Why no secton for discussing blades?

[Labarum]

Just occurred to me, there is no section for blades.

The choice of a blade is just as important as the choice of razor and lubricant, but the humble blade has no place of it's own.

Is this a deliberate omission, or just a quirk of board history?

[DoubleE]

I've been meaning to ask that same question myself Brian. Sometimes the blade discussions are posted in the general forum and other times, the safety razor forum. I'll get back to you with an answer.

[Midnight Blues]

I would also like to see a separate section for blades, a place to discuss and compare blades we use every day to what blades to collect for display...

http://web.comhem.se/blam/images1/gillette_blue120x244.jpghttp://countryjoescollectiblestuff.com/store/media/Xred-gillette-blade.jpg

http://countryjoe.bizland.com/store/media/Xwaltham.jpg

[Xert]

That's much like asking why there are no sections for strops or hones - there's just not enough traffic to justify a whole section devoted to them and they fit rather neatly under the straight razor section anyway.

[Labarum]

Creams and soaps have a forum each.

Safety and Straight Razor share a forum, even if it is divided.

Does this need rationalisation too?

And why are the Hall of Fame and the Method Shaving sections tucked away as sub-forums under general?

[Razorburne]

I think the Method Shaving is in a tucked away subforum b/c of the traffic volume being lower than other forums...and, it logically fits as a sub-branch of General b/c I believe the site is mostly dedicated to "traditional" wetshaving, with Method shaving being a smaller niche with less traffic.

It seems to be easily accessible and not hidden away and hard to find.

While the Hall of Fame gets much more traffic, and I don't think is a sub forum b/c of traffic issues, but I think it makes sense where it is.

I don't see why the complaints, but to each his own. :biggrin: Maybe the moderators can give better feedback - this is just my opinion.

[Xert]

Creams and soaps have a forum each.

Safety and Straight Razor share a forum, even if it is divided.

Does this need rationalisation too?

Well, like I said, it makes sense to me based on the traffic. If you look at the review section, there are ninety-two separate shaving soaps which have been reviewed, one hundred forty-six creams, but only twenty-two types of blades. If the number of different types of blades used suddenly jumped five-fold, the comparison to soaps and creams might then be more appropriate. As it is, I don't see much of a reason why safety razor blades are inappropriate for discussion within the safety razor forum.

[DoubleE]

I do believe the place for blades will end up in the safety razor forum and strops/hones in the straight razor forum. It makes sense to me and I too don't believe there's enough substance for their own forum.

We should have a difinitive answer soon.

[croweml]

Just occurred to me, there is no section for blades.

The choice of a blade is just as important as the choice of razor and lubricant, but the humble blade has no place of it's own.

Is this a deliberate omission, or just a quirk of board history?

I think this makes a lot of sense. My recent searches on blades have taken me into various and diverse forums. Given the signifcance of blade selection and all of the discussion generated by variation in sharpness, blade prep. techniques (i.e. corking), and issues like blade rotation, it would seem reasonable to designate a forum to the blade. And although the traffic may not be as high in a 'blade' forum as it is in other forums, it would be nice to have these fairly critical threads together in one place (at least from a learning newbies perspective).

mike

[Labarum]

I do believe the place for blades will end up in the safety razor forum and strops/hones in the straight razor forum. It makes sense to me and I too don't believe there's enough substance for their own forum.

We should have a difinitive answer soon.

This thread has gone cold.

A definitive answer soon?

[BroJohn]

Hi Brian --

I tend to favor a blade sub-forum, myself; not that means anything.

Peace be with you. . .

-- John Gehman

[_JP_]

Why isn't this discussion in the Site Feedback forum? :wink:

[Labarum]

Why isn't this discussion in the Site Feedback forum? :wink:

Because I got it wrong.

[Nick]

This thread has gone cold.

