Thread: Shaving Around A Goatee?

something i do that i dont see in anyones post is that after i shave right up to it, the next pass i start with the blade aiming away from the beard line, i slide the blade backwards until the beard line is showing forward of the edge and the stubble now stands up with the longer beard laying flat under the edge, start the shaving motion and it picks up that stubble thats hard to get along the beard line. i use a square point, round point, and french point blade, i like the french point best, round the least for beard trimming along the mustache line under the nose. square point for picking up those stray iritating stubble up close to the edges works well

I define my beard as two vertical lines running perpindicular(sp?) to my mouth, about 15mm away from my mouth in either direction, and one horizontal line running parallel to my chin about 20mm back from the point of my chin.

As such, it is very easy to shave around because it is all straight lines. Hold the blade horizontal to trim the bottom and go down (or up on 2nd pass) and hold the blade vertical and move it sideways away from the beard (other way for 2nd pass) for the sides.

I can post pix if you like.

1 - my experience with round points is very limited - I mostly use spike/square
2 - I only hold the blade with my right hand.
3 - I sometimes use an unorthodox grip.

I shave up from my adam's apple to the edge of the goatee. No problems there.
I shave up on each side - using the point to get close on the right, and the heel to do the left side. Everything usually works fine except for a small sliver on the left side of my face right where my jaw-line is. It doesn't help that I have a fairly tall mole in that exact spot, and that it's also the spot that I have view problems due to hand/arm/razor position relative to the mirror. That's usually where the unorthodox grip comes in. I just hold it anyway I can, and typically use the heel to work through it. Consequently, that's where I have the least close shave. But it's not enough to really notice.

I use a technique told to me once by a wise man when I first grew my goatee.

"Shave off all the bits that don't look like a goatee", he said.

Seriously though, I think there's some good tips in the posts. Using the tip to trim around the beard will mean using left and right hands to shave, and has the benefit of not obscuring the area with your hand - I've never had an issue with round/square/french/spanish points, but maybe that's just me. But you can also use the heal, which eliminates the point issue, at the expense of a slight obscuring of the area with your shaving hand. A grip change can help, but be careful that you still have control over the razor.

Practice and perhaps a few mishaps along the way will teach you the best approach for you.

James.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

With a sharp razor it will actually clip off one hair at a time.....

When I had my mustache the wife hated it, said I looked too much like a cop, (not that there is any thing wrong with that), but I needed it for Halloween. So I would thin the upper corners using the this philosphy. You can get as close as you want with a sharp razor. Take the blade all the way to edge, and then remove one or two hairs at a time until satisfied. The stache is gone now, but if I were to grow it back, I would not have any problem keeping a very tight stache with my straigh blades.

Okay, maybe I'm missing something with all of the discussion regarding the OUTSIDE edges of the goatee...

But what about the INSIDE of my goatee?

You know, the two patches that I would like to keep shaved on each side of the center of my chin just below my lip so that i have a "stripe" so to speak.

Originally Posted by Milton Man

To shave in the vertical position, I simply hold the razor in my off hand (so if I'm shaving the left side of my goatee, I use my right hand, and vice versa). The grip I use is just a normal grip with the scale at roughly 90 degrees to the blade. The bevel, obviously, is pointing away from your ear in the vertical position.

Hope this makes sense - again, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Mark

+1 this is the technique I've used, Just trim it up while going XTG (cheek beard goes up to down) using the opposite hand and I even the bottom on the WTG pass as I have yet to really try an ATG.

Originally Posted by gatorfan

Okay, maybe I'm missing something with all of the discussion regarding the OUTSIDE edges of the goatee...

But what about the INSIDE of my goatee?

I have yet to figure that one out yet as well, I've just been using some hair scissors to keep that area nice and short.

Great information. Just what I was looking for.

Originally Posted by gatorfan

Okay, maybe I'm missing something with all of the discussion regarding the OUTSIDE edges of the goatee...

But what about the INSIDE of my goatee?

You know, the two patches that I would like to keep shaved on each side of the center of my chin just below my lip so that i have a "stripe" so to speak.

Use the point and heel of the razor carefully. If it is sharp enough, the last centimetre or so of the blade on either end will be all you need to get into that area and keep it clean shaven.

James.

I shave towards the goatee on the outside, xtg. that's how I do almost my entire cheek actually. for when I carve out the whole middle of the goatee I use just the front part of the blade, very carefully. when i keep the patch in the middle I too use scissors. I can't figure a way to hold the blade to get those spots without taking off moustache, lip or goattee.

man I wished I looked good clean shaven. SO much easier!

Red