness of the hairs they all have in common a change in growth direction from the rest of a smooth pass. Still the best way to take care of this is to go at them WTG (diagonally) then re-lather and begin the 'real' shave. I'm still experimenting, but haven't stumbled onto a better process.

Where throat turns into neck (anatomy specialists wince in unison) I usually just go over the two coin-sized patches and accept whatever I get.
 
My problem areas:

My chin - Go slow and pay attention. If I rush, I tend to get nicked.
My neck - My hair grows in multiple directions. I try and use a light touch, blade buff and make cross-hatch strokes.

I also need to remember to quit when enough is enough.
 
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