Neck trouble

~a dozen shaves with my straight with some improvement. It takes three passes with a lot of touch up for a close shave followed by an alum block dance. So there is certainly room for improvement. In particular my neck. Seems the only way to get BBS is going ATG. For me it is from ear to Adam's apple. I get great results with my DE. The SR is too long for ATG.
i usually finish with my DE but would like to get away from that. Any tips appreciated.

Guest said:

~a dozen shaves with my straight with some improvement. It takes three passes with a lot of touch up for a close shave followed by an alum block dance. So there is certainly room for improvement. In particular my neck. Seems the only way to get BBS is going XTG. For me it is from ear to Adam's apple. I get great results with my DE. The SR is too long for XTG.
i usually finish with my DE but would like to get away from that. Any tips appreciated.

Click to expand...

Guess im on my own...

For my neck, my second pass is a combination of straight up SN and then, for the outer areas, the tip is pointed up at around a 45 degree angle with the stroke coming laterally towards the center. I'm happy with a CCS on the neck, but this part does seem to clean up the weird growth pattern bits a little more than going just NS.

Since you look for BBS at all costs ;and who can blame you &#128512 try this:

Identify the area where you get irritated most. Don't shave ATG in that specific area during your regular session.

Wash your face and towel dry it.

Lather the area you wish to touch up only, stretch your skin and go XTG ...gently and slowly

This is my 2cts...works nicely for me

I too have problems with two patches on my neck. Everything else I always hit with 2 passes N-S and S-N, getting BBS or close to it. Those neck patches get similar attention as mentioned my Mango. I lather and shave them again after rinsing and drying off, being VERY careful to go slow. Too many passes for me will lead to irritation and weepers.

Sometimes perfectly aligned ATG or WTG simply is not possible for anatomical reasons, and varying degrees of XTG simply have to do.

You might also try a Rolls. This is basically a shortie straight razor blade with a handle clamped perpendicular to it. Don't use the in-the-case stropping and honing mechanism, though. Remove the guard from the blade and hone/strop on your normal honing and stropping equipment, using your fingers to slide the blade back and fortth. These blades are excellent steel and have a satisfying heft. Holding the handle will remind you of your DE. The shave will be all straight razor. The short blade will get in there where your DE used to get. Mute the corners of the blade if they give you trouble. These razors are dirt cheap on the bay, especially if the hone is broken or the strop is cracked or dried out or has a permanent dent in it. I would not be a bit surprised to see you get one for $5 or even less. You can take the spike that mounts the blade for storage or honing/stropping in the case, braze it to an old screwdriver of the appropriate size, and have a tool for holding the blade while stropping on your regular hanging strop. I did this and posted a thread a couple years ago. A search might find it.

I shave my neck at an outward angle from top to bottom so it's somewhat from my chin to my ear. When I do ATG: it's the opposite. Look way way up and away to flatten out your neck as much as possible and go in short strokes.

My lower 1/3 of my neck doesn't seem to have a consistent grain.....most comfortable shave in that area for me is south to north...which I do 2 passes. Usually not BBS but good enough.