B&B Confidential #2: Meet the Stewards!

[Gruder]

B&B CONFIDENTIAL - #2

Hello B&B'ers and welcome to the B&B Confidential. This is a feature where you can read articles about what is going on in and around Badger & Blade. For our second installment we present you with:

" The Badger & Blade Stewards"

A brief self introduction

The eagle-eyed among you have noticed a few gentlemen running around the forums sporting today's hottest style -- spiffy orange "Steward" badges (For more on our new steward program, click here). We're amazingly proud of our inaugural group of stewards and the work they're already doing to help our members, keep conversation lively, and bring new ideas to light. But what, truly, makes these gentlemen of high character and selfless dedication to B&B tick? (And, importantly, what's their favorite shave set-up? )

Our new stewards have been kind enough to introduce themselves in this second installment of B&B Confidential. They have plenty to tell you about themselves and about B&B in the posts below, so sit back, grap a cup of, well, whatever you're fond of sipping a cup of at this time of day, and get ready for a relaxing and entertaining read. Our thanks to the stewards for contributing Pulitzer-worthy gold here, and to all of our members for making B&B what it is today!


* If you would like to be a B&B freelance journalist and contribute a segment of the B&B CONFIDENTIAL please contact the Mod team

[Sullybob]

Hi, I'm Sullybob the new Steward of the Mess Hall.

My current favorite shave set up includes my Muhle R89 loaded with a Shark Super Chrome, AOS Sandalwood soap, Simpson's Tulip 2, Alt Innsbruck AS and Brooks Brothers 1818 EDT.

The reason that I keep coming back to B&B is that this site is about so much more then just shaving. B&B is about taking something you enjoy to the next level, its about extremes whether its coffee, tea, kitchen knives or back packs. B&B is also a real community, I have made several friends on B&B that have crossed over into my regular life.

I have several ideas for the Mess Hall that are centered around different cooking techniques and building flavor at every step in the cooking process.

[SiBurning]

SiBurning here. I collect ADs, which makes for a natural fit at B&B. Starting out looking for replacement blades when the old Wilkinsons disappeared, I now regularly use half a dozen DEs, an injector, and a few straights. Tried about 60 soaps and creams along the way. My favorites are a few tallow soaps. AoS and C&S top the list, and figure in well over half my shaves. The rest... well... I've been using more than one razor for a shave recently. I don't believe in having a favorite setup. There's too many interesting variations, and I like to change things up.

My other ADs include collecting Horror, Science Fiction, and certain Mystery DVDs (Hitchcock, noir, etc.). There's about 1700 movies taking up a lot of wall space. Then there's electronics. The parts got so small that I got a microscope--and got hooked on them. There's also a certain amount of chemistry involved in etching & repairing circuit boards, which sent me branching off most recently into soap chemistry. I'm just waiting on a tub of lard and a long, free weekend.

So I've been given the honor of serving as the first steward of The Cafe'. Perhaps it's because I'm rarely without a mug of coffee, day or night. I switch off between manual pour over including a Chemex, a vacuum pot, and stove-top espresso with a moka pot, although I do occasionally use a press pot or ibrik. My favorite coffees are the lighter American roasts, which probably accounts for my preference for manual pouring and especially the Chemex. I only recently started exploring tea, getting my first samplers and a gaiwan. Can't say I'm enjoying them all, but it sure is fun trying. I seem to prefer the cooked and fermented ones over the raw and green.

Several idea to improve The Cafe' have been floating around, including a Beginner's Guide to Tea, some picture or video HOWTOs for tea and coffee, and a couple of other more interactive things. We also have a hardcore group of puerh connoisseurs hanging around The Cafe' and intend to do something for them, although we (Scotto and I) haven't quite figured out what. But these are mere tasks: threads, wiki posts, group buys... they're not what makes B&B special.

What makes B&B special is that it's a functioning, friendly community. People interact, give their time freely to help others, and enjoy the camaraderie of hanging out with old friends and making new ones. The best part is when we actually get together for a meet or a honing lesson. The Cafe' seems a great place to hang out, relax, and sip some tea with friends. I'm not suggesting we get together to sip tea, but would love to have some of that atmosphere rub off on The Cafe'. If you have any ideas how to do that, or anything else you think would improve The Cafe' please share them.

Meanwhile, I think there's a terrific group of knowledgeable caffeine heads in The Cafe' with the expertise to put together some very useful FAQs and HOWTOs. Being a tea newbie myself, I see my job more as an enabler, helping to make it easier to contribute to the knowledge base, and putting things together in one place. A basic outline linked to existing forum threads and posts should be up some time in June. If you have ideas or want to do a particular section, let me know. But don't worry, I'll be sure to hunt you down later--you know who you are.

[Luc]

Hi, my name is Luc and I'm the new steward for the Shave Clinic & Newbie Check-In.

