Karl,
My new trimmer is very similar to my original. The guard that it comes with is exactly the same as the guard from my first one. It trims the same way but is more powerful since it plugs in. Unfortunately the new trimmer doesn't have the second head with the additional guard like my first one. That means it can't do the longer lengths. I thought being the same brand the old parts might have fit the new trimmer but no such luck. I did look for trimmers that had longer settings but had no luck finding one. Fortunately, I really just use the shorter settings so it doesn't change how I trim.

As for my dad's beard, he grew it out once in the early 90's but he only had for a short time before shaving it off. This time we talked about doing a beard picture so he started growing it out. Then it got itchy and he shaved it off. He tried one more time, pushed past the itchy stage and grew it for about 2 months. What you see is the most length he has ever done.

My grandfather had very dense, coarse beard growth. I did ask him once why he hadn't ever tried growing it out, and he told me that he didn't think the sides/cheeks would be strong enough; I actually doubted that. In any case, my grandmother never really liked beards and my grandfather wasn't that interested in growing it out, either.

Thank you for the compliments,
- Fred

You either live life -- bruises, skinned knees and all -- or you turn your back on it and begin dying - Christopher Pike paraphrasing Dr. Philip Boyce (Star Trek - "The Cage")

Bearded in BC's Thread