I just wanted to get a little input about shaving around my goatee. As much as I LOVE shaving with a straight razor, the though-t has entered my mind to take it off, so I will have even more to shave. However I am a creature of "keeping things the same" (I have had the same job for 22 yrs, the same hair style for 35 yrs, etc...), so the goatee is likely to stay put.

I still have a lot to learn and am finding strokes that work for me daily. Here is my current technique with some of its successes and problems. I know a lot of this is personal preference and I have to find what works for me, but it never hurts to hear from those that have already "been here and done this" and then try what they have learned to see if it works for me. My first pass is all downward stroke except for a little patch on the right side of my neck that gets an upward stroke.

My issue comes when doing my doward stroke. As I come from my sideburn and work my way inward, when I get within an inch or so of my goatee, the heel of the razor starts to catch and pull on my goatee. I seem to only be able to shave with the toe or about the middle of the blade, so to get close to the goatee the heel gets into my hair and pulls.

What I do is get close enough so it doesnt get in there and then do a sideways stroke starting at the goatee line and going out toward my ear. I have thought of all kinds of crazy strokes (like going cross handed with the toe closest to the goatee line and then continuing the doward stroke, but being new I think better of trying any contorted cross-handed silliness.

Any input appreciated and thank you in advance. Sorry for the long post.