I don't know if I would be able to use a single product but if I have to, it would be the Proraso shave! I would use the Proraso shaving cream with Proraso aftershave. I currently use a Muhle Pinsel Silvertip with horn handle, I have a Semogue 2020 on the way. Razor? I think it would be a nice match between my straights, either a ERN 1914 made in Germany or a J. Fel, 1926 French point made in France (Paris).

I actually stopped using DE razors since Christmas 2009 and just love the change. It's something that wouldn't happen on my own without all the support and information available on this website.

I didn't think I would participate as much when I signed up but the community is so helpful that I couldn't turn away. Being able to help and participate makes me appreciate even more this website!

[joshmpdx]

Hi Fella's, my name is Josh, and I'm a steward in the Straight Razor section.

My favorite items to shave with vary quite a bit, which is one of the things that initially kept me coming back to B&B. I started with DE's and seemed to prefer the Murkers and the NEW's. As i started in with straight razors, i began to find that the particular steels and the edges that they took were significantly different and just as important as the weight and grind. Right now I'm particularly fond of a little full hollow 5/8 "Tennis" razor as well as a 6/8 vintage Greaves wedge. I'll also mention that right now i really like finishing on a Norton 10k and spending quite a bit of time on the cotton and linen strops.
I like using lots of shave soaps and creams and discovering what's available around the world. Hans Baier Olivenol, Gold Dachs, and MWF are some of my favorite shave soaps, but of course, i love Musgo Real and Santa Maria Novella just as much.
I might be able to use a Rooney 3/1 Pure brush for the rest of my life it is so well made, but the Tulip 2 in two band from Simpson just might be my perfect brush.
I've had a lot of fun with aftershaves and regardless of what splash i use i almost always accompany it with a pea sized amount of 444 glycerin balm. Alt-Innsbruck, Pitralon Classic, Speick, AV, all things Floid and recently Alpa 378 are all favorites.

B&B is a meaningful place. I didn't realize it would be such an influence on my life. Learning to effectively communicate, consider multiple sides of a perspective and how to voice an opinion, even if it's regarding shave soap; I've grown exponentially by being a member here. Which doesn't even begin to touch on the folks I've met and friendships I've made and the community here who have opened my eyes to a being a better person.

Being a steward of the straights section, i think it's imperative to help new folks who are just learning. Because there is such a steep learning curve i think we have too many folks who know they would like to take it up and can't quite get there for the amount of effort it takes. Taking up straights, with all of the paraphernalia available and techniques that are talked about, is fairly daunting without fella's even picking up a razor. With more video's, more tutorials, more interviews, more honing offers and generally making straights more fun i hope we can retain those new folks who want to take up straights. Then it's more fun for all, and we've all got more information to take in!

[azmark]

Hello Gents!

Mark here and I Steward The Clubhouse. It is a relatively new forum and has been doing great with regular participants and hopefully will gain some momentum and create a mark in the B&B forum. With some great members with creative ideas I'm sure it will be a fun place to discuss sports and an active lifestyle.

I have narrowed my rotation down to a few products that work great and since my rotation is done weekly to really enjoy the product I had to narrow my selection down. My favorite software set up is my Simpson two band Chubby, Mitchells Wool Fat, Alt-Innsbruck, Thayers Rose and Knize 10 cologne. And I can't really say which is my best shaver since I enjoy all of my straights but I really love my Ellis and have been enjoying excellent shaves from my TI Frameback.

B&B is the first forum I've participated in. Mostly bad attitudes and no benefit kept me away from other forums (non shaving too) but after lurking for a long time I decided I was missing out on communicating with interesting and helpful people who shared an interesting hobby.

Everyone has there reason of why they straight shave or wet shave. Mine may be a little more personal than most. Since I lost my father at a young age I missed out on all the things that a young man needs to learn when growing up. One important part was going through high school and not knowing how to shave or know how to groom myself appropriately as young man should. So my hobby is not only for me but also it is a joy watching my tow young boys gaze up at me while shaving and knowing they have their favorite aftershave (Clubman) and know that they have to take a bath and take care of themselves physically. Hopefully on day I can hand a few straight razors to my boys and watch them grow into young men.

[luvmysuper]

I'm Phil and I Steward the General Shaving Discussion.

I use a straight at home mostly, my favorite being the Boker with scales by our very own ThirdEye, but occasionally use a vintage Gillette DE from the collection. On the road I generally use a President stashed in a nice Muhle Case.

I don't have a particular favorite soap, and am happy to swap between a multitude of soaps from MWF through Williams down to VDH and have a fond spot for Godrej creams.

I get great shaves from almost any DE blade.

B&B is the first forum I have participated in. I have lurked on many. There is just an incredible difference here that someone unfamilair with it wouldn't understand.

It's not just the great people to talk to here, though they are, and it's not just the great Admin and Moderator Team, though they are also.

The good natured humor, the lack of flaming, and the patience of folks to answer the same question for the 500th time as if it were the first is unheard of in the online forum communities.

B&B has given me so much in the form of entertainment, advice and camaraderie that I can literally spend hours at a time absorbed in this little world here.

