Thread: Before the safety razor was facial hair style or straights were too difficult?

In another thread on how difficult the chin and jawline can be a member commented that this is probably why many straight shavers today sport facial hair in the goatee area. I've always wondered if the reason men back before the safety razor came into it's own wore mustaches, beards, Van Dykes etcetera was because of the difficulty in keeping their old Sheffield wedges in shave ready condition ? I'm supposing that a majority didn't acquire hones and the skill to use them.

I raised a mustache a couple of decades ago and wore it for years until I finally got so into wet shaving that I took it off just to have something else to shave. I wonder if those old boys back then were into style or convenience with their facial hair ? It seems that once King Gillette got going strong the clean shaved look became the norm. Any thoughts ?

funny you mention that, I never had a goatee till I started in w/straights

I have had the same thoughts myself for a while: it never occurred to me to actually post them so thank you!

On the flip side, it's actually harder for me to maintain my goatee with a str8. The neck and jawline are now much harder than they used to be before I had the goatee.

I had a beard before I started shaving again. And I don't have a clue how this fits into the discussion.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

In another thread on how difficult the chin and jawline can be a member commented that this is probably why many straight shavers today sport facial hair in the goatee area. I've always wondered if the reason men back before the safety razor came into it's own wore mustaches, beards, Van Dykes etcetera was because of the difficulty in keeping their old Sheffield wedges in shave ready condition ? I'm supposing that a majority didn't acquire hones and the skill to use them.

I raised a mustache a couple of decades ago and wore it for years until I finally got so into wet shaving that I took it off just to have something else to shave. I wonder if those old boys back then were into style or convenience with their facial hair ? It seems that once King Gillette got going strong the clean shaved look became the norm. Any thoughts ?

I think it was simply a matter of style. Beards were in fashion in the mid 1800's, and though this corresponded to the heyday of Sheffield razors I don't think they were particularly related. Go back 100 yrs and clean shaven was the fashion even though they were still using straight razors. Take a look at paintings of the early american period, washington, jefferson, etc. None of them sport any facial hair. And of course the Romans alternately went through phases of clean-shaven style and bearded style, though their shaving technology hardly changed.

Yes I agree it was style that had men sporting facial hair. Oh I'm sure there were some who just didn't want to shave like now but considering the total population most were clean shaven even when the style was facial hair.