A definitive answer soon?
Brian,

Keith and Stephen hit the nail on the head. As it is, we're criticized by some for having too many forums. Our policy with regards to requests for additional forums has always been: If the amount of discussion on the topic increases to the point where an additional forum is necessary to keep the forum where the discussions are currently taking place from getting cluttered and losing focus, then we'll take it under consideration. Ironically, that sentence is rather cluttered, and unfocused, but hopefully it makes some sense. :wink: Furthermore, since the blade is an integral, albeit disposable part of the safety razor, it does make some sense that it be discussed in the safety razor forum.

With regards to the Method Shaving forum, it used to be its own forum in the main directory listing. Even though it has more posts than other websites dedicated to the topic, it still only sees a tiny fraction of the activity that other forums here have. It's a topic important to some, but not to most, so we put it where it is as a compromise between completeness and clutter.

Just as a heads up, your concern is currently being discussed by the mods, and it looks like we might be close to a solution that helps remove some of the confusion surrounding where blades should be discussed.

I hope this explanation was helpful,

-Nick

[guenron]

Brian,

Keith and Stephen hit the nail on the head. As it is, we're criticized by some for having too many forums. Our policy with regards to requests for additional forums has always been: If the amount of discussion on the topic increases to the point where an additional forum is necessary to keep the forum where the discussions are currently taking place from getting cluttered and losing focus, then we'll take it under consideration. Ironically, that sentence is rather cluttered, and unfocused, but hopefully it makes some sense. :wink: Furthermore, since the blade is an integral, albeit disposable part of the safety razor, it does make some sense that it be discussed in the safety razor forum.

With regards to the Method Shaving forum, it used to be its own forum in the main directory listing. Even though it has more posts than other websites dedicated to the topic, it still only sees a tiny fraction of the activity that other forums here have. It's a topic important to some, but not to most, so we put it where it is as a compromise between completeness and clutter.

Just as a heads up, your concern is currently being discussed by the mods, and it looks like we might be close to a solution that helps remove some of the confusion surrounding where blades should be discussed.

I hope this explanation was helpful,

-Nick
Here I thought it was an issue of cutting back on forums. I guess blades must have gotten edged out for one reason or another. Well, maybe it can sharpen up the already dull discourse on antique blade usage..:lol1: :lol1:

[Antique Hoosier]

I may be in the minority on this topic of a seperate razor BLADE forum... I feel that most people are directed at one time (hopefully early on) to the Blade Sampler Pack which serves a wonderful purpose.... it allows for MOST members to try several blades, settle on the one or two brands that best fit their faces and then they stick to that regimen. The discussions of the nuances of obscure razor blades would have a minimal audience in my opinion. Often these discussions end up being thinly veiled "commercials" for various razor blade "vendors" that border on the sublime. Blades, from what I have gathered in searching info on them on these very forums, are usually one of the few items that a wet shaver typically "sticks" to on a regular basis. We all will pursue various AD's but the blade seems to be one area that when you find one that really performs, you stop looking....

Nick's comment on Method Shaving having more postings on B&B than on a site actually dedicated to this area of shaving was very interesting to me. Wouldn't you think that a site or sites that catered to this practice of Method Shaving could support more interest than it does?!? I guess it has such a narrow audience that it should be thankful that it gets shelf space at all.

[Austin]

Nick's comment on Method Shaving having more postings on B&B than on a site actually dedicated to this area of shaving was very interesting to me. Wouldn't you think that a site or sites that catered to this practice of Method Shaving could support more interest than it does?!? I guess it has such a narrow audience that it should be thankful that it gets shelf space at all.

There have actually been forums dedicated to this subject. Enchanteonline has a forum dedicated to method shaving.

[rtaylor61]

There have actually been forums dedicated to this subject. Enchanteonline has a forum dedicated to method shaving.

Based on my experience with that forum (and I am in no way badmouthing the forum), apparently the "methodists" are not an active bunch. I wonder that since it takes more time to method shave, maybe they just don't have time to post.

Randy (all in good fun!)

[ScottS]

That's much like asking why there are no sections for strops or hones - there's just not enough traffic to justify a whole section devoted to them and they fit rather neatly under the straight razor section anyway.

Or like asking why there is a Method Shaving forum??