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 ?