I'd really like to see the Wiki expanded by our members, including really important areas such as the Safety Razor Database. With the knowledge that is here and the collections I have seen in the Shave Den photos, there shouldn't be any reason that B&B doesn't have the most detailed and photo laden directory of all things Razor.

I'd like to see new areas, items like an outline of what people can say when the subject of wetshaving comes up. What are the true savings statistics over other shaving methods, why specifically is it better. That sort of thing.

I'd like to see B&B expanded beyond shaving, and be able to provide the same sound true experience and advice on Films and Books, Art and all the things that folks talk about in the Barbershop.

I'd like to be a part of giving legs to ideas on improving B&B from our members. There are some incredibly sharp people here from all walks of life, and if half of them posted that idea rolling around in the back of their head, B&B could be even more amazing.

I'd like to see B&B paraphernalia for sale here. The B&B Shaving mug is one I'd love to have. I love to pour over the SOTD pics, and can't believe we haven't been able to turn these into a wall calendar yet. I'm telling you, some of those pictures would suit me just fine framed and on the wall in my shave den.

And I'd like to see B&B expand its membership roles and Contributorship so that we have the bandwidth for me to keep posting stupid pictures in everyones serious threads.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Phil

[Mr. Scruffy]

My name is Harry and I’m the steward in the Contest/PIF/Donate to B&B Forum. Currently I reside in the fourth largest city in the United States. I take my coffee black, pilsners ice cold (34°) and martinis dirty.

I have always been in search of a better shave since that fateful day 36 years ago when I spread foam from an aerosol spray can onto my face and then scraped it (and a good amount of skin) off with a plastic razor. My life was changed last July when, on a lark, I purchased a tube of C.O. Bigelow shave cream from Bath and Body Works. I decided to use the cream anyway despite discovering the use of a badger brush was recommended for its application. I rubbed a small amount on my face with my fingers and proceeded to shave with my crusty Tracer FX.

Serendipity, Bay-Bee!!!!

It was the first irritation free shave of my life. I needed to do this again and again and again!!

But I still needed a brush.

So it was off to the internet where my quest brought me to the gates of B&B land. Such a treasure trove of wetshaving knowledge I knew not existed. There was information about brushes also creams and soaps and how to use them and … and… people were still shaving with double edge safety razors! And straight razors (crazy fools)! The inhabitants were so friendly and considerate and patient as I asked the same questions they had heard and answered many a thousand times before. And Joel’s tutorials, Kyle’s prep, Guenron’s 4-pass shave… everything anyone could ever want or need to know for a perfect shaving experience.

I bought a brush. And a DE. And a blade sampler pack. And another DE. And some Thayer’s. And another DE. And some Tabac. And another DE. And a straight. After three weeks I was consistently achieving BBS without nicks or cuts or irritation. I was hooked. It was heaven. My search for the perfect shave was over. I found it at B&B.

I’m currently shaving with a 1946-1947 Gillette Aristocrat. I have also used a 1959 SS, Red Tips, a Merkur 33C and Old Type open combs. I have used Feathers, Derbys, Crystals, Astras, Sharks, 7 O’Clocks and Merkurs (I thought they were OK) but find Red IP’s to be the best performers. I have around thirty soaps and creams and eight brushes I rotate. I experimented with straights for about 90 days but found my results to be less than satisfactory, so I have put them aside for now and will try again at some point in the future.

At B&B I also found a group of people who still practiced and cherished the concept of gentlemanliness. People who could engage in reasoned, and sometimes passionate, discourse without resorting to personal attack. And whose interests also extended to gourmet Chinese teas, single malts, fountain pens, Habanos, wristwatches and all things representative of a classic manliness not often seen in today’s society.

Nothing was demanded of me in exchange for all I had garnered and learned here. Everything was given without expectation of reciprocity. Hours and hours of exploring the forums and talking to other members and being silly in the Clown House. All free. No charge.

So I became a contributor. Not just a contributor to the pool of shared experiences, but a financial contributor. I have also sponsored, along with other B&B members, contests to raise funds for the daily operation of this forum. Because if we don’t who will?

It takes money to keep a jewel like B&B in existence for ourselves and those to come after us. I want to see B&B survive and grow. Not just because I finally learned how to shave, but because of the vibrant social community it provides and ideals it champions.

To make a long story longer, I see my role as steward to be one that facilitates and encourages other members to become financial contributors as well as knowledge contributors in order to keep this forum open and relevant to all. I can offer advice and share my past fundraising experiences, good and bad, to members who wish to sponsor contests and PIF’s of their own. I will also listen to ideas from the members on how to improve the Contest/PIF/Donate to B&B Forum and present them to the mods for discussion.

I might even put together another fundraiser featuring all sorts of cool swag as prizes!

[brianw]

I’m Brian and I am the newly minted steward of the Contributors Forum. Why? I haven’t the foggiest... to be in the company of these Gent’s is humbling to say the least. I deem it as a wrong turn off the Jersey turnpike.

