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Help with mustache area

All is not well in straight razor land this morning. I have been using my straight for a month or so now and have definitely improved technique. I still get a bit too heavy handed with it and get some razor rash on the cheek areas. The biggest problem areas are still the chin and mustache area. I have gotten a lot better with the chin area by stretching very tightly and using baby strokes with likely too much pressure. The big trouble spot is the mustache area. No matter what I do, there is still visible stubble there. Even after this morning's scalp job. I managed some weepers in that area and still see stubble. What gives? Is this a sign of a too dull razor? As you may remember, I took this near wedge to a barber's hone over the weekend and it improved it greatly. I still feel it may be a tad too dull for the roughest areas judging by this trouble area. Are there any tricks to getting a close shave on the upper lip without burning yourself to the point of being uncomfortable? I truly enjoy the straight but need to get this sorted. Thanks.

Regards, Todd
 
I have a full mustache so I can't help you there however I will tell you that the upper lip is the most challenging area of the face to shave. Its called the coupe de maitre so the maneuver even has a name. Sometimes a smaller razor like a 4/8s or 3/8s helps there. people approach that area differently. Some kind of come from the sides and some do kind of an arcing motion N-S. I'm sure some more experienced lip shavers will come along and explain some more.
 
[YOUTUBE]Axk4AvwfrEc[/YOUTUBE]
That's what I use - except I use it with lather - and it's not hard to learn at all.
 
That's what I was about to post. Never nicked myself doing this.


Also, if it's the trouble spot for you, keep it for the end, so the soap/cream will soften the hair.
 
Showing my ignorance but what did he call it ????
Coup de matta?
Can anyone explain the origin of that phrase or what he actually called it?
 
Okay fellas, that is exactly what I have been doing! Likely I am not doing it just right but that is how I have been trying to shave the upper lip. Another thing that I noticed is the lad in the video has either the finest shaves known to man or a fairly easy to cut beard. Even when I could get that area clean with a DE it would show some shadow within hours. I realise I could likely never get it as clean as his beard area is. Funny thing. We have all heard references to Mediterranean beards but I will tell you, the "Irish" beard syndrome is alive and well. Even though I am now 45, I have all my hair left and it is thick as can be. Fine stranded though. My beard is another matter. It is blond too with smatterings of brown, red, and just a touch of grey on the chin(honest). Ironically, as fine as my hair is, my beard is the absolute inverse. The hairs are just tough stranded. If my beard was black, I would have five o'clock shadow at noon. I was dulling two Feather DE's per week before I started in with the straight. So you can see why I was asking about sharpness. I will still put most of this off to bad technique on my part since I have really had it hammered home this last month about proper shaving with the straight. The hard way.

Regards, Todd
 
Showing my ignorance but what did he call it ????
Coup de matta?
Can anyone explain the origin of that phrase or what he actually called it?

Coup de Maitre.. I never knew it was called this.. it's French and means: "Stroke of the Master.."

-\Visdom
 
I would recommend you not use a 7/8ths blade to try this move the first time. This is the voice of experience. If you have a tough beard, this move will not be the total answer. X grain pass is also needed along with touch up (for me at least).
 
I have had similar experience with the lip area so I guess I need to work on the technique and also check the sharpness of the razor.
 
I have no problem shaving my upper lip. I do a form of the coup de maître but I dont touch the blade against my nose. Just try to keep the blade as close as you can to the proper angle. I do a WTG, XTG, If I have the time a second XTG in the other direction, and a ATG. Im not at BBS smooth yet because Im still starting, but pretty damn smooth.
 
For my upper lip, there are a couple places where I can see stubble even when I shave against the grain with a multi-blade cartridge razor, so I've never put too much stock in the visual effect of a shave.

However, technique-wise, I usually use two passes (three leaves me with ingrown hairs). The first is a coup de maître, and the second is a side-to-side pass, in from the edge of my mouth towards my nose. I basically follow the style shown in The Art of the Straight Razor Shave.

It's not perfect-looking, but when my skin isn't irritated as it is tonight, I get a very smooth-feeling shave.
 
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