Killing my neck...advise please!!!

Alright, been shaving for about a month and have used my Van Der Hagen and my Maggard MR8 with fairly good success. I've also been playing with different blades, Treet, Astra SS & SP, Derby and Persona Lab Blue. I've always had trouble with my neck but lately I've been REALLY having an issue with it. What's the secret with shaving around both sides of your throat and not getting burned or getting clusters of bloody weepers? Right now sitting here it feels more like little cuts on my neck rather than razor burn.

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I'm in for this as I have trouble with my neck at times. Here's a few things that I've learned that help

1 a pre helps with my neck. I don't always need it , but it helps

3 make sure your lather is nice and slick, good cushion. If its dried out your asking for trouble 

2 i start with my neck instead of cheeks. This way my lather is at its peek performance

3 I don't go wtg, right off the bat I got Xtg and get it fairly clean right away, I take as few passes as possible.

4. Go slow, I can whip around my cheeks quick and easy, but I need to pay attention when I'm doing my neck and go a bit slower.

5. Find a proper post shave routine that works well. Whether its just a splash, or just some balm, experiment until you find what works for you, but post is almost as important as per depending on the shave

I'm sure others will have more tips that work for them. I'm about a year and a half into wet shaving, never going back!

I had the same problem.

You're not gonna like the answer, but it really is worth hearing over and over and over again

and

practicing over and over and over
and over and over

And

over again.

Until you get it.

Apply
No
Pressure
To
The
Razor.

THAT
will solve all of your shaving problems.



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Mapping the hair growth and trying different angles until I determined the best angle per pass was the magic formula.

(07-13-2016, 04:11 PM)SABOTEURW Wrote: I had the same problem.

You're not gonna like the answer, but it really is worth hearing over and over and over again

and

practicing over and over and over
and over and over

And

over again.

Until you get it.

Apply
No
Pressure
To
The
Razor.

THAT
will solve all of your shaving problems.



Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

That was my main issue, and took some practice to break that habit

As stated above:

NO PRESSURE!!!

Map the grain...if you get irritation with ATG pass, don't do an ATG pass!!!

Not stated yet:

Pick a blade of the few you have tried, the best one so far, and stick with that brand and that razor until you get your technique down perfect. In fact, don't change any of the variables for now until your technique is perfect, or at least as close to perfect as you can

Once you have your technique in check, then is the better time to mess around with variables in your setup. 

Good luck!!!

(07-13-2016, 04:01 PM)Safelysimpson Wrote: I'm in for this as I have trouble with my neck at times. Here's a few things that I've learned that help

1 a pre helps with my neck. I don't always need it , but it helps

3 make sure your lather is nice and slick, good cushion. If its dried out your asking for trouble 

2 i start with my neck instead of cheeks. This way my lather is at its peek performance

3 I don't go wtg, right off the bat I got Xtg and get it fairly clean right away, I take as few passes as possible.

4. Go slow, I can whip around my cheeks quick and easy, but I need to pay attention when I'm doing my neck and go a bit slower.

5. Find a proper post shave routine that works well. Whether its just a splash, or just some balm, experiment until you find what works for you, but post is almost as important as per depending on the shave

I'm sure others will have more tips that work for them. I'm about a year and a half into wet shaving, never going back!

It's silly, but I never considered doing my neck first. Duh. Thanks for the heads up!

(07-13-2016, 04:11 PM)SABOTEURW Wrote: I had the same problem.

You're not gonna like the answer, but it really is worth hearing over and over and over again

and

practicing over and over and over
and over and over

And

over again.

Until you get it.

Apply
No
Pressure
To
The
Razor.

THAT
will solve all of your shaving problems.



Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

You know, that still might be my biggest mistake too. Next shave I'll give it more attention, when I'm shaving my neck first, to use shorter strokes and way lighter pressure. Thanks, fellas!!!

Was reading through the previous responses...SafetySimpson struck a chord.

I need to mention though that my getting the art of applying no pressure wasn't due to anything I did as much as to my willingness to (a) be mindful and (b) to practice. Thought I'd NEVER get it. Then one fateful day I just knew how.

