How does one do the against-the-grain passes on one's neck?

**Random Nerd** · 06-25-2012, 07:28 PM

Okay, so after 3 years of a safety razor, I got a sight-unseen from Whippeddog and I've been getting decent results in most respects.

However, I can't work out the right way to do against-the-grain on my neck with a straight. My chin gets in the way if I hold it one way, and my collarbone if I do it the other.

So, what works?

**smalltank** · 06-25-2012, 07:59 PM

Pull down on your chin skin...try to keep your skin "taught" but not too tight...took me a few months when I first started with straights was to stretch my cheeks upward and flip blade upside..slowly and surely scyth inward as best as I can...

**Random Nerd** · 06-25-2012, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by smalltank

Pull down on your chin skin...try to keep your skin "taught" but not too tight...took me a few months when I first started with straights was to stretch my cheeks upward and flip blade upside..slowly and surely scyth inward as best as I can...

Ah, sort of like doing a J-hook with a safety razor?

**drathgeb** · 06-25-2012, 10:15 PM

Really important to pull the skin taught.

**Kentos** · 06-25-2012, 11:58 PM

Which way is ATG on the neck for you?

**QuarkVI** · 06-26-2012, 12:37 AM

carefully....

Assuming ATG on your neck is South to North (as mine is) - I change my grip to have the scales in line with the blade (a straight straight), chin to the sky to stretch the skin and also use my free hand on the bottom of my neck to stretch the skin straight. At the same time I do move my head a bit to make sure there are no dips in my nick (vertical ones). I also shave with both hands which simplifies things a bit.

and shave.

For me the most difficult part is midway along my jaw under my jaw - seems to always want to form a dip to avoid the razor so I have to concentrate extra specially on flattening it out and get my razor movement correct.

Some more things I learnt the hard way:
- watch the tip of the razor near your ear
- if you get mirror confusion when trying to set the angle before the up stroke STOP, take a breath, close your eyes and let your muscle memory set the blade against your neck before opening your eyes and proceeding
- be careful of flourishes at the end of the stroke right into your jaw, OUCH
- you need to practise changing the angle as your neck changes angle towards your jaw, not like your cheek where it is a constant angle throughout the stroke.

Best of luck!

**mdunn** · 06-26-2012, 02:13 AM

Point your chin up and to the side, and pull down and away, all of a sudden your neck is a flat expanse, prime and ready for shaving

**Doc226** · 06-26-2012, 03:19 AM

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...-Shaving-Video

Best shaving video on the web

**Random Nerd** · 06-26-2012, 06:36 AM

Sideways, more or less. From outside to adam's apple, slanted to match my jawline.

**global_dev** · 06-26-2012, 07:52 AM

I have similar ATG. E-w and I angle the blade from adams apple to ear and stretch skin pretty tight. then I use a Gillette slide type move.

**ladykate** · 06-27-2012, 05:32 AM

No J-Hooking... However, angled shaving is one way to do it but, as Kent implied, it depends on the way your whiskers are aiming. My right side neck area grows in a confused way and is difficult. Insure you do a good wtg pass to clear off the brush. Use short strokes to mow the hair down/up. Don't be afraid to grip the razor differently to get the best approach. I usually have the handle straight out on my neck when doing atg. Experiment a little.

I love a short blade for my neck - makes it much easier for me. YMMV

**Seraphim** · 06-27-2012, 09:10 AM

A quick how-to:

**Nobody** · 06-27-2012, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Random Nerd

Sideways, more or less. From outside to adam's apple, slanted to match my jawline.

I've something of the same pattern. Best approach I have found is a guillotine stroke straight down (more or less) with the razor held at about a 45 degree angle pointing up towards the ear. With practice you can probably get the area smoother than with a safety razor.

**Kentos** · 06-27-2012, 11:27 PM

If you do an XTG pass, but slide the razor against/into the growth it will often times equal a true ATG. So for the neck where hair grows ear to chin, do a south to north pass, but start at the Adam's apple, and as you make your pass push the razor simultaneously to your ear- a guillotine/scything pass if you will. Combine that with some stretching and Bob's your uncle.

P.S. experienced shavers only please :)

**Random Nerd** · 07-01-2012, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Nobody

I've something of the same pattern. Best approach I have found is a guillotine stroke straight down (more or less) with the razor held at about a 45 degree angle pointing up towards the ear. With practice you can probably get the area smoother than with a safety razor.

Okay, that's worth a try. I'll do it that way next morning.

Good news is, I can already get everything above the jawline at least as closely shaved as I could with the safety razor, and I've only been using a straight for a week or two.

**Nobody** · 07-01-2012, 09:39 PM

Week or 2 huh? Well, whatever you do, don't make any slicing motions. That could lead to something called a catastrophic shave failure, not to mention a visit by the EMTs. (Probably not as bad as that, but the likelyhood of a cut can skyrocket and be severe. Caution is warranted.)

**s204STi** · 07-01-2012, 11:33 PM

ATG should be done 5 degress or less. Generally some who say stretch skin taut works but those who've sensitive skin like myself would have razor burns thereafter. You've got to stretch in such a way it's not too tight but not loose either. Also keep in mind some hair grow in different directions. Ideally if our neck hair grew from North to South all we have to is shave ATG from South to North. For myself, I've to manipulate my skin and shave in such a way that the edge catches the hair.

The adams is easy too if you've trouble. Just pull the skin East or West and shave the neck hair so you don't have to contend with risk of nicking or slicing the adam's. Hope that helps.

**Random Nerd** · 07-05-2012, 10:59 AM

Okay, the 45-degree across-the-grain doesn't do the job. Next plan is to tilt the head severely to one side, and see if I can get an angle where I can actually go against the grain.

**Kentos** · 07-05-2012, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Random Nerd

Okay, the 45-degree across-the-grain doesn't do the job. Next plan is to tilt the head severely to one side, and see if I can get an angle where I can actually go against the grain.

Did you hold the blade a 45 angle, or did you slide the razor up the neck in the direction of a 45 angle? Just holding the blade at a 45 and moving in a straight line isn't as effective, though much safer.

**fccexpert** · 07-06-2012, 06:36 AM

Don't worry about ATG, just go with a well executed NaturalStroke(tm). For me (and I suspect most people) this starts at the upper part of the neck (just below the chin) and follow the neck contour down and toward the ear. For me this actually works out to be more or less ATG over most of the neck but morphs into XTG at the end (just above the collar bone below the ear).