We need monthly contests

[JohnnyDemonic]

Like the title states...
A lot of people here do great work and I think monthly contests would be fun for everyone. There doesn't need to be a prize--bragging rights are just as good.

I had an idea for a contest; which is why I posted this. A "found item" scale material contest. When I was in college we had a contest where we had to find a material and make something you could wear out of it. I made a baseball cap out of hair. I got the hair from a barber shop, washed it, mixed in some Elmers glue and formed the shape. It was gross, but I got an A. It wasn't the most complicated thing made, but everyone remembered it and that was the idea. The hat was very itchy btw... :blink:

At any rate, finding a material not typical of razor scales and making scales from it would be the objective. Rules would be simple; find a material, take a pic of it before, mid-point and finished, then explain how you did it.

I think we would all have some fun, get a good laugh, be amazed at the creativity (or frightened) and learn something in the process.

If no one likes the idea, then trash it, but I think some contests would be fun.

[Brent]

I think the idea of monthly contests is a good idea.

[Go West Young Man]

I think I just heard you volunteer to run them :biggrin1:

[AndreasDK]

He can start out by making a hat of day-old stubbles.

[diyguy]

Sounds fun to me. Post the rules, timeline, etc. and let's get started.

[Kentos]

I'm in!

[mdunn]

I like it!

Pm me with details that you think would be good (time the contest is open etc) and we'll get something moving

[rickboone1]

i agree. i wanted to do this in the nib forum, but my funds limit what i can donate, as well as lack of participation and interest.

[JohnnyDemonic]

I think I just heard you volunteer to run them :biggrin1:

No way! I'm no good at running contests. I figured the mods of the straight forum could do it, I was just posting an idea. LOL
Plus, mods could make it more official.

I got the idea when I opened my guitar case and seen all the used guitar picks and thought, hey, I could make a wedge from these.

[SALBONE]

Does this contest need someone to run it? Why don't we just start now and make the scales? Winner takes everyone else's scales. What do you all think? All we need is a deadline...

[diyguy]

and an impartial judge. :-)

[Mike H]

and an impartial judge. :-)

After the appointed time, you could set up a poll and let members vote.

[mdunn]

Mods are too lazy - stewards do all the hard work, really.

They fetch us beer, bring cakes and things. The back massages are a nice touch

[taffy]

Well I am useless at this sort of thing, so I will be a judge ;)

[PapaFish]

Count me in! They probably won't be pretty, but they will be one of a kind!

[Kentos]

Winner takes all sounds good to me.

[JohnnyDemonic]

Rules:
Must be a found material. Dig in your garage, basement, shed, barn or local dumpster and find something that you would never make scales from. The idea is to recycle something and make a functional set of scales.
You can't buy the material.
You can buy the pins and washers if you like, but your inventiveness will give you brownie points. Same goes for the wedge.
Take a photo of the material before you begin work. We need to see where/what it came from.
Take a photo half-way through your work.
Take a final photo(s) of your completed work.
Tell us how you did it. Doesn't need to be an essay, just describe your process.

Deadline:
Halloween (October 31)
The deadline leaves plenty of time for parts to cure and to find something to work with. This isn't a Halloween themed contest, but if you want to make it scary, have at it.
Your design (work) can be beautiful or gross--up to you. It doesn't need to be extreme. Remember, it has to be functional.
The B&B community will vote on their favorite design and choose the winner.

Prize:
Bragging rights & owning a very unique razor. Would be nice if the mods could throw in a custom title or something.

If you see something wrong with the rules let me know. I suck at organizing these type of things.

[zdzisiek]

I think it is a very good idea .

May I be the first one with my scales? :

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/254265-budget-scales

[SALBONE]

So are we just making the scales, or a fully functional razor? I don't have a spare blade to make a full razor...

[SALBONE]

I think it is a very good idea .

May I be the first one with my scales? :

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/254265-budget-scales
I don't see why there would be a problem, but know that judgement is based on creativity and being the first to enter the contest you're at a disadvantage. Everyone else may see your scales and try to top your creativity.
Nice scales by the way!

[Krodor]

I think I'm in. I wasn't going to with "winner take all", as I want my stuff. I say "think", as it might take longer than the 31st. Maybe if we did it monthly, I'll enter for the November bragging rights. :)

Can we use purchased epoxy? Found some stuff in my yard that I might want to epoxy-ize...:w00t: No, silly, it's not that.

[Kentos]

I think I'm in. I wasn't going to with "winner take all", as I want my stuff. I say "think", as it might take longer than the 31st. Maybe if we did it monthly, I'll enter for the November bragging rights. :)

Can we use purchased epoxy? Found some stuff in my yard that I might want to epoxy-ize...:w00t: No, silly, it's not that.

Just think if you won tho, then you would have my stuff! Just kidding...I know what you mean :).

[mdunn]

The comp is on! (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/255055-Heck-yes-we-need-more-competitions)

Im expecting big things from you, johnydemonic, you've gotta be the first entrant!

[diyguy]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here is my entry for this month’s contest.

I have a case of crappy Barbasol shaving cream sitting in my bathroom from the days before I knew any better. I’m not one to throw anything away (everything can be repurposed, right?) so the cans will probably sit in their cardboard box collecting dust forever. But this contest gave a couple cans a new lease on life.

My kids absolutely loved emptying the cans in the bathtub – that was a hoot!

As for the construction details, I did most of the cutting and shaping with my angle grinder and belt sander. I used microfastners for the pins and used one of the plastic caps from the Barbasol can for the wedge. The scales were finished with about a dozen coats of tung oil. :wink2:

The scales are thicker than I usually make because I wanted to keep the full Barbasol logo on the scales. (I originally was trying to get the “Beard Buster” slogan on the scales, but the printing was too close to the rolled lip of the can to be salvaged – big bummer.)

Anyhow, thanks for reading. Enjoy.

Brian

PS: The irony is that the scales are probably sharper than the blade itself. Kinda like two razors in one.

[Kentos]

Cool!

But you should have posted in the "official" contest thread...see if mdunn can move it for you.

[diyguy]

I am happy to repost. Where is the "official" thread? Thanks a million!

[Kentos]

It is the very first sticky in this forum :)

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/255055-Heck-yes-we-need-more-competitions!

[diyguy]

Thanks. Some of us are a little slow. :-)