Thread: Like a noob..again

I suppose I never could call myself a true expert to begin with. Although I'll have to admit, shaving with the Edwin Jager is a pure delight.

Been there, done that. Except my time off from the straight was for years.

It really was a shock when I started again, how much it took to get comfortable shaving again with the straight.

With a little practice, I'm sure it won't take long for you to get back on track.You may find that after a time things are better than ever.

Michael

I wouldn't give up my DE for anything. I love my merkur barber pole, and want a 34c as well, but the straights just require more consistency vs. the DE b/c most people can associate those with a disposable so it's kind of like the whole bike quote. You used a cartridge for years, the DE is similar, the straight...totally different animal.

Originally Posted by MickR

Turk, what issues are you having with shaving around your goatee? I know each face is different, as are goatee styles, but I find that using a cut-throat to work around the edges and in the small spaces of the goatee is better and far easier than any other razor or electric contraption on the market.


Mick

First off, I apoligize cenzo for hijacking your thread. Mick, I am having trouble approaching the goatee in general. In other words, I don't have a good grasp on how to approach the goatee with the razor. I don't seem to have the muscle memory in place to feel all that comfortable with cutting into it too far and messing it up. I imagine in time that will come. Do you hold the razor at 90 degrees, in other words heel down toe up or do you do a verticle approach going from top to bottom with the razor horizontal?

Originally Posted by Turk

First off, I apoligize cenzo for hijacking your thread. Mick, I am having trouble approaching the goatee in general. In other words, I don't have a good grasp on how to approach the goatee with the razor. I don't seem to have the muscle memory in place to feel all that comfortable with cutting into it too far and messing it up. I imagine in time that will come. Do you hold the razor at 90 degrees, in other words heel down toe up or do you do a verticle approach going from top to bottom with the razor horizontal?

Depending on the style of goatee you have of course, but I will try my best to describe what I do for my own..I might even be able to find a picture of me with the goatee to help you with the visualising.
I have both goatee and moustache that merge into one another. For the outter edges I attack them at a 90 degree angle holding the razor close to flat. I do tend to go a little bit by feel as the shorter whiskers will be cut easier than the longer growth. I stop on the change of resistance. short whiskers come off with no resistance. The longer and thicker growth of whiskers of the goatee let you know give or take a hair or two, that you should stop.
I attack all sides and underneath using this technique after first shaving my initial two passes as close to the goatee as I feel comfortable.
After that I use either the heel or toe of the razor to pick out the stray hairs on the philtrum (the space directly under your nose) and in the spaces under the bottom lip where just a few stray hairs spring up.


The attached photo is over 10 years old, but the only thing that's changed really, is the distinctly greyer hair in the beard. Not so much on the head yet, but it's chosen to get decidedly thinner instead. I wear the goatee and mo a little longer these days too. The photo is the best I could find on short notice.




Mick

Shaved this morning with much better results. Still went to the DE for touchup but until I get a good feeling with the razor in my hand this may have to be the case. Little by little. Thanks for the tips.

I have a goatee thing that three separate parts; moustache, soul patch and goatee beard. I don't need to shave the moustache area really, just the tips and a tiny bit below the tips as it doesn't grow down much there I have a light beard really anyway). I find the heel really important to shave around the goatee beard area; I trip the soul patch area with scissors or a hair trimmer maybe once a week/once a fortnight. When I shave down from the left ear to the goatee I can't see the razor, so have to guess. I can feel it when it hits the goatee anyway; then I use the heel just like on the right side. I use the belly of the blade to do the bottom edge of the goatee.

I should convince my son to take a shave video of me one day...

And I just did a more accurate calcuation and realised that that photo is actually over 20 years old...Damn that makes me feel old!


Mick

Ditto x3. Its one thing to stop for a couple months after you've shaved with it for over a year but if you're inside 12 months I would say its quite understandable that it doesn't feel natural yet. Keep at it!