I wore a Vostok watch completely out a few years ago. Being a ham radio operator, I was totally enamored with a former Soviet radio room WATCH, with all four silent periods marked on the face. I originally bought it for about $35, but the prices really went up since then, so now I wear a Garmin Vivosmart HR+. Oh well. Vostok make some good stuff. Dunno about any other Russian brands.
My Handlebar Moustache Guide
- Thread starter Thu'umhammer
- Start date
My first time growing my handlebar moustache.. it took forever but was well enjoyed. Finally the gf said she hated it so sadly it’s been shaved off but in honor of MoVember.. I’m growing it back. To everyone all I can say is grow with patience, and learn which waxes work best for you.. in the end it was Firehouse, bearded bastard, and gel pomades that worked the best for me to control my curls
Pretty cool.
A few comments on trimming, since this thread is labeled a guide.
I've been sporting the handlebar since around June. I went no trim for about 3 months before attempting the handlebar, and kept it no trim through November, except for the occasional split end clean up on the tips. In December, I started trimming the center to the bottom of the upper lip.
I think everyone should try a full six months of no trim, but it's not going to be for everyone. Mine hit terminal length right around the 6 month point. It never got easy enough to keep it out of my mouth and food. I would say the biggest hindrance was kissing, though. Even with something like got2b I still had problems. Blow drying was a must, and even that wasn't fool proof. It was also way more work than I liked.
In December, I started trimming the center portion to the bottom of my upper lip. I use scissors so I don't get the look of the super clean artificial lines, and I'm careful to never trim it above the bottom of the upper lip.
Nobody even noticed the difference by look. For me, I can still get the fun of the handlebar with only 20% of the hassle.
Bottom line is everyone should try the long no trim period. If nothing else, it's a good discipline exercise. But don't feel like you have to get rid of the handlebars if you can't take it.
Here's where mine sits today (Taken with a couple of my mustache idols).
I've been sporting the handlebar since around June. I went no trim for about 3 months before attempting the handlebar, and kept it no trim through November, except for the occasional split end clean up on the tips. In December, I started trimming the center to the bottom of the upper lip.
I think everyone should try a full six months of no trim, but it's not going to be for everyone. Mine hit terminal length right around the 6 month point. It never got easy enough to keep it out of my mouth and food. I would say the biggest hindrance was kissing, though. Even with something like got2b I still had problems. Blow drying was a must, and even that wasn't fool proof. It was also way more work than I liked.
In December, I started trimming the center portion to the bottom of my upper lip. I use scissors so I don't get the look of the super clean artificial lines, and I'm careful to never trim it above the bottom of the upper lip.
Nobody even noticed the difference by look. For me, I can still get the fun of the handlebar with only 20% of the hassle.
Bottom line is everyone should try the long no trim period. If nothing else, it's a good discipline exercise. But don't feel like you have to get rid of the handlebars if you can't take it.
Here's where mine sits today (Taken with a couple of my mustache idols).
I have to sip slow or it drips but it keeps my stache out of the brew. Wish there was a solution for hot wings and BBQ...
Tom
I trim the middle too. I don't wear the handlebars up, but do like to have just a subtle little curl at the end sometimes other times I just comb them down into the beard. Here are a couple pics from a few weeks ago.
I'm finding that the material that most of my coffee cups are made of are too thick and the Whisker Dam won't grip it tight enough to stay in place.
it really works best on pint glasses for beer. the tabs can be bent but it would not easily be moved to other cups and would still have to be about the same diameter as the pint glass.
at home i use vintage mustache mugs and cups
i use these just about every day.
it really works best on pint glasses for beer. the tabs can be bent but it would not easily be moved to other cups and would still have to be about the same diameter as the pint glass.
at home i use vintage mustache mugs and cups
i use these just about every day.
I'd click the "LIKE" button, but we don't have that here!
Guess I'll have to dig around through eBay and the local antique shops to find one. That one on the left looks like it should say "Old Spice" on it somewhere!
Not to change the subject, but on another subject...my moustache is getting so long in the middle that I chew on it almost as much as I chew on my food! Strong wax helps a little, but isn't perfect. Guess I've got some work to do.
first the one with the ship hold about a pint and i use it for beer and cold drinks, the smaller one is for all of my hot drinks like tea.I'd click the "LIKE" button, but we don't have that here!
Guess I'll have to dig around through eBay and the local antique shops to find one. That one on the left looks like it should say "Old Spice" on it somewhere!
Not to change the subject, but on another subject...my moustache is getting so long in the middle that I chew on it almost as much as I chew on my food! Strong wax helps a little, but isn't perfect. Guess I've got some work to do.
you just need to push through this stage with it getting long in the middle. i used got-2b-glued because the waxes would not hold well for me, it just seemed to make stiffer waxy curls going into my mouth. when it get longer you can just comb it out to the side... it gets easier when it is even longer.
using a hairdryer and brush to get it is basic shape helps a lot. i just started using got-2b-glued with the hair dryer and round brush, after chatting with someone that does competitions. it did not take long and i got really good hold.
first the one with the ship hold about a pint and i use it for beer and cold drinks, the smaller one is for all of my hot drinks like tea.
you just need to push through this stage with it getting long in the middle. i used got-2b-glued because the waxes would not hold well for me, it just seemed to make stiffer waxy curls going into my mouth. when it get longer you can just comb it out to the side... it gets easier when it is even longer.
using a hairdryer and brush to get it is basic shape helps a lot. i just started using got-2b-glued with the hair dryer and round brush, after chatting with someone that does competitions. it did not take long and i got really good hold.