I live across the river from the “center of the universe” as Jim can attest to that name.

I am a crusty, old semi-retired IT company owner. Some days feel like I’m still in it 100%. Used to be a CPA and an Assistant Brewmaster in a previous life.

My shaving journey began 47 years ago as my Grandfather made me put a blade of steel to my face (after a lather with a worn out boar brush, Old Spice Mug, and some type of soap… probably OS or Williams).. I learned with a Straight and continued to use a Straight until in my 21st year when Uncle Sam intervened. Grew a beard because it was about the only thing he let you do… (Patrol beard) and just kept it as abhorred going back to shaving. Trimming was bad enough…

Got involved with Fountain Pens a number of years ago to try to stop the hand cramping when writing (it does work), and on a forum full of personal attacks, sarcastic remarks about newbies posting questions, numerous flame wars, and Mods who were more into browbeating, I found a thread about Wet shaving and was directed to B&B.

I jumped in full bore to DE shaving and an interesting remark by a member about “how about bets on how long before this guy (me) move on to a straight”, found my Grandfathers straights and the rest is history.

Favorite set up is 105 yr. old Sheffield straight, GB soap, and a penchetta, or Kent brush… can’t wait for The G3 or the LE2009 to arrive though.

AD’s hit hard and my DE’s get very little use as Straights and SE’s comprise my main arsenal.

B&B was surprising as advice was given (even when a quick search would have proved it was discussed 1,000 times before) as if it was the first time asked and with a from the heart answer. Discussions could sometimes get a little heated, but never personally attacked or flamed. What an Oasis. I quickly became a contributor as I definitely did not ever want to see such a forum disappear. I became involved with some other gentlemen on a fund raising venture for B&B which turned out very well. First Class all the way. And I am available at any time for this type of venture.

For the Contributors , I would like to get together a couple of small group buys just for the contributors and would like to post a questioneer as to what people would be interested in.
I guess the best thing I can do is help field questions and try to help the members….Also to be some kind of ambassador to the rest of the forum as well.

Sorry for the long diatribe.

[jakespoppy]

Hello All,

I'm Jakespoppy, my name is Randy, and I've been asked to serve in the Shaving Cream forum. My favorite shave setup is my Merkur HD, RP blade, Saville Row brush, Proraso Pre-Post cream, AOS soap, GFT Coral SF, and TGR Unscented ASB, which sounds pretty plain and simple, but I've tried many, many soaps, creams, razors, AS, ASB, moisturizers...in search of the "perfect shave". It's taken me a long time, and a lot of research and trial and error to realize my face doesn't do well with nearly all products with fragrances and/or certain other ingredients. But I've enjoyed the learning process, and am absolutely convinced that everyone's face can react different from anyone else to any product.

One thing I would like to accomplish in the shaving cream forum, and in other forums, too, is encourage folks to be aware of and enjoy trying many different products, but also to realize that not every product works, or works the same, for everyone. For example, lavender and rose are both supposed to be soothing. For me, they're irritants. At the same time, I don't want my personal sensitivity issues to become a focal point, or get in the way of the interest of the vast majority who have no interest in sensitivity issues.

Another thing I'd like to do is help find ways to keep the forum interesting for both "newbs" and "not-so-newbs".

I enjoy everything about B&B that has been described so well by others above, the information, the camaraderie, the help, the fun, the friendships, etc.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve as a Steward, and am glad it's in this initial round with each of the rest of you. Serving as a Steward and the sense of "ownership" for helping make things better that comes with it has certainly taken my interest here to a new level.

[jkh]

Hello, my name is Jeremy (jkh) and I'll be lording over, uhm, stewing, no no, serving as Steward to the Shaving Brush forum.

I first became interested in finding a better way to shave late in 2005. My wife and I ran across Proraso shaving cream and an Omega boar brush at Target. She tried to talk me into getting them, but I declined. Knowing what I know now, I really should have listened to my wife. The gear at Target did spark an interest because the next day I stumbled upon Badger and Blade. Holy moly, this place totally blew my mind. Seriously, people join a forum and talk about shaving, seriously? I read a number of posts about what I should buy, but there were so many choices about razors, soaps, brushes, creams, etc that my head became dizzy and I lost interest. Two years later while visiting family one of my wife's relatives, who was my age, said he was using a boar brush and shaving soap and his results were phenomenal. Again, I did some internet research and this time I stumbled across Mantic's videos and Badger and Blade (again). A week later my first order arrived from Classic Shaving: Merkur Long Handled Classic, Vulfix 403 in Best, Proraso shave cream, and TOBS Lavender cream. A few days later the sampler pack from West Coast Shaving arrived (at the time, blades were the only item sold by WCS). As they say, the rest is history ...

