Help with shaving a beard line

I currently have a beard that i may keep for a while and want to use my straight razor to detail and clean up the beard lines. What technique should i use to clean up the cheek line? Should i be shaving straight down in small perfectly vertical strokes until i hit the line using only part of the razor, or should i follow the beard line down at the angle the beard line goes in small strokes? Also, under my neck, the stubble grows towards my chin, so should i go with the grain of the stubble upwards and finishing at the beard line, or start at the beard line and come down against the grain. I would think it would be easier to get a more detailed line starting at the beard line and coming away, but that would mean going against the grain.

Sorry in advance for how confusing this sounds!

That's going to be a hard one to answer, as we gain more experience the technique gets personal. You will learn your face and come up with a system.

As for under the jaw, or anywhere else we have guys who start on an ATG pass. There are no rules, so try it both ways.

I tend to get clean beard lines no matter which way I go, good luck. Tc

Yeah, i guess it's a matter of trail an error. I was thinking under the chin maybe getting a tight beard line by initially coming away from the beard line maybe like an 1/8th inch against the grain, then cleaning up the bulk working towards the grain. Thanks.

The hard lesson of beard lines

That whole bit you read about Stretching the skin :p yeah that doesn't really work so well when you want perfectly straight lines :(

You have to learn to do a first pass while streching and get close to what you want then finish the perfect lines with the skin relaxed


Something my Barber taught me in 1981 during my first SR shave

"If you want straight lines you need to use a Straight Edge" been using one since :D

Good advice. I'll start with a few 'fake' beard lines to get used to it...start at a high cheek level and work down using the one pass method.

Experiment....

The steering wheel will not notice if you are 1/8 inch off.......

My preference was always to let the beard grow out, even out the growth with a good quality beard trimmer, then start the lines by trimming all unnecessary face fuzz without the guard. Then just shave off the short stuff, stretching however you need to.

I tried that a little while ago, and i can see it working well, but my beard trimmer blades are shot. What beard trimmer did you use? I'm looking for a good quality set.

You can sharpen beard trimmers also!;)

I have a cheap Andis trimmer and I don't think the blades can be sharpened, i may be wrong. I paid $30 for the trimmer set, a new blade replacement is $28. Figured i'd try another set.

You have nothing to lose then.

My father always had a Wahl Peanut when I was growing up. I ended up buy one myself, in 2008/2009. We're both still using the same ones. These things are easily the nicest trimmers I have ever used and I think they're only 50-60 bones. That reminds me, I have to get a new blade after I broke a plastic chunk dropping it. It'll be my first replacement piece. Always get stuff with the power cord and not the battery versions. Those are usually trash, unless you get serious professional gear, but even then batteries have a limited charge cycle life....

I use a Wahl dog trimmer that outlasted the dog.....

That is simultaneously hilarious and sad at the same time