Thread: Straight Razors for beard shaping?

I would feel no hesitation to say yes, Sporting a chin strap beard most of the year a straight razor especially non-rounded works very well on maintaining the lines i need. In fact i find it much easier then when i use to use a mach 3 . I would listen to gssixgun on the razor advice as his posts have helped me greatly on my journey. The trick is just to clear the runways (beard) a little so you don't shave a part you don't want to. (very easy to do with a straight)

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Hey Glen . Notice you don't mention the smaller westerns for beard work ie 3/8 & 4/8. Likes/dislikes ?

3/8's are just not a good razor for beginners IMHO too hard to hone and strop... a 4/8 would be ok, but you really have to be careful under the jawline with them, watching the angle on those smaller razors can be difficult for beginners

5/8 or 6/8 Engels spike. Very hollow and a great shaver to learn on.

Originally Posted by chay2K

On an aside, I recently acquired an old barber manual from 1908 that describes a technique called beard polishing. Basically, you float the razor over the surface of the beard, cutting any flyaway whiskers-- virtually performing a large quantity of HHTs, still connected to your face. So far, I've tried it on myself and a few clients, and it works like a charm. Just thought you other beard wearers might be interested.

I use this method to trim my beard. I usually wear a goatee with sideburns, although right now it's a fuller beard. I trim it, and keep it fairly short, and in my opinion a straight razor beats scissors hands down.

To the OP, you got lots of great info here. I like spikes as well, and also the smaller swedish razors (4/8 and 5/8) for precision work.

Originally Posted by chay2K

As a fellow facial hair wearer, I can say with no hesitation that a straight razor is the best tool for keeping up a clean beard.

On an aside, I recently acquired an old barber manual from 1908 that describes a technique called beard polishing. Basically, you float the razor over the surface of the beard, cutting any flyaway whiskers-- virtually performing a large quantity of HHTs, still connected to your face. So far, I've tried it on myself and a few clients, and it works like a charm. Just thought you other beard wearers might be interested.

As ANOTHER fellow facial hair wearer... Pics/Videos? Pretty please?

Back on topic, and not to hijack this thread, I've been using a Geneva Cutlery Co. 5/8 round point (well, now it's closer to 4/8... long story) and have done pretty well with it, however, a shorter blade would be !!AWESOME!! to really define my lines easily. I have an Otto Birkhofen (or Birko, if you prefer) that has a shortened blade that I scored from the Bay, but needs a lot of work to bring it back to life. Thankfully, my Norton starter set should be here in the next couple of days... and I've been watching Glen's videos in anticipation.

I'd say go with the recommendations here... lots of good experience and wisdom in this thread.

hello fellow beard wearer.
I also wear a short beard from time to time and I got into straight razor shaving to help with getting clean lines. I have been using mach3 my whole life to shape my beard with no issues.
I will say I found giving myself a full shave with the straight is much simpler than this type detailing work you are looking to do.

The hardest part to learn to shave as a beginer straight user is the neck and then I found the hardest thing to do is to clean up the upper cheeks of the beard with the straight. I havent been able do it to acceptable standards since I started.

I can see if you are a barber and doing it to someone else may be easier but on yourself its rather hard.

I am going to keep shaving with the straight because I enjoy it very much and I am also going to try to shape a short beard from time to time to see if I am improving. but I just wanted to share my experience given I was thinking it would be easy and that a straight razor was so efficient that it basicaly effortlessly erased hairs... not so

Originally Posted by samircanada

I was thinking it would be easy and that a straight razor was so efficient that it basicaly effortlessly erased hairs... not so

I would say you are sorta correct in that,, "A properly honed and stropped SR wielded correctly, across a well prepped face WILL effortlessly erase hairs"

You have to have all the elements align to get that effect, and getting them all together simply takes practice...

Thanks gssixgun, as you say knowing what you are doing and practice is key! Its important not to give up.

I would like the more experienced members show us the hand grip and pass required to achieve the straight line as attached image. I find it difficult...
- when I hold the rasor upside down with the point pointing down, my vision is impaired,
- holding it pointing up and using the heel is dangerous to the eye and not precise enough
- holding it horizontal I found doesnt remove enough hairs becaus it is wtg.

probably 2 passes are needed to achieve this but I would love if someone could describe and highlight the techique with pictures if possible.

I am sure many people would be thankfull for that.

I shape my beard all the time with a straight razor. The key is practice. Any straight will do normal beards for me. For fun ones (candy canes or shamrocks carved into it) I use my Maestro Livi edging razor. It has a three inch blade.

That looks like my beard hehehe

Horizontal WTG pass is what I use, then a Clear Water touch up and I get a perfect line.. Same with under the jawline, the hard part there, is the start of the pass, I use almost the exact same technique as many use for their Mustache, a scooping start.. I believe the proper name is Coup d Matire (sp)..

Honestly with Lining facial hair you have to have a "Wicked Sharp" edge this is why I have found the Kamsori and the Extreme Hollows to be the easiest to use.. I can simply touch a single hair and pop it right off..

Although this vid was done for another purpose, you can get an idea of what I mean, there is a spot in there where I line out my sideburn that shows what I am talking about...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/video...-test-vid.html