How do you tell beard thickness?

**Gunney** · 11-14-2011, 11:23 AM

I keep reading though the forums, and the one thing that keeps throwing me for a loop is how you determine beard thickness...

Like for me for example, when shaving(granted I am still on a cartridge) I have to literally go every which way to get rid of 99% of the stubble. That said even after shaving you can still see a bit of a shadow. However at the same time I can go a couple days before It gets more than stubble(ie: any length to it, granted after day one it begins to get annoying!)

But this is one of these cases where I frankly do not know how one determines the beard thickness, in relationship to what razor aggressiveness I should be searching for. I don't need something you might use for shaving your cat (minds out of the gutter gentlemen, I am referring to fluffy....) yet at the same time... not quite sure how low to go either...

Cheers gents!

**mblakele** · 11-14-2011, 01:14 PM

Don't worry about it. I suppose the objective measures would be median follicle density and median cuticle toughness. But we don't measure either one around here. Sometimes we make claims about tough beards and girly beards, but these claims are completely subjective, mostly anecdotal, and often made in jest.

Your shaving style and skin sensitivity will have at least as much of a role as beard density or toughness of hair. With good prep and good technique, just about any razor can shave just about any beard. But it may take more or fewer passes, and that's where you may find you have a preference for milder or more aggressive razors.

Blades may be a different issue. Speaking only from my own experience, some blades have trouble cutting some hair. There is no objective measure for blade sharpness either, but luckily blades are cheap to sample. If you find that you can get a good shave with a blade that others say is dull... good for you, because it's probably a cheaper blade.

**Pasha** · 11-14-2011, 03:53 PM

I think if your hair is thick enough for it to still leave a shadow on your face right after shaving, that counts as a tough beard.

**santamariasteve** · 11-14-2011, 04:11 PM

When you gotta a tough beard and a used blade, you'll know it!

**jlindy** · 11-14-2011, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Gunney

I keep reading though the forums, and the one thing that keeps throwing me for a loop is how you determine beard thickness...

Rub your face against your GF's/SO's/SWMBO's Angora sweater! (against the grain of your beard)

**CharlieFoxtrot** · 11-14-2011, 05:19 PM

I compare myself to guys around me. If I skip shaving for a day it will be noticed. After a long weekend, I'm bearded. It's thick to boot. I work with guys that only shave every other day. Therefore, I consider my beard "thick".

**Gunney** · 11-15-2011, 06:45 AM

Gotcha. Thanks guys.

**heybatter** · 11-15-2011, 07:52 AM

Calipers

**Go West Young Man** · 11-15-2011, 08:52 AM

Beard thickness is just another way for guys to brag about how more manly they are than you.

**Aldershot** · 11-15-2011, 09:01 AM

I think the often overlooked questions is how soft is the beard. I laugh when I read reviews of blades and someone is on day 6 or 7 or 8 with the same blade. I guess you can use the same blade for a week when cutting peach fuzz.

**neverender2113** · 11-15-2011, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Pasha

I think if your hair is thick enough for it to still leave a shadow on your face right after shaving, that counts as a tough beard.

I have shadow after shaving, but I consider my beard hairs to be pretty soft even though they're thick (softer than the dog's, anyway

)

**hsamuels** · 11-15-2011, 09:19 AM

For some reason nearly everybody has a tough beard and sensitive skin. And all our children are above average.

**bkfist** · 11-15-2011, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Aldershot

I think the often overlooked questions is how soft is the beard. I laugh when I read reviews of blades and someone is on day 6 or 7 or 8 with the same blade. I guess you can use the same blade for a week when cutting peach fuzz.

Naa, we just have tough skin! Seriously, though, the angle that you hold the razor can play a big part in how long the edge of a blade lasts for one person vs. another. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if you use a steeper angle to get a shave the way you like it you are doing it wrong, just differently than I do. Each person develops a technique/angle/pressure that works for them, and what ever works for you is the correct way of doing it. When the edge of the blade is presented at a very low angle to the face, so that the edge of the blade is slicing "straight-into" (or more so than at a steeper angle), there is less deformation of the blade edge than if you are doing more of a "scraping" action against the skin, and the blade will stay sharper, longer.

