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Any tips for clean lines at your cheek when trimming your beard?

So everytime I go with a beard I have a terrible time with the top of it. Neck line is easy, but I always botch the top. I try to have the barber do it when I can but even keeping it up is hard for me. I grabbed a shavette since that's what the barber uses which definitely give me a better view of what I'm attacking but keeping a uniform curve from sideburn to mustache is friggen hard! I've almost considered using one of my kids washable markers to draw the line I want and use that as a guide. Haven't found any good video tutorials on that either. Plenty for shaving but not as much beard tweaking. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
So everytime I go with a beard I have a terrible time with the top of it. Neck line is easy, but I always botch the top. I try to have the barber do it when I can but even keeping it up is hard for me. I grabbed a shavette since that's what the barber uses which definitely give me a better view of what I'm attacking but keeping a uniform curve from sideburn to mustache is friggen hard! I've almost considered using one of my kids washable markers to draw the line I want and use that as a guide. Haven't found any good video tutorials on that either. Plenty for shaving but not as much beard tweaking. Any help is greatly appreciated.

You might consider investing in a hair shaper and hair shaper blades. Larger and more stable than a half-DE shavette, but just as precise and sharp. Learn to use the tip and first quarter of the blade for edging. They are designed precisely for the close-up trim work you refer to. (I'd advise not making use of the barber's notch on the point. That was not designed for use on oneself.) The even line, I'm afraid, comes from practice and very slow trimming, as far as I know.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Have you tried a cartridge? I found it easier to trim my beard edges with a cart.
 
You might consider to use a stiff hair comb as shown in the picture.
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First apply a thin layer of soap on the cheeks. Press the comb against your cheeks and find the deserved line/angle from ear to mouth. Now press even harder so that the comb does not detoriate. Shave with your razor until the razor meets the edge of the comb. A thinner razor head supports this method (such as vintage Gillette Tech). I got acceptable results this way (way better than without using the comb).
BR
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
You might consider to use a stiff hair comb as shown in the picture.
View attachment 1036108
First apply a thin layer of soap on the cheeks. Press the comb against your cheeks and find the deserved line/angle from ear to mouth. Now press even harder so that the comb does not detoriate. Shave with your razor until the razor meets the edge of the comb. A thinner razor head supports this method (such as vintage Gillette Tech). I got acceptable results this way (way better than without using the comb).
BR
Smart!
 
Iv seen a plastic template somewhere I can’t think of where you could make one your self if you tried just get a bit of flat 3 mm plastic and get the jigsaw on it and you won’t need to worrie about free handing it rough out you shape cut it out so when you in the mirror you could even use a trimmer I have a Phillips body groomer I think it’s called. this one.
 

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This is a problem for me as well. These days I am using a Merkur 907 moustache detailing razor. The blades are proprietary and not very sharp. The blade that came with the razor was horrible, but the replacements are better. If I want my cheeks perfectly smooth I make a final very careful pass with a Trac II or injector. The Merkur is far from perfect due to the blades, but it is the best I have found to date.
 
I think it's better not to try to make a perfectly formed shape, it just looks unnatural. Instead, trim off the outliers and leave as much of the natural shape on the cheek line as you can.

In the same vein, for the neck line, try to taper the length of hair instead of having an abrupt, geometric outline.
 
These work great to get the initial line and curve. They can be adjusted to what height and angle you prefer. I use a philips OneBlade flat against the guide and go up and down to trace line. The edges are tapered so it makes it easy. then you can follow the line easier when shaving
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You might consider to use a stiff hair comb as shown in the picture.
View attachment 1036108
First apply a thin layer of soap on the cheeks. Press the comb against your cheeks and find the deserved line/angle from ear to mouth. Now press even harder so that the comb does not detoriate. Shave with your razor until the razor meets the edge of the comb. A thinner razor head supports this method (such as vintage Gillette Tech). I got acceptable results this way (way better than without using the comb).
BR

Smart indeed. I have a small plastic comb but never used it during shaving... Anyway, I was told it's possible with a hair clipper, I mean regular ones like this. I used these mostly for shaving my sideburns.
For shaving I was using Gillette but later switched to Maggard safety razors.
 
I'm sporting a line of beard along the jawline. So I have to shave the cheeks above and the neck below without messing up the beard. I had issues for a long time and the lines kept gradually moving and not symmetrical left and right. Once I started the following I am able to keep everything in pretty good shape:

I lather the entire face and then use my thumbs to remove a line of lather along the jaw line with one swipe, important just trust your feel along the jaw bone and don't follow the edge of the beard. The former will be at the same position everytime...
Then I shave (DE razor) just where there is lather and being careful not to slide into the beard area where I have removed the lather. It takes a litte practice to use your left and right thumb to remove the lather from the area you don't want to shave but eventually you will get the hang of it.
Good luck and good shaves:thumbup1:
 
You might consider investing in a hair shaper and hair shaper blades. Larger and more stable than a half-DE shavette, but just as precise and sharp. Learn to use the tip and first quarter of the blade for edging. They are designed precisely for the close-up trim work you refer to. (I'd advise not making use of the barber's notch on the point. That was not designed for use on oneself.) The even line, I'm afraid, comes from practice and very slow trimming, as far as I know.

Excellent suggestion!!

My approach is to be ‘clean shaven’ in part because shaping a beard well is difficult! :thumbup:
 
I just use the first 1/5 inch of a straight razor and very small strokes. This is the only way I can get a nice sharp line.
 
Maybe late to the party but comb specially made for this or straight. My friend has a beard, and shaves top of cheeks and neck, switched from carts to stright (no DE phase) exactly because it was easier to keep line
 
I keep my cheek line with a SR, and do my neck with a DE. In order to keep the best possible visibility on my cheeks I use argan oil and nothing else. Decent enough lubrication, but pretty much invisible while I walk that fine line between smooth cheek and beard. Down on the neck, it’s back to lather and brush. Hope this might help.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
So everytime I go with a beard I have a terrible time with the top of it. Neck line is easy, but I always botch the top. I try to have the barber do it when I can but even keeping it up is hard for me. I grabbed a shavette since that's what the barber uses which definitely give me a better view of what I'm attacking but keeping a uniform curve from sideburn to mustache is friggen hard! I've almost considered using one of my kids washable markers to draw the line I want and use that as a guide. Haven't found any good video tutorials on that either. Plenty for shaving but not as much beard tweaking. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Use a half glade shavette. They were designed for this.
 
I had a beard as well and always marked the line in the lather simply with my fingertip. Just worked fine for me.
 
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