To date I have lots of favorite shaving items. However, my acquisition loving id is in constant conflict with my minimalist ego. Seriously, I'm tortured, so I'm either binging or purging in the B/S/T. So actually devising a list of my favorite shaving anything is quite difficult to do, but I guess there are a few items that I consider staples: Soap (Tabac, MWF, Palmolive), Cream (Proraso Green), Brush (Somerset Simpson Duke 3 in Best), Razor (Oh, I love them all), AS (Speick, Aqua Velva, Alt Innsbruck, Nivea Balm).

Why do I keep coming back to Badger and Blade? Heck, there are lots of reasons, but the main reasons are the caliber of talented, interesting, and willing members and the general brotherhood felt among men who have found a better way shave.

[murchmb]

My name is Mike (murchmb). I am stewarding in the Speakeasy. Why, you ask? Because Jim asked me to and I'm easy.

About me:

I am an electrical (software) engineer living in Huntsville, Alabama. I work in the large high tech industry that is located here. Redstone Arsenal is the center of the U.S. Army's missile and aviation research efforts and also houses NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Quite literally, we're a city full of rocket scientists.

At the time of the writing, I have a wife of five years and a son of four years. We live in 1931 bungalow that has been undergoing a nightmare addition/renovation project for nearly 18 months. Holmes on Homes and This Old House could do a joint mini-series on it.

Regarding shaving and B&B:

I found the shaving forums and Cory Greenberg's blog during the early part of 2005. I was looking for groomsman's gifts and thought a nice shaving kit would be nice. I ended up getting pocket knives for them, but the seed was planted in my mind.

During the fall of 2005, my wife complained of my shaving. I had always hated the process whether it be electric or cartridge/goo. Bad, uncomfortable shaves that were hard on my skin. Something snapped and I joined B&B. I actually recognized Joel from his name and writing style as someone I knew of from the Big Green Egg forums. I'm member #133, so I guess I'm something of an old timer here.

My first purchases were made at the same time from QED and Classic Shaving. I started out with QED Lime soap, TOBS Avocado, a Merkur HD, and a Vulfix 2234. Since then, I have accumulated a sickening amount of stuff, but my current favorites are:

Razors: EJ DE89L, Gillette Fatboy, Gillette Sensor
Blades: Swedes, IP's, Feathers
Brushes: QED Select 24mm in Best, Simson CH2 Best, B&B 2009 LE (obviously new to the fav list)
Creams: Musgo Real, JM Frasers, TOBS Rose
Soaps: AoS Lavender, Penhaligon's English Fern, Pre de Provence
Aftershave: Proraso (balm & splash), Musgo Real splash, Nivea balm
Straights: No favs yet. On the back burner due to time constraints.

On the Speakeasy:

What makes me a good pick for the Speakeasy? I guess because I know a bit about and have interest in pretty much everything that is discussed there, with the exception of tobacco perhaps. I like whisk(e)y, pens, firearms, and high end audio equipment to name a few.

My thoughts on the Speakeasy? I would like it to have a more defined identity by encouraging threads that are on-topic. The subject areas of those topics still need some more definition. Beer/wine/alcohol, gentlemanly accoutrements, and pipes/cigars are obvious choices, but what else? I would also like to see more variety and less repetition in the threads that are started. The Spirit of the Month has been a great feature. I would like to see some other similar things that encourage participation in other areas. No ideas yet, though.

[The Nid Hog]

Nid Hog here. I'm the Steward of the Aftershaves forum. I'm a DE guy and I've been using an EJ DE89L with Feather blades quite a bit lately. I like ordinary aftershaves a lot and I find myself reaching for the Old Spice soap, aftershave and cologne pretty regularly. I also enjoy Pinaud, Aqua Velva and--of course--Mandom. Still, I'd hate to part with any of the bottles on my shelf. Colognes? I'm pretty taken by Dunhill 1934 these days, but I like Creed Vintage Tabarome and C&S 88 too.

I have some other hobbies too. I like to read. I do a lot of it for work, but I'm a recreational reader of philosophy, classic horror and detective fiction too. I enjoy working out and running--these days I'm very into kettlebells. I'm a big fan of MMA too, although lately I don't do it as much as I watch it. I'm into sea kayaking too. And I'm a pretty good cook (if I do say so myself).

I came across B&B when I dug out an old black Gillette Super Speed that I've carried around for the last twenty five years or so without using very much. I had been getting good shaves with the Fusion that I was using, but I just felt like doing something different. I found so much information here that I worked through issues with shaving technique and lather production that had turned me off from DE wetshaving in the past. I enjoy doing things in more traditional ways but I like to keep it simple too. B&B has helped me to work the DE razor, brush and soap into my morning routine without making it fussy and time consuming.

After I got the mechanics of the shave down, I learned a lot here--from high end fragrances and soaps to drugstore and barbershop aftershaves. But that was just the start of it. I've met so many great people here and had all kinds of interesting discussions. I've picked up some new habits too. I brew my morning coffee in a vacuum pot and I've got a serious smoker going in my backyard. Now I'd like to do what I can to pass that experience along to new members and keep things interesting for everybody who's been here for a while.

