@Fleming
Thank you for your nice comment  and sharing that great thread! The front may be the most important part. and I also think the "overall-look" is very important means if a beard suits you.
A "real" holliwoodian might be an option, but I am still afraid to trim those few hairs on my upper cheek. Some gentlemen said I may miss them if I go longer.... Still dont know yet.

@Slybeard
Yes I am way to critical I know. I think that biggest factor for it is the job regulation I have: "The beard has to be trimmed and neat". Well mine isn´t that neat anymore But so far none of my bosses or colleagues mentioned it. But I am scared the day will come.

@Tom E
Yes he is back I had a discussion with the barber... Just read bellow

@Dirk
Ich glaub dir ja, nur an der Umsetzung hapert es manchmal. Bin im Juni 4 Tage in Kalkar. Vielleicht ergibt sich dann die Gelegenheit für ein Meet up. Ich schreib dir mal ne PM

I trust you, but sometimes I dont know how to get rid of this doubts. I will be near you in June, maybe its possible to have the meet up then! I will write you an PM

@Andy
Thanks again brother! Your finger crossing helped I guess.....

____________________________________

Unsatisfactory barber non-trim story

Went to the turkish barber a few hours ago to get my haircut and surface trim on the beard done. Never been there before, just read a few articles about him and saw that he has/had a big beard himself on facebook. He won the german championship in "Haircut ornaments/tattoos" a few times so he knows how to handle a razor...

I was a little too early and had to wait a few minutes while he did some clean up trimming on an older custumor with an about 4 Inch long gray full beard. I did recognize that his neckline was way to high so he didnt have much bulk. Only the chin area was long. Looked weird in my opinon, like some kind of curtain?! His stache was trimmed very short in the middle but he had long handlebars. I just thought he would look better if he would let the whole stache grow out. Hope you know what I want to say? I had this feeling that the barber might not be that good if he did this. After the barber was finished the customer came near me and took a close look at my stache and complimented it. I said thanks and told him he should let his grow out and dont trim it. He said and pointed to the barber: "He trimmed it." . I replied with a smile: "Then tell him not to trim it." The guy laught, the barber looked deadpan and said nothing... "Ups no humor?" I thought.

Well than it was my turn. The barber asked me what I want to do with my haircut. He made a pretty good consulting and showed/told me in a pretty direct and harsh way, what my former barber made wrong with my hair. And he really was right! For example: My shaved parting was much to wide last time. I need to grow it back now. He did a great job with my haircut way better than my former barber i think.

Then it was time to talk about my beard. Here is the conversation:

B: "Have you ever had a professional shaping trim on your beard before?"

Me: "No, I just trimmed the neckline and cheekline a bit and some longer hairs, I want to grow a longer beard"

B: "Ok, I can give you a professional shaping trim, that you have a good base to grow longer. But you will lose about 1.5cm/0.6 inch of the length."

Me: "But I dont want to lose that much length, I just want a little surface trim to give it some shape and I dont want the neckline too high"

B: "Thats not possible. Look, all you have is that bulk on your neck and the big stache which is not symmetrical by the way."

Me: "Yes it grows like that and I like it. Do you really have to take that much off?"

B: "Yes, if you want a good base. I can make the best possible of your beard. Think about it, I can do it. Or go to your former barber or do it by yourself..."

Me: "Ok, let me think about it. Maybe next week."

B: "Ok then I do nothing now"

The next 2 costumers were already waiting in the shop while we had this conversation, so the barber would have been in a hurry for my beard trim. That was another reason for me to not let him touch my beard.
One of the waiting costumers (a guy about 25 years old) again had a long "curtain-like" beard with almost no bulk on the neck and a too short trimmed stache. I asked them if I could stay and watch the barber what he does with his beard. The friendly customer said "Sure, I dont mind" The barber said: "But his beard is way different than yours." "I know.." I replied.  Nothing spectacular happend. Little neckline and cheeckline clean up. After they were finished I took the opportunity and left the shop with the bearded guy, we had a short small talk and I asked him if he is happy with the barber. He said: "Yes, I was shocked after the first trim, but it did grow back after 1 month and was a good base. He does a great job"

Hmm, really, I dont know If I it was the right decision against the beard trim. I just wasn´t in the right mood and the barber was not so friendly to me and pretty cocky. I really do like the haircut. Nothing happend to my beard. I would love to get my haircut done again by him. But I have to think about it if he is the right guy for my beard. I dont trust this whole "curtain beard with trimmed stache" thing
I really want to have a clean up on my beard. Maybe I need to risk it, and do it on my own. But I am a little scared. Its hard to find another barber in my area.... Dirk, maybe I need Mimmo soon

Long boring story, i know.

what do you guys think?
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Cheers

Tom

Days of growing my beard
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