Thread: Shaving Around Goatee

I just wanted to get a little input about shaving around my goatee. As much as I LOVE shaving with a straight razor, the though-t has entered my mind to take it off, so I will have even more to shave. However I am a creature of "keeping things the same" (I have had the same job for 22 yrs, the same hair style for 35 yrs, etc...), so the goatee is likely to stay put.

I still have a lot to learn and am finding strokes that work for me daily. Here is my current technique with some of its successes and problems. I know a lot of this is personal preference and I have to find what works for me, but it never hurts to hear from those that have already "been here and done this" and then try what they have learned to see if it works for me. My first pass is all downward stroke except for a little patch on the right side of my neck that gets an upward stroke.

My issue comes when doing my doward stroke. As I come from my sideburn and work my way inward, when I get within an inch or so of my goatee, the heel of the razor starts to catch and pull on my goatee. I seem to only be able to shave with the toe or about the middle of the blade, so to get close to the goatee the heel gets into my hair and pulls.

What I do is get close enough so it doesnt get in there and then do a sideways stroke starting at the goatee line and going out toward my ear. I have thought of all kinds of crazy strokes (like going cross handed with the toe closest to the goatee line and then continuing the doward stroke, but being new I think better of trying any contorted cross-handed silliness.

Any input appreciated and thank you in advance. Sorry for the long post.

Originally Posted by xdman09

I have thought of all kinds of crazy strokes (like going cross handed with the toe closest to the goatee line and then continuing the doward stroke, but being new I think better of trying any contorted cross-handed silliness.

.

Your cross handed silliness is just what I was going to suggest. I'm guessing you're already shaving with both hands? Since you're still fairly new, now's the time to develop the new muscle memory with cross hand shaving. Just take it slow and really pay attention to your stroke, otherwise you'll be reaching for you styptic pencil in short order. Hope this helps and keep us posted.

Yeah I shave with both hands, but I'm a little unsure about that move, so I'll wait untill I have some confidence in trying it. I do on my second pass cross over and do a sideways stroke from my ear to my goatee line with the toe pointing up. The left hand is feeling more natural all the time, so I may give it a try in time. Thank you.

When doing the sides of the goatee I use the heel of the razor to catch the hair I want and it prevents the rest of the razor from catching in the goatee itself.

For a clean up and straightening the edges of the goatee, I usually take the full length of the edge and line up with the side of the goatee and do a short stroke towards the ear.

Originally Posted by xdman09

What I do is get close enough so it doesnt get in there and then do a sideways stroke starting at the goatee line and going out toward my ear. I have thought of all kinds of crazy strokes (like going cross handed with the toe closest to the goatee line and then continuing the doward stroke, but being new I think better of trying any contorted cross-handed silliness.

Any input appreciated and thank you in advance. Sorry for the long post.

I simply use my left hand to shave my right side along the line of the beard, then switch. You really have to get comfortable using both hands on either side. For instance, I was able to get a BBS shave all over but for two spots along both sides of my adams apple. The hair grows upward from the base of the neck toward the ear on an angle. The only way to angle the razor properly to catch these hairs ATG was to switch hands – left shaving the right, right shaving the left. Its awkward at first but you quickly get the hang of it.

First thing is it sounds to me like perhaps the heel end of the edge is not sharp enough? Perhaps I am misunderstanding what you mean.

If I use the heel against my goatee I just angle the razor outwards - the point of the blade off the face and an inch or so of the heel end against the skin. However, you can always do the same thing with the tip of the blade by changing hands - left hand on left side of the face, right hand on right.

I stretch the skin away from the goatee as well - pull the skin of your cheek toward the top of the ear so that the goatee actually moves and you will see what I mean. You get a cleaner line that way.

Finally, check out some of the videos in the videos section of the forum. There are a few in there of men with goatees and I even have one somewhere, although it was not intended as a goatee shaving tutorial. Those videos may give you some visual ideas on the best way for you to approach yours.

Good luck.

James.

I always use the heel to shave around my goatee. I do my sideburns and side of my face area first, then sort of sweep in towards the goatee, I stop when I feel the resistance of the blade up against the goatee rather than see it. I then use the heel to cut down around the outline of the goatee (chin area). I prefer razors with nice square heels for this.

I shaved it all off a while ago as I felt I needed to shave my entire face with a straight at least once! (it's all back now). My 'goatee' is three separate bits; moustache, soul patch and goatee; none joined to the other...

well the best way to shave a goatee is to lock it's head in a stanchion and cut it down with shears then dry shave it.

oh wait, that is how to shave a goat...

nevermind.

jim

I do pretty much the same as you except opposite; I go from my ear toward my goatee on my cheeks, right hand/left side - left hand/right side, I feel. This lets me get a nice straight line on the sides. I do the bottom of it upwards (ATG) in to the goatee. On that stroke I come up underneath the longer hair to the roots and I can feel when to stop, RH/LS - LH/RS. If I need to shape it I only need to do so on the bottom. In that case I use my brush to paint the hairs down to my skin. I can then put the edge of the razor on the hair and cut it at on a straight line. That stroke goes from my chin down towards the adams apple, RH/RS - LH/LS. My beard hair is straight as opposed to curly, that may make a difference. My razors are all straight edge as opposed to smiling as well.

Yeah, I just do the regular WTG and get in within a few mm's of the edges with the heel, then use the blade to shave into the goatee and go by feel as Carl has stated, then I do the standard ATG and come in within 1mm with the toe of the razor aling the sides. Underneath and on the curve to the sides are done by feel and that's good enough for me.


Mick