Thread: Point type recommendation for newb with beard?

Originally Posted by Headcrowny

I have a goatee and three round points (1 5/8ths and 1 6/8th). No problem getting precise cuts against the beard. I use the middle of the blade, place it against the beard and shave away from it or do the reverse. I've felt zero need for a square/Spanish/etc at this point.

With math like that I sure am glad you're not an engineer; I'm not, but I think 1 and 1 still adds up to 2 not 3.

The first spike toe razor I shaved with witch wasn't muted I cut a 2" spot on my neck. It was where the neck starts to curve back out on the sides of Adams apple. I then started asking about why and how to mute. I don't keep a beard though I keep a door knocker goatee. Hope this helps.

Agree with the spikers. Straight razor shaving has a built in learning curve velocity multiplier....also called cutting yourself. You do it and you don't want to repeat it....reminds me of my daughter 40 some years ago finding out the gas heater was hot...her first word after mama and dada.....hot-tah.

I will agree that a nice square heel is useful while shaping your beard.

Originally Posted by 75kyle

With math like that I sure am glad you're not an engineer; I'm not, but I think 1 and 1 still adds up to 2 not 3.

Crowden is an engineer

When I had a mustache all the touch ups were done with a square, or French points that were extremely sharp. The logic is the sharper the blade the less pressure; less pressure= less cuts and nicks. For goatee styles, for mustaches precision is a must and French point razors along with square points and to a lesser extent Spanish points can't be beaten. I think that round points might present a challenge, but what do I know? I learned to shave with an 8/8 henckels with a Spanish point and have never ever shaved with a round point razor.

My first razor was a really spiky spike and I asked about muting it here but decided not to, and just respect it and learn. I'm very glad now I didn't mute the point...

I keep a short beard(swmbo orders) so only shave side of neck, bottom half of front of neck and top of cheeks. Have both round and square points. Use heel for side of neck and toe for front.. with flat for line on cheeks. A round toes will help if you have hollows in your neck as you can get the toe in there. Very tricky and nicky with square point.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Crowden is an engineer

I know, I was making a bit of a joke. He's usually so precise and that precision and him being an engineer probably go hand in hand.

A rounded toe is probably indicated for any new guy. The reason? One of the necessary skills that a novice usually does not have is the ability to shift the pressure point of the blade from toe to heel at will, while moving the blade across your rounded face. A problem if you have a spike or razor that has the ability cut you at the very tip. These are usually nasty cuts because it is a "scraping" cut caused by the pressure at the very tip of the toe being higher than the rest of the blade and you usually don't notice them till they are pretty long. I got a French tip going after I had been shaving about six months and I would get these weird cuts thinking, how in the H..ll did I do that?

Another thing to look out for with slightly muted points is that after a couple times honing it is back to being a spike! Ouch!

Take Care,
R