How do you maintain a pencil moustache?

[salman]

I've started growing out my moustache again for Movember. Every time I've grown one in the past, it's almost exclusively been a handlebar...barring one time when i grew a pencil moustache.

I'm thinking of doing the pencil again, but it requires much more maintenance than other types of moustaches in my opinion. Especially when it comes to shaping it and making sure that it isn't crooked on any side.

Any tips or tools that one can use to manage it's shape? I shave pretty much every day and i'm afraid i'll accidentally 'de-shape' it in my effort to maintain the perfectly shaped straight lined pencil moustache.

Obviously i'm using Clarke Gable, Vincent Price and William Powell as my reference points ..without the benefit of having professionals shave me every morning to get my look right.

 

[VBH37118]

I've started growing out my moustache again for Movember. Every time I've grown one in the past, it's almost exclusively been a handlebar...barring one time when i grew a pencil moustache.

I'm thinking of doing the pencil again, but it requires much more maintenance than other types of moustaches in my opinion. Especially when it comes to shaping it and making sure that it isn't crooked on any side.

Any tips or tools that one can use to manage it's shape? I shave pretty much every day and i'm afraid i'll accidentally 'de-shape' it in my effort to maintain the perfectly shaped straight lined pencil moustache.

Obviously i'm using Clarke Gable, Vincent Price and William Powell as my reference points ..without the benefit of having professionals shave me every morning to get my look right.

Practice and more practice, the last time I had a pencil mustache was about 30-35 years ago when I shaved with a straight razor. Imo a straight is the most precise tool for maintaining a pencil thin mustache ( bud Abbott) just my personal experience, good luck!

 

[Lefonque]

I agree with the previous poster. A steady hand and sharp eye are a must. I have had a pencil moustache for the last two years and have just changed a month ago. I maintained mine using a DE. I also used a small Merkur Moustache and eyebrow razor. It is not necessary but helped.

 

[Atlantic59]

I'd try trimming with small set of scissors and a comb. Use the comb as a guide to get the length even with the upper lip. Use the thickness of the comb as a guide to thin the bushiness down without taking too much off.

When trimming with scissors, don't cut a straight line. Instead, use a technique called point cutting. This adds texture and a slight variation in the length. The result looks more sculpted.

 

[Whilliam]

Film director John Waters is known for his precise pencil moustache . . . except it's not a moustache at all. He literally pencils it in with an eyebrow pencil.

 

[VBH37118]

I'd try trimming with small set of scissors and a comb. Use the comb as a guide to get the length even with the upper lip. Use the thickness of the comb as a guide to thin the bushiness down without taking too much off.

When trimming with scissors, don't cut a straight line. Instead, use a technique called point cutting. This adds texture and a slight variation in the length. The result looks more sculpted.

How do you point cut a mustache?

 

[VBH37118]

Film director John Waters is known for his precise pencil moustache . . . except it's not a moustache at all. He literally pencils it in with an eyebrow pencil.

And it looks it to

 

[Atlantic59]

How do you point cut a mustache?

Similar to cutting other hair. You cut the ends of the hair at an angle to avoid creating a harsh line in the hair. It makes the hair more textured and looks better that way. Slightly exaggerated in the illustration below:

This is what happens if you do not use point cutting:

 

[VBH37118]

Similar to cutting other hair. You cut the ends of the hair at an angle to avoid creating a harsh line in the hair. It makes the hair more textured and looks better that way. Slightly exaggerated in the illustration below:

View attachment 1357810

This is what happens if you do not use point cutting:

Thank you sir for the info, Moe is just a nice chaser

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Semi-related, now I have that Jimmy Buffet song stuck in my head

 

[Swingboy8]

I think the pencil mustache is a bit more difficult to maintain than the pyramidal mustache... (the one i wear, see spoiler)

Spoiler: pyramidal mustache

When i drew the line, it was no easy at all because i had to make two "ocean waves", as you can see on the picture.

The pencil one is more like of a straight house roof with no base of support, so you have to shave above the mustache line and also under it.

In my opinion, the advice of @Lefonque is quite pertinent if you absolutely want to be close shaved. But if trimming close is good enough for you, you also have the Philips OneBlade which can be used for trimming your mustache thickness and trimming close around the mustache line as well... (i use it everyday)

 

[Whilliam]

With a pencil sharpener?

 

[VBH37118]

With a pencil sharpener?

LOL

 

[APBinNCA]

How do you point cut a mustache?

I was going to reply to this thread earlier, but I always put the closed shears on my lip and then open and snip. It can be done quickly with practice moving E to W along the length. If you go in with open scissors, there is a real risk of snipping your lip. All of the above assumes decent actual barber shears, not household scissors with a point.

 

[VBH37118]

I was going to reply to this thread earlier, but I always put the closed shears on my lip and then open and snip. It can be done quickly with practice moving E to W along the length. If you go in with open scissors, there is a real risk of snipping your lip. All of the above assumes decent actual barber shears, not household scissors with a point.

Thank you sir