[pal]

Hello everyone, pal here. I am glad to be apart of this great forum and happy to serve as the steward of the Haberdashery. I imagine that I was picked because of my love of wrist watches, especially vintage watches. I also collect DE's, fountain pens and women.....no, no, ah hem....vintage str8s.

I was directed to B&B by Mantic's videos. I have always wanted to use a DE since I was a little boy watching my father shave with his Slim. So I ordered a Parker 22r and a Tweezerman brush (Ok, I admit it, I'm a cheap skate) from Amazon and I was hooked. My DE AD progression has led me back in history to the 1929 Ball Handled New and also a Bob's Razor Works "Amboyna Burl Handled New". These are by far my best shavers. I prefer shaving soaps over creams at his time but that like everything about his AD is subject to change.

I feel like we are trailblazing here and hope that we can make our Forum even better. I have been reading the different ideas presented by the stewards and am very impressed. I have a feeling, however, that just as the teacher is his best student, we are the ones who will really benefit the most.

[Edcculus]

Ok, a little bored at work, here goes:


About Me:
My name is Ed (pretty obvious). My username is a play on Phish's Icculus. If you are a fan, you will get it, if not its too hard to explain. As of now (2010) I'm 24 and graduated from Clemson University in 2008 with a degree in Graphic Communications. I spent a year in Cleveland, OH at a small label printing company. There, I was essentially the graphics department System Administrator. As bad as Cleveland sounds, in retrospect its not that bad of a place. It has its problems, and I wouldn't want to call it home. I'll really miss places like The West Side Market, Great Lakes Brewery and the few times I got to meet up with Pat to talk beer, shaving and Scotch. In March of 2010, I moved back to SC and got a job in the prepress department of a large paperboard packaging printer. In case its not obvious, my biggest hobby is homebrewing. I began homebrewing in 2005 and quickly became hooked. I'm currently seeking a part time position at a local brewery, and hope to eventually own either a brewery or brewpub. I've also begun to write a homebrewing column for a website called "dineandcook.com", which should be launched any day now. I'm also getting married to an incredibly wonderful girl on 10-10-10.

On shaving and B&B:
I joined B&B in the fall of 2006 while on my first internship in located in DC. For some time, I had been thinking "there just has to be a better way to shave". I think it was part boredom that made me hit the internet and eventually stumble upon B&B. Some very helpful advice quickly got me to Target where I scored a tube of Proraso, an Omega Boar brush and some Proraso ASB. My life was never to be the same! After procuring so much shave gear I didn't know what to do with, I went on a buying hiatus in 2007. I was extremely broke at the time, so whatever was leftover from paying rent went to not starving. My little buying haitus stuck, especially when I started getting big into homebrewing. I still shave every day with a DE, and still have my trusty C&E Best Badger brush. My shaves are pretty much with a Slim Adjustable every day, and one soap until I use it up. The variety was great, but even if I'm using 1 soap, 1 brush, 1 razor and 1 aftershave every day, it still beats the hell out of canned goo and a multi blade. Even though I don't really participate in the shaving talk that still goes on here, I have stuck around for everything else. Since 2006, I've seen this forum grow immenseley. I actually don't recognize 95% of the people who post here now. I mainly stick around The Speakeasy, The Barbershop and The Mess Hall.

On Stewardship:
Pat asked me to co-steward the Speakeasy a few weeks ago. I agree to anything, so I said yes. My main task is to encourage beer and brewing discussion. I'm kind of figuring out how exactly I might do that successfully. I'm not too big on pipes, fountain pens, guns etc, so I'm counting on Mike to take part there. One idea I tried a while ago before being a steward was an impromptu "beer style of the month". I talked about the history of the style, commercial examples, how to taste and pair with food, and even a homebrew recipe. It went over OK, IMO. The threads always ended up with someone saying they liked that style, but they liked another better. I might try something a little more focused like Beer of the Month (or even week!).

[blackfoot]

Well, here is what I put together. As you probably know, once I get started, I get quite long-winded. Sorry. Without further ado:

Hello, my name is Blake (Blackfoot). I work as a Security Officer at a somewhat large hospital. This has been more of an adventure than most can imagine or I had expected. Mrs. Blackfoot says hobbies are my hobby. I enjoy woodworking, leather craft, camping, fishing, hunting, scuba diving, kayaking, re-enactments, shooting, weapons of all varieties, firefighting, mountain biking, hiking, photography, riding my motorcycle, etc. As you can imagine, AD's come naturally. My biggest hobby is learning. I am always researching and learning about something. The day we quit striving to learn new things is the day we have given up on life. When you become stagnant, you deteriorate and die. This is probably the real reason for so many hobbies.