I've got some stuff in there called "hair cement". Only tried it once in my moustache and, although it held well, it was like trying to get cement out at the end of the day. I probably won't use that again.
I guess I'll just wait and see where this one goes. It's certainly getting bushy and I get totally unsolicited compliments on it from young ladies I've never seen before, and that's kinda weird.
the got-2b-glued washes out easily with water and you can buy it anywhere...walmart, grocery stores, wherever. if you just put it in and let it dry it will be hard as cement and impossible to deal with until you wash it out. if you use it with a hairdryer and brush it until it is dried and set, you can get a very natural look that will stay in place all day.
you should also be able to do the hairdryer method and then lanolin. you have a lot to work with and i think you will really like the results. lanolin keeps everything soft, and it seems to hold the shape well after it is shaped with the hairdryer. i don't remember how much i have written about it here, but is you want to know more i can type something up.
Looking good guys!
Can you still buy lanolin? I thought it had been restricted since the 1970's.
How do you use a hair dryer with this stuff? I'm not sure I can figure this out.
How do you use a hair dryer with this stuff? I'm not sure I can figure this out.
I buy lanolin all the time. It can be found at a lot of the health food stores.
When I was letting mine grow out in the center, I had to blow dry it to keep it out of my mouth. I just got out of the shower with it soaking wet and blow dried it out to the sides using low heat and my fingers. Once it was completely dry, I added wax. Plenty of example videos on YouTube of various techniques.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RUD7QA2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
this is the one i have, but there are many kinds. i think you want 100% pure and some say food or medical grade. i think that this cream style is better that the liquid that some also sell.
like gwsmallwood said you just blow-dry your mustache out to both sides, and i also blow up on the ends which will make a natural curl. that will have everything in the correct basic shape, although maybe a little fluffy. you can use a brush or just pull it gently with your fingers as you blow it in the direction you want. i and some others use the hairdryer on high at this point but some prefer the lower setting. for me i think the higher heat in needed because my mustache is pretty wiry and need the heat to get it to straighten out some.
just blow it out and then up if you like, or you can use a round brush to give both sides an even shaped curl. you can even use the Velcro rollers if you want to get the curls of specific sizes on the both ends to be shaped even better.
at this point you still just have a natural mustache, not wax or anything, but it will be going in the direction you want.
once it has the basic shape you just get a little lanolin in you fingers and work it in from the middle out to the tips. it does not take much and a little heat from the hair dryer will help it melt right in. you use the lanolin after you get it is shape with the hair dryer. the lanolin will not really have any hold it is more like it locks the shape in and protects the shape. the hairs will look shiny and healthy... if it feels all sticky then you may have use a little to much, but it tend to soak in after a while. i can easily run a comb through and it seems to magically just pop back into shape. i have not even had issue with head or rain outside, the lanolin seems to help it keep its shape.
i know a lot that use this method for their every day mustache style, it is how i do it most days.
there is a lot of benefit to first styling with the hair dryer even if you want to use wax, because having it in the basic shape first will allow the wax to more easily hold everything in place.
this is the one i have, but there are many kinds. i think you want 100% pure and some say food or medical grade. i think that this cream style is better that the liquid that some also sell.
like gwsmallwood said you just blow-dry your mustache out to both sides, and i also blow up on the ends which will make a natural curl. that will have everything in the correct basic shape, although maybe a little fluffy. you can use a brush or just pull it gently with your fingers as you blow it in the direction you want. i and some others use the hairdryer on high at this point but some prefer the lower setting. for me i think the higher heat in needed because my mustache is pretty wiry and need the heat to get it to straighten out some.
just blow it out and then up if you like, or you can use a round brush to give both sides an even shaped curl. you can even use the Velcro rollers if you want to get the curls of specific sizes on the both ends to be shaped even better.
at this point you still just have a natural mustache, not wax or anything, but it will be going in the direction you want.
once it has the basic shape you just get a little lanolin in you fingers and work it in from the middle out to the tips. it does not take much and a little heat from the hair dryer will help it melt right in. you use the lanolin after you get it is shape with the hair dryer. the lanolin will not really have any hold it is more like it locks the shape in and protects the shape. the hairs will look shiny and healthy... if it feels all sticky then you may have use a little to much, but it tend to soak in after a while. i can easily run a comb through and it seems to magically just pop back into shape. i have not even had issue with head or rain outside, the lanolin seems to help it keep its shape.
i know a lot that use this method for their every day mustache style, it is how i do it most days.
there is a lot of benefit to first styling with the hair dryer even if you want to use wax, because having it in the basic shape first will allow the wax to more easily hold everything in place.
this is what the lanolin looks like in the tub. a little like Vaseline, but works totally different, it really seems to condition you whiskers.