Some razors can give a close shave at those lower angles than others can. The Feather AS-D1 is a good example of such a razor, even to the point that many people find they MUST change the blade angle to a much lower angle than they are used to in able to get a close shave. If you use a Feather at the same general angle as you would a Merkur or most Gillette razors (excepting the Old Type & New OC heads, both of which also benefit from a lower angle) you will not get as close of a shave, and the razor will seem to "eat through" blades faster than most of your other razors.

Also, I know that if I shower & shave with soft water, a blade will last me about 3X as long as if I'm using hard water. There is also the personal side as to how much tugging/pulling you are willing to accept during your shave... :)

**smalltank** · 11-15-2011, 10:18 AM

I have cactus hairs..darn those prickly and spiny things!

**Aldershot** · 11-15-2011, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by bkfist

Naa, we just have tough skin! Seriously, though, the angle that you hold the razor can play a big part in how long the edge of a blade lasts for one person vs. another. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if you use a steeper angle to get a shave the way you like it you are doing it wrong, just differently than I do. Each person develops a technique/angle/pressure that works for them, and what ever works for you is the correct way of doing it. When the edge of the blade is presented at a very low angle to the face, so that the edge of the blade is slicing "straight-into" (or more so than at a steeper angle), there is less deformation of the blade edge than if you are doing more of a "scraping" action against the skin, and the blade will stay sharper, longer.

Some razors can give a close shave at those lower angles than others can. The Feather AS-D1 is a good example of such a razor, even to the point that many people find they MUST change the blade angle to a much lower angle than they are used to in able to get a close shave. If you use a Feather at the same general angle as you would a Merkur or most Gillette razors (excepting the Old Type & New OC heads, both of which also benefit from a lower angle) you will not get as close of a shave, and the razor will seem to "eat through" blades faster than most of your other razors.

Also, I know that if I shower & shave with soft water, a blade will last me about 3X as long as if I'm using hard water. There is also the personal side as to how much tugging/pulling you are willing to accept during your shave... :)

Yes, but regardless of method, some beards are more akin to copper wire than peach fuzz and many blades can barely cut it even on shave number one. So even before the blade is dull from use it isn't sharp enough for many beards. And the sharpest blades often dull pretty fast on wiry type beards. I originally switched to DE shaving because my cartridge blades were too dull to use in 2 or 3 shavings.

**echotron** · 11-15-2011, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by CharlieFoxtrot

I compare myself to guys around me.

+1 My nieces husband can shave with a cat and some whipped cream ... my mother's side of the family are almost Lyncathropes!

**xMackx** · 11-15-2011, 01:36 PM

I would say feel it? :P

**wolfmanxiii** · 11-15-2011, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Go West Young Man

Beard thickness is just another way for guys to brag about how more manly they are than you.

Not bragging but...

to some of us it's a problem. I can't blow my nose except for 2-3 hours after shaving without ending up with shredded bits of tissue all over my upper-lip and it's annoying.

**bkfist** · 11-17-2011, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by wolfmanxiii

Not bragging but...

to some of us it's a problem. I can't blow my nose except for 2-3 hours after shaving without ending up with shredded bits of tissue all over my upper-lip and it's annoying.

LOL, I hear you there... I always have to double-check in the mirror to make sure there isn't anything stuck on the upper lip :)

**72plymsatellite** · 11-17-2011, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Go West Young Man

Beard thickness is just another way for guys to brag about how more manly they are than you.

thats one way to prove it.

[QUOTE=I compare myself to guys around me. If I skip shaving for a day it will be noticed. After a long weekend, I'm bearded. It's thick to boot. I work with guys that only shave every other day. Therefore, I consider my beard "thick".[/QUOTE]

I think of it that way too. i also have an outline of my beard that doesnt go away no matter how bbs i get.