As for shaving your neck first... I hadn't thought of it till now but it makes a lot of sense.

I wonder...does your attention seem to wane at some point during your shave? Mine does frequently. Usually during the time I would be attempting to shave my so-called "rough spots". Neck. Chin. Jawline.

It's a subtle change...easy to miss. But I notice myself being a little less cautious, shaving a little bit faster and a little bit harder. Maybe even a sense of cockiness. Almost like I'm trying to "help" the razor do what it's been designed to do. Unnoticed, this frequently led to razor burn, nicks and irritation.

I don't remember exactly when I switched...I know it was sometime after "apply no pressure" clicked in...but I began shaving the rough spots first. Well before my attention waned.

When I'm most alert.
It worked.

Finally...being mindful alerts me whenever I notice my attention waning and I make myself

PAUSE.

I focus my attention back to where it needs to be and continue my shave.

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I don't think this was mentioned, but make sure your skin is well hydrated.  I used to only apply lotion once a day.  I still had dry skin so I started applying twice a day and that made a big difference for me.  I don't even use preshave oil anymore.

Certainly, the "no pressure" advice is good, but could it confuse newcomers a little? Obvioulsy, some pressure is necessary to keep the razor in contact with your face, so I would suggest, "The absolute least amount of pressure necessary to keep the razor against your face and THAT'S ALL!".

Do not shave against the grain in the problem areas.  Map the direction of your hair growth, which may be different in different parts of your neck.  Then only shave WTG, and never XTG or ATG, on your neck.

May be trying a different razor and soap would be also beneficial... Say Merkur and Mike's... Worked for me

Good advice above.  I'd add that you really need to watch your angle on your neck.  It's difficult for sure.  I slow down a lot and pay extremely close attention.  If I try to do it on auto pilot, I will get irritation and ingrowns - particularly on the right side of my neck.

1.  Apply unrefined shea butter the night before.

2.  Use a pre-shave.  Proraso or Castle Forbes work well, but I'm sure there are several others that are very good.

3.  Apply Saponificio Varesino Pro Victis Skin Repairing Aftershave Cream to your neck after the shave.  

4.  Follow the tips in other posts, especially applying (almost) no pressure.

When you say Van der Hagen are you referring to their soap right? Because if you are refering to their razor, then that could be part of the problem. Thats what i started with but once i got my Merkur 34c, then my shave got better instantly tenfold.

Pre-shave can help, but I don't think it is a substitute for some of the things that have helped me:

1- As mentioned previously, watch pressure.  There is a tendency to push harder if the neck is the last bit and you are trying to address a frustrating spot.

2- Watch angle.  Riding the head with pressure can be extreme, but works.  There is a learning curve with this technique too.  Until then, use the shallowest angle possible that retains cutting action of the hairs, trying to keep the plane of the blade as parallel as possible with the surface of the skin.  There is also a tendency to let it get steep, with the blade closer to perpendicular to the surface of the skin.  Bad.

3- Stretch that skin.  Put your chin up high with the skin taught and less likely to catch or bunch in front of the cutting edge.  

4- Use a fresh blade to make sure it is properly sharp and give your face a rest if you need to.  And be patient.

Lots of other decent advice here.

(07-14-2016, 07:24 PM)Streambrewer Wrote:  

4- Use a fresh blade to make sure it is properly sharp and give your face a rest if you need to.  And be patient.

Yes.  A fresh blade makes a great deal of difference for me.  2 shave per blade is my routine now.  KAI work well, and Gillette 7 o'clock are real smooth.  

And, a razor that isn't too aggressive.

I would add, forget BBS. Settle for a socially acceptable shave. Don't do multiple passes/buffing over the same spot, with or without lather. Spend the next couple of months, at least, concentrating on technique, pressure, angle, beard mapping, and get that down. This will also give your face time to get used to DE shaving. Once you have achieved this, then, if you want, you can try for BBS.
MHO.

How did I forget about no pressure  . Some other good advice here. I wish i could just go WTG on my neck, it really doesn't look clean unfortunately

Another useful thing for me was to let any irritation heal. You have little margin for error if you're shaving over an already irritated area.


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