Shaving Around A Beard? No Problem

Hey Guys,

Happy New Year and all that stuff! Around X-Mas & New Years I've been taking it easy and spending time with my family, which meant an inadvertent break from SRP. It was a fairly relaxing period, but during that time my wife somehow convinced me to keep a goatee (or Van Dyke, whatever you call a moustache/chin whisker combo) after not shaving for a week.

Being somewhat of a beard veteran, having been clean shaven for 1.5 years now (a record for me since I've been able to grow facial hair), I wouldn't have cared in the past. But I've been very disiplined about shaving my full face since I started SR shaving more than a year ago. I decided I would shave around the goatee area with a straight for the first time.

The results? Fantastic, and very easy to do to. I've always been slightly puzzled when members post about how to shave around a beard. The answer is carefully, and now I couldn't imagine another type of shaving appliance which allows as much control and precision to shave around a beard than a straight razor.

I don't know how long I'll keep the goatee now, but don't worry, I'm still one of you. I guess one advantage is a shorter shave time! But other members should know that shaving around a beard is nothing to worry about.

I have decided to grow a winter beard this year and at first had a little difficulty manuvering around it, but after a couple shaves it became rather easy.

Like Ryan mentioned, you just need to be careful. One thing it's taught me is to use the many parts of the blade especially the heel and toe for precise shaving around my beard.

I wholeheartedly agree Ryan been doing it since 1981 and going strong :)

The angles under the jaw line on the razor, are sometimes not so hot depending on your face though, with a full beard...

I sport a goatee quite often. I've had it off for about 3 months but miss it and it will be back (some form or other lol. I'm always experimenting). I'm a newbie but I'd think that once I get str8 shaving down pat it would be a dream for goatee's and beards. The hardest part about a goatee is getting everything straight. With the M3's etc you have to "meet up" with the previous edge over and over which makes it more difficult. It's also very hard to get right up to the "edge" with 3 blades. With the straight, where you stop is where it is, PERIOD. you also have a nice long "straight" line. The only thing is that it's probably going to make me "experiment" more lol.

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Originally Posted by Kempster

I sport a goatee quite often. I've had it off for about 3 months but miss it and it will be back (some form or other lol. I'm always experimenting). I'm a newbie but I'd think that once I get str8 shaving down pat it would be a dream for goatee's and beards. The hardest part about a goatee is getting everything straight. With the M3's etc you have to "meet up" with the previous edge over and over which makes it more difficult. It's also very hard to get right up to the "edge" with 3 blades. With the straight, where you stop is where it is, PERIOD. you also have a nice long "straight" line. The only thing is that it's probably going to make me "experiment" more lol.

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You hit the nail on the head. I think a lot of times guys who shave around a beard with a disposable or cartridge are used to whipping around their face at a lightning pace, then they switch to a straight and get psyched out over technique and the such. However, since patience is an overall prerequisite to SR shaving I personally don't see how shaving around a beard is more worisome than shaving your entire face. I guess my point is that it's nothing to get bothered about.