I found B&B when researching better shave techniques. I have never joined a forum like this before. I have signed up in order to access information and then never returned. I thought B&B would be the same. The first thing that blew me away, was how much information was out there. I mean, how much is there to know about dragging a piece of metal across your face? Little did I know, shaving starts long before you pull out a razor. In this research, I discovered something even better. I found a community of gentlemen. Somewhere along the way, I fell in with the wrong crowd. We got quarantined in the newly created Clown House. But, the conversations, inanity, support, and fellowship of the members of B&B is what kept me coming back. Ray (Thirdeye), Rob (Slaglerock), and Chip (Rabidpotatochip) really made me feel welcome and encouraged my participation. Fast forward almost a year and a half. Boy, does everyone regret that. No one realized the amount of bandwidth I would take up by myself.

I got started with a Medium E&J Best Badger brush, a flare tip Super Speed, a bottle of witch-hazel, and a puck of Almond Col. Conk soap. I still love that smell! Ad's hit hard and fast. I currently have at least 115 safety razors, 5 shave-ready straights and about a dozen that are not. I have converted my little brother (who is now a member here), my dad, and my wife. That was the other big benefit. Mrs. Blackfoot and I have enjoyed spending time together traveling around the area looking for antique stores together. Currently, though, my favourite setup is either a straight or the black-handled Super Adjustable set at nine with a feather, my newly acquired 2009 B&B Limited Edition brush, some tallow soap that is still in the testing phase, and Pinaud Clubman AS.

I am fascinated with the way things used to be done. I like to be a strange mixture of old-fashioned and new. I am the guy in a fedora with a Droid on my belt. Reaching out to our past is a way to connect to who we are. As with shaving, we often had it right a long time ago and mucked it up with technology. That is just one more benefit to my time here. I have learned all kinds of new/old things that have nothing to do with shaving and everything to do with being a gentleman.

I joined the Wiki Team as part of my attempt to learn. The Wiki provided an opportunity I never had before, a way to record the information I had gleaned. Not only was I able to learn, I could document the information and provide this information to anyone else that desired to learn it. How cool is that? So, I was selected as Steward of the Wiki Forum. Most don't see this forum, but they get to see the results. I hope to be able to further the objective that is the point of the Wiki Team. Our Wiki is the single most educational spot for learning all things shaving related. I have learned there is so much more in there than I realized when I joined. So, I hope to encourage everyone to use and contribute to the Wiki. We need to educate people on its use. It is an invaluable resource for newbies and old badgers alike. All we have to do is look. So, we want to make it easy to use, chocked full of information, and smack everyone in the face with it so they know it's there. As a noob, I would have done myself a huge favor by turning to the Wiki more and I hope to help others so they don't have to follow the more difficult path.

Even more than this, there was one other reason I joined the Wiki Team. Like so many, my wife and I have had to tighten our belts and are still in some tight times. I did not have a lot to contribute financially to B&B. So, this was one way I could give back to a community that had given me so much. Even if ones are unable to add to the Wiki themselves, sending us tidbits or photos is a huge help and is very much appreciated. Most of us do not have a large enough collection to be able to fill the Wiki with alone. But, together we have the largest razor collection in the world. That is the point of the Shave Wiki. It is everyone's. It is the collected knowledge, media, and passion of every member here. There is no small contribution. It is your collection, your information. Use it.

[richmondesi]

Um kay...

About me:

My username is rich-MON-desi not (richmond-esi). It's a nickname that was given to me by some college baseball teammates. My first year at the school, I didn't practice very well, therefore I didn't play a whole lot for the first couple of weeks in the season (I was always much more of a "Gamer"). Then, I got a pinch hit appearance and hit a 2 RBI double to the gap. My next at bat, I hit a Grand Slam... 2 at bats, 6 RBI and a HR... Needless to say, I got to play more after that . During that year, I batted over .500 in pinch hit appearances and was a designated hitter regularly. From that point onward, I was called a "professional hitter" and Raul Mondesi had a very similar name to mine and was still quite good, and some of my buddies started calling me Pa-ul Rich-Mondesi... richmondesi stuck...

I got an accounting degree and realized that I didn't like working in that capacity for people because even when you saved them money, they complained about their bill. I did the same thing this year to my former boss/current CPA So, I went into sales, and that's what I do currently. That kinda played into how I found B&B. You see, I'm 30 and thinning (not bald yet) and I was finding it ridiculous looking to try to "style" my thinning hair. Some guys do it well and pull it off, but I don't care enough to put in that kind of effort. I was researching the best head shaving routine (my wife loved the look back in college, but that was when I was in great shape... not sure if it'd be the same now as I decided to just clip, not shave, my head) when I found a Rolling Razor review by joel

I was struck by how well behaved and helpful the general membership was/is and joined my first ever forum of any kind. It took a couple of emails to joel (I felt like I knew him after reading several reviews and all of his Interactive Guide to Straight Shaving) to get my account activated to make my first post. In retrospect, I wonder if they had a bad feeling that if I ever started posting that I might go crazy with it. I have, but not quite as crazy as the guy who came one month after me

I came here to learn how to shave my head the quickest way, and now I'm happier with my shaves and my hobbies than I've ever been. I've also met quite a few real friends here too (not to mention becoming much closer with my brother because we now have something really cool in common ). For that I'm eternally grateful. My fondest "B&B moment" was going to meet up with Jim, Steve, and Lou in NYC. What a great day! The sampler pack was a fond memory

I'm one of the stewards in the straight razor section. I guess I was named a steward because I've been obsessively consuming knowledge (both learned from reading and experience) at an alarming/unhealthy rate since I started this whole deal. If you don't believe me, ask my wife who literally signed up here just to talk to me a little more... she doesn't log on much anymore

I'm really interested in just helping people have fun with the journey. My adopted quote for this whole process is "Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it" - Greg Anderson (as seen in my sig) because it really fits the process of learning to use traditional methods to shave as well as the process of shaving itself on a daily basis.

