Shaving a long beard

[alexo]

Last night I shaved a month old beard. I picked a straight that says G.W HUNT Liverpool on one side and Hollow ground Germany on the other side. I worked it on the strop, 20 times on the canvas and 20 on the leather, took a shower, lathered with Pre de Provence and did 2 passes. I had to change water in the bowl after the first pass since there was so much hair in it. My beard is very dense and thick so it sounded like was using sandpaper. Other than a tiny bleed above the mustache I'm very happy with the results.

I can't stress enough the importance of the shower and hot water before the shave to prepare the beard. The relatively lengthy stropping did a good job making sure the blade had a fine edge. I can't imagine this shave going so smooth with anything else other than a straight.

What's the longest beard you ever shaved with a straight?

 

[Legion]

The longest I've done is about a week old. But as you say, a straight is the tool for the job. I couldn't imagine the clogging a safety razor would get with a week or more worth of hair.

 

[Kentos]

I shave off my goatee every so often, maybe a month's worth of growth. It's very satisfying to see how well it get mowed down.

 

[grump]

Two to three weeks a couple times a year.

 

[PapaFish]

I have done a weeks worth, or a bit more, on occasion. A Straight Razor or a Weck Sextoblade make easy work of it. I also have a modified DE that would do the job (though I have not tried), I removed the safety bar on one side .

 

[Khay]

A 5-6 day, after a good soak in the shower just gets mowed down by my Feather, especially if the blade is only on it's first 2 or 3 shaves. It's like using an eraser over soft soft charcoal pencil

 

[SinnerinRehab]

Trimmed beard of about 3 weeks. Very Nice.

 

[global_dev]

The longest I've done is about a week old. But as you say, a straight is the tool for the job. I couldn't imagine the clogging a safety razor would get with a week or more worth of hair.

wouldn't sheep shears be better suited to start than a safety? yeah it's one more step, but them's bragging rights... sheep shears first pass

 

[Wid]

I can go 3 or 4 days but that's as long as I can go without it bothering me.