Thread: that beard is weird

ok so i'm new to the straight razor world... i have shaved with my new blade 3 times so far and while i seem to be getting the basic techniques down (never mind the large nick in my strop) i have a question on what seems to be weird with my beard...

having reached the ripe age of 42, my whiskers are half black and half white... when i use the straight razor, the black hairs get shaved off no problem, but the whites seem untouched...

my razor is new and was professionally honed and i strop prior to shaving... so i don't think it's an issue of not being sharp enough. could it be the angle? (although as far as i can tell, i'm holding it pretty close to 30)

comments? suggestions? sell the blade, grow the beard, get a job at macy's during christmas??

edit: at this point, in my shaves i'm making one pass with and one accross the grain

Wow, that is strange. I've certainly experienced some hairs being tougher than others, but never noticed the difference to be related to their color. (Back whn some of my hair had color). Maybe beard hair becomes stiffer as it loses pigment? Are the different colors scattered throughout or are there some patches that are more one color than the other? For example, more white on the chin, which is harder to shave than on the cheeks?

it's pretty much all through out, even though the chin is mostly white ...

Strange, now that you've said it i have noticed also if something is left behind after a pass it is usually the white ones, BUT i have no answer.

i figure they are corser/thicker than black hairs... but if the blade is sharp and the angle is right, they should be cut too, i'd think

I was discussing this with someone recently. He and I both have a few rougue white hairs that are considerably thicker and coarser than the rest of our beard hairs. For us it is only in a couple of spots where the super strong white hair continues to grow back. I haven't noticed my straight razor leaving it behind though.

I think there's something to the idea that white hairs may have a different composition assuming they're not just from aging. Maybe you have a lot of these rougue hairs...

Maybe an XTG or ATG pass would do the trick?

Sorry I can't help much but wanted to let you know you aren't the only one with this strange hairs.

-Stub

I have a salt and pepper beard with more white around the chin area.When i first started shaving i thought the same, that some white hairs were remaining after 1 or 2 passes WTG.

Imho this is a false impression-it's just that more light is reflected from the white hairs amongst those left behind. You also need to develop the ATG pass to catch those hairs that grow in different directions.

Although the razor is sharp you have only shaved 3 times so it is more likely to be your technique.
Also are you stropping correctly and are you doing enough strokes?I would reccomend doing at least 60/70 strokes prior to shaving.

It takes a good few shaves to get the stropping,pressure,angle,stretching etc right -so let your technique develop.

If after about another 20 shaves or more this white hair is still around after WTG and ATG passes-then you might have a problem.
See how things go and come back to us if it is still happening.

Kind regards

Noggs

Im a Barber. The issue you may be having is that gray or white hair is slightly more coarse than your natural color. If you notice gray hairs in your eyebrows or beard ,you'll notice that they tend to poke out more than the others. This may have something to do with your trouble shaving them.

Well grey/ white whiskers are different....

In the discussion on the HHT some folk have hair
that works and others their hair does not....

For me (a gray beard too) I found that a splash
or two of cool water prior to lathering helps.
I splash some water on and then take my
time and build a good lather. When the lather
is half ready I splash some more water
or apply some lather early depending on

I cannot tell if my boar bristle brush or my face has the
thicker bristles. It is true my eyesight ain't what
it once was....

I am now 29 and have had a lot of gray hair since the fourth grade, so I know where you're coming from. White hair tends to be tougher than black hair, I think, and can have less moisture to it. Maybe just use a hot towel longer to soften up the white spots. I have big white patches in my beard and a huge white stripe on the side of my head. Btw, chicks dig this Salt and Pepper stuff, so that "Your beard is weird" commercial is just marketing poo poo!