So what I'd like to see is for our forum is more videos, picture documentaries, and how-tos from all of you guys working your magic. The great thing about straights is that there is so much minutia that we can dive into, and it's really fun as long as people mind their manners

For anyone that's wondering, my favorite shave setup is my Puma 63 (not this one linked, but similar and in excellent condition) with Czech & Speake's Oxford & Cambridge soap lathered with my Rooney's Finest 1/2. I follow that with Thayer's Lavender Witchhazel and finish with the C&S O&C cologne... It makes for a delightful shave, and I always feel great the whole day.

Also, I'm kind of nutty about Coticules, too... so read everything I write with that understanding

[The Knize]

Here's a shot at a bio:

Hi, folks. I’m Rob, steward of the B&B Cologne forum.

I have fairly eclectic tastes in most things discussed on B&B. I am pretty much a straight razor guy--my mentor/guru on things grooming and satorial, Mitch M., got me started on straights!, thanks, Mitch!--my favorites as of this second being a John Shepard ¾ grind re-scaled in iridiscent buffalo bone, Double Duck Wonderedge on loan to me, and a re-shaped and re-scaled Double Arrow with pretty much the edge it has always had. I have a Penworks silver tip badger knot in a custom layered exotic wood handle, which I use pretty much exclusively, but I got by for the longest time perfectly happily with a Tweezerman. Most recent favorite shave soaps and creams, probably arko soap and a South African “Palmshave” SC, although I was recently reminded of just how good Penhaligon’s is.

Recently I seem to be obsessed with Indian Dabur Imperial Basil toothpaste and Anti Monkey Butt talcum powder. I like Mysore bath soap. And lately I am into Murray’s Nu Nile hair pomade. I am an ongoing fan of Superior 70 bay rums, and they are pretty much what I use for aftershave, exclusively these days, although I also use ASBs and ASMs, and often use ASs as scents rather than skin toning products.

Listing my favorite scents would be a rather temporal thing. I pretty much like them all, though. From the inexpensive such as Pinaud, Hoyt’s, and Murray & Lanman, through things like Aramis, Issey, and Grey Flannel, to C&S, Pen’s, and beyond. I find I really like a controversial scent, such as K10 or Yatagan. I think of scents pretty much as I used to think of wines—endlessly fascinating and diverse, and transportive. I would say that for me scents are even more difficult and deep than wines! In any event, I have not gotten bored with them yet!

I started hanging around B&B for the shaving advice and stayed for the community, friendship, and discussion of all sorts of stuff I am interested in or have through B&B become interested in.

I am hoping we can keep up the good work on the Colognes forum. I would like to see it as educational as possible and to continue the good advice that is given. But I am also looking for ways to help members actually experience some of these scents we talk about.

I am more than honored to been selected as a steward. And I am here to help the Mods and to be of help in any way I can to B&B members. I think it will be a lot of fun!

[mrmoonbeam]

I'd really like to see the Wiki expanded by our members, including really important areas such as the Safety Razor Database. With the knowledge that is here and the collections I have seen in the Shave Den photos, there shouldn't be any reason that B&B doesn't have the most detailed and photo laden directory of all things Razor.

...I'd like to see B&B paraphernalia for sale here. The B&B Shaving mug is one I'd love to have. I love to pour over the SOTD pics, and can't believe we haven't been able to turn these into a wall calendar yet. I'm telling you, some of those pictures would suit me just fine framed and on the wall in my shave den.
Phil

+1.
I've noticed some razor areas are missing such as the popular Lady Gillettes, with very little description or pictures.

As for paraphenalia, I've been browsing around for a decent way to show off my blade pride and haven't found much anywhere short of the 'art of manliness' Tees, and the variations of the mustache/beard/facial hair Tee.
I would defiantely jump on some shirts, mugs, hats and more.

Thanks guys for all you do.
You made the jump from cartridge to wet shaving 10X easier, and continue to do so for all the followers jumping on board daily.
I cannot express how much this has helped me.

[Barber-Eile]

Thanks for the great read guys and I'm happy to have you all here looking over things.
I wasn't surprised at all to see quite a few of you have members who have been exceptionally kind and welcoming to me and I have noted to be outstanding gentlemen so it's nice to know that you are getting some recognition of this.

Keep up the good work and you inspire me to make B&B an even better place