I haven't shaved since Nov. 1st. I've never been longer than 2 weeks, and I'm ready for this thing to go!!!!! It was No shave November, for my job, and was extended through Dec. Now they will allow beards all year long. I never truly knew my beard type, and only guessed. Now I know I have a thick, curly, and wiry beard, just a lot of grey mixed in, about 30%. But, that's beside the point. I never had a beard, never wanted one, and the wife never wanted one on me. But, since it grew out nicely, she likes it, and wants it to stay. At the end of this month, it will be the 2 month mark, and it is going, going gone. The wife will just have to deal with it. So, I'm either going to pull out a special blade for the entire shave, or I will just mow it close, with a trimmer first. Any suggestions??
A properly honed straight will make quick work of it without clippers, but clippers may keep things neater. I currently have a moustache and goatee, and have to be careful trimming with a straight. Almost anything else will hang up if it hits heavy hair, but not a straight. It will happily and near silently carve a hunk out of a beard with one stroke.
Grew mine out over the summer, and like you, when school started I was ready for that thing to GO! I used a shavette, and was surprised at how effortlessly it cut through three months of beard (effortless was NOT my experience for just a few days growth). So yeah--straight or shavette for sure. And congratulations on your re-entry into civilization--it feels SO nice to shave again
My foray into shaving with straights was years ago. Shaving with straight razors was a fun diversion, and I went all in, and then I found the R41. I do not enjoy the itch that comes with growing a beard, or just not shaving in general.
I dont think I ever successfully sharpened any of my Rolls Razor blades. I could try the @Billyfergie technique to sharpen them. .
I just went through a month without shaving. Make a bunch of lather, pick out your favorite str8, and get er done! The beard will just pile up on the blade; wipe it on a paper towel for the first pass.
I've had a beard since long before I started shaving with a straight. I did let it grow out so I could cut 1880's style for an event at our historical society, but I trimmed it down pretty close with my beard trimmer before going the rest of the way with a straight.
When I had a beard and decided to shave it off, I used clippers followed by a DE razor blade holder. Now that I have the skills to use a straight razor or shavette, those would be my tools of choice since no clogging can occur.
I grow out my beard every year during winter and shave it off in spring. The only thing you need to shave it off is a good razor. I do find that I get more weepers if I use a more hollow blade, but if you move slowly and methodically, you shouldn't have any problems. I start from the sideburns and work my way around, reducing my beard from full to goatee to mustache, until it is all gone. That way I can see how other styles look, which always reconfirms my decision not to wear those styles. It also isolates the thicker, harder to shave areas so I can do them more carefully. I find that thicker lather works better when shaving off a beard. The thinner products like Cremo just don't seem to work as well. It dries too fast and doesn't penetrate down to protect the skin very well. I generally will use my Proraso and make it a bit thicker than usual. Whatever you do, just take your time and enjoy the shave!
