Coarser hair decimated my edge

Hey guys,


I have a problem that I hope someone has experienced or has an idea on how I ca fix it. I have had a goatee for the vast majority of the last 16 yrs. I have a very coarse beard in the goatee area. I have found over the years that after a while the skin under my goatee likes to breathe and be exfoliated a couple times a year. I also have dry skin on my cheeks and chin. I usually shave the goatee and remain clean shaven for about a week before growing it back.

Last night I felt the need to clean off the goatee and let my face recuperate. I cut the goatee down to stubble length with my beard trimmer and I went through my normal beard prep but let the conditioner and hot water sit a bit longer on my goatee area to help get it a little softer. I shaved my cheeks and neck with no issues and got a nice clean first pass on them. I lathered my whole face and di the right cheek. Relathered my left cheek, neck, and goatee and shaved my neck. Relathered the goatee area again and tried to shave it. It was like the razor ran into steel cables. There was no smooth sliding across the skin. It felt like I was using a steak knife. I was expecting this but not to the degree I was feeling. When I did my second pass, the razor felt like a butter knife on my cheeks and neck and I left the goatee alone.

So after all that I get to the questions. Will the goatee area get softer if I continue to shave it? Is there anything else I can do in my prep to make it softer? As it stands currently I would probably need to strop after my upper lip and again after my chin before my second pass in order to maintain the edge.

Maybe you used too aggressive of an angle on the goatee and rolled the edge a bit . . .

That is a good possibility. It was my first time shaving that area and I was having a hard time getting the razor on my face and feeling comfortable with it. I don't know how you guys shave around the mouth all the time...there is so much there that gets in the way.

I'm going to give my face a couple days to heal up and I will try it again.

I have pocketed skin around my mouth and don't like shaving that area either. I think in general, I and others, like to use a higher angle around the chin and mouth. With a lot of extra beard it might have been too much for the edge.

If I have a 4-5 day growth I go in for the first pass pretty low just to get down to stubble.

Sharpen up the point as sharp as you can get it and go for the goat first WTG. Short repeating strokes.

Pabster

I concur with the idea that too high of an angle may have been used, and this is likely what lead to edge degradation.

When i first started I was using too high of an angle, and under the scope I could see edge chipping/deterioration after a single shave. After going to a very low angle (like almost flat againt the face...) the edge lasts and lasts.

After you do a first pass with a low angle to clear out the underbrush, then you can go for a slightly steeper angle on later passes to get closer if you so choose.

The biggest problem with the chin area is that you hand just naturally opens up the angle of the blade. I have seen many people attack the chin from almost a 90 degree angle and not even realize it. No matter how experienced you are, this just seems to be what happens and you really do need to pay extra attention to decrease the angle back up to 30 degrees or less for a comfortable shave.

Have fun,

Lynn

I'd also say check your angle. For me it's easiest to keep the angle for my chin shallow when I go left-to-right or vice versa. Plus, I try to do small strokes and divide my chin into small flat facets - point, sides, top of the point, under the point - instead of trying to go over the curves.

If you can get a smooth shave on your cheeks, then a rough shave on your chin, then back to a smooth shave on your cheeks without any stropping or anything, it's probably not the edge but the technique. IME, a shallow angle (spine closer to the skin) and a light touch is better for getting a close shave on tough areas. Just be sure to stretch the skin and the whiskers will stand up.

I've always had the same problem with my goatee (I've had it for over 20 years) and dealt with it for awhile by using a shavette to trim it. The ultra-aggressive, teflon coated blades were actually very good for that job. I now use a regular straight which was cut down to 1 3/4 inches.

P.S. I also adhere to the angle advise prevoiusly mentioned.

I've had good luck using hair conditioner on my face to soften the whiskers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Johnny J

I've had good luck using hair conditioner on my face to soften the whiskers.

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My old (as in, 65 year-old third generation barber) is always trying to get me to do that....but it just feels *wrong*. Like using car soap or laundry detergent on your skin - categories, people! Order! We *must* keep the chaos at bay.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mijbil

My old (as in, 65 year-old third generation barber) is always trying to get me to do that....but it just feels *wrong*. Like using car soap or laundry detergent on your skin - categories, people! Order! We *must* keep the chaos at bay.

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I guess I shouldn't tell you that my towel warmer is an electric teapot, and my soap holder is a yogurt container.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I think I can safely say that it was a combination of stubborn hair, too aggressive an angle, and poor technique. Every time that I have shaved the goatee off, the first shave around the mouth is painful. The hair just doesn't seem to soften at all. In addition to that this was my fist time shaving around my mouth.

I let a few days go by so my skin could recover and slowed way down and paid close attention to what I was doing and the second and third shave around the mouth where much better. Much less irritation and I only nicked myself twice on the third shave.