Introduction: The Beard Master
This is my first instructable, so please keep the knob labelled 'expectations' within range. What I call 'The Beard Master' is a piece of cut cardboard in a shape which aligns with the curve of your beard. For beard growing starters (like myself) this is a handy tool if you are a high level introvert who doesn't even want to go to the barber's lol ! Later on I also covered it with plastic so that while using foam shave or wet shave whatever you call it, it won't be damaged.
Step 1: Gather the Materials
Grab your -
Cutter, Scissors, Piece of cardboard ( Make sure it's not too loose and is hard. Start with A4 sized piece as it can help you get back to start if you mess up a cut once as I did :P ), Protractor, Rounder, Scale, Roller-scale ( not necessarily needed) and other basic things like pencil, eraser, tape, marker.
Step 2: Starting With the Measurements
First of all, sorry for not taking pictures while using the Protractor and rounder. I'll clear all the measurements confusion. Use your scale to mark a square of 12x12 cms, though the size will depend on your face and mine's small. You can put up scale on your ear sides from where the beard starts and using your finger point out the position almost at level with your chin. For me it came to be about 12 cms so that's what I used. Use the Protractor to get the angle of the corner 90° so that perfect square comes out, or if available, you can use a roller scale.
Now that you have made the square, the width of the cardboard between the curve side and the plane side must be measured. To do this just measure your width of the beard that comes from sides down from the hair ( refer the image for clarity). Mark the width on your square. Now use your rounder to draw an arc that connects the two points of the width you marked. The more precise your width and square measurements will be, more fine the arc will come out. Don't panic if the arc doesn't touch one mark and goes a bit in or out of the prescribed mark. You can always manipulate the rounder a little bit to make them meet though you'll sacrifice a bit on the arc part though but it won't change the figure. I myself messed up the marks and my curve also wasn't perfect.
Step 3: Time for Cutter and Scissors
Use your cutter or use your scissor but try to cut out the perfect outline of the figure you marked. Some tapered or withered ends won't matter much as long as the original outline of the figure is roughly maintained. Now tape the sides to make it durable.
Step 4: Cover It, and Use Your Marker for Naming It.
Take a piece of soft plastic ( not polythene bags or gelatinous covers as one is too loose and other one too tight and the edges of tight plastic might hurt if touched unintentionally ) and cover your beard master tool. It is fine to mess up one side as long as the opposite side holds the plastic cover smoothly without a fold or opening. Now seal the messed up side using tape and make sure no part is left open. Now use your marker to decorate the beard master with your prescribed name, tag lines or a design. I used a simple minimal design with a scale marking on straight sides to make it look more logical, though the scale markings have no real use lol !
Step 5: Using It to Your Help.
The Beard Master is a tool that helps to sculpt out a perfect ( or near to perfect ) cheek line and a neck line without messing up the shape of the beard and without the need of any specific barber's tool ( razor blade for that matter ). Align your side beard with the width of your tool and it will cover your face leaving the stray hairs out. Remove them using a zero trimmer or a wet shave razor. For those who want a straight cheek line not a curved one, use the straight part of your tool and put it on your cheek where you want your straight line to start. Here's where the scale markings come to use ( I didn't knew they had a real use until now ! ) as you use one straight part to align the cheek line, use the other one to note the point as to how far it is from the cheek and keep it exactly that much far on the other side of your cheek to get a good symmetrical cheek line.
Now as for the most useful part the neck line. To get a perfect neckline using your beard master tool, hold the curved portion in alignment with your curve of the mandible, the lower jaw bone. Now when you lift the tool up keeping the curved part still in contact you'll get the area out of the curve and you can shave this part to make your neck line perfect. If the description is going out of your head, refer to the images.
Step 6: Use It With Care
Careless use of the beard tool may yield you a beard which is out of shape or the tool getting damaged by water, soap or razor. Small wears and cuts can be neglected. You can refer to the images above to see how it worked out for me. Pardon me for the ludicrous pic of myself :P
Peace out ✌.