@Bearded in BC, thanks for the encouragement on the length, it took me a while to get to this point. About the neckline, I have been letting it creep down slowly since July of this year, and I plan on letting the rest grow in slowly.  Instead of using a razor on the neckline anymore, I am just lightly trimming long hairs at the base of the beard with scissors until the length hides the neckline completely.