How to best trim a beard with scissors?

January 24, 2013 4:20 PM

What are your best practices and tools for trimming a beard with scissors (and without an electric trimmer)?

I've grown a winter beard and would like to keep it neat. There are other good threads recommending electric trimmers, but I prefer to use scissors, a comb, and then a razor to clean up close spots.

Can you give recommendations for excellent, sharp scissors suited to the task? What about combs? And what are your best tips and techniques?

posted by suprenant to clothing, beauty, & fashion (2 answers total)

Personally, I've used whatever scissors are at hand and whatever comb is near. I go slowly and determinedly but with the understanding that if I chop off too much I can even it up on the other side and in a couple of weeks it'll grow back anyway.
posted by wdenton at 7:00 PM on January 24

I've been trimming my husband's beard for 18 years. I prefer using barber scissors (just a cheap Ice pair) rather than generic scissors. My everyday scissors aren't as sharp or smooth which makes hair trimming harder.

First I comb it out to its bushy fullness. Next I trim it short from ear to ear on the bottom edge. Then I trim everything to a uniform length and comb it back into place. For the mustache I just trim a line right above his lip.
posted by obol at 8:22 PM on January 24