Chicago Area - “The Close Shave"

[Price]

I might bring somethng to give away in a raffle if I can get out of Baltimore tomorrow evening.
Any straight shavers in the group, or is everyone DE?

All straight here, Phil. Glad to hear you might make it!

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I might bring somethng to give away in a raffle if I can get out of Baltimore tomorrow evening.
Any straight shavers in the group, or is everyone DE?

I’m a straight shaver but as the sponsor don’t see my name being in the hat. I DO see myself having a second helping of those bear claw pastries though!

(Why is it that if I try to type “pastries” it always comes out “pasties”?)

[sir-nix-alot]

Wow Captain! I feel like I have to step up my game... Hmmmmm... What should I bring??? Hmmmmm...

I use a straight on my face and safety for cleaning up the back of my neck.

[Clutch Cargo]

Just bringing the reminder back to the top for those who may not have seen it yet:

The Chicago Area Close Shave Event is TOMORROW: Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 09:00AM at Panera Bread on Rte. 83 (Kingery Hwy.) in Willowbrook, IL, just north of I-55 (the Stevenson Expressway).

[JCinPA]

You are really, REALLY excited about this, aren't you, Clutch?

Looking forward to it!

[rmartinez]

Is anyone bringing stuff to swap? I have a giant bottle of Tabac aftershave, a puck of williams, a few pucks of slightly used col conk soaps, one slightly used puck of VDH, and maybe a few other things. Nothing major, just some stuff I don't use. If I can't swap it, I will most likely donate it to a local nursing home. I wonder if they would even use this kind of stuff?

[luvmysuper]

I'm at the airport in Baltimore, so it's looking like I will be able to make it.
I'll be the guy wearing the Veg.

[sir-nix-alot]

Is anyone bringing stuff to swap? I have a giant bottle of Tabac aftershave, a puck of williams, a few pucks of slightly used col conk soaps, one slightly used puck of VDH, and maybe a few other things. Nothing major, just some stuff I don't use. If I can't swap it, I will most likely donate it to a local nursing home. I wonder if they would even use this kind of stuff?

I gotta go through my stash. I know that I have a bunch of blades to swap, a tub of Mama Bears Almond that my face doesn't agree with, and I am sure some other items.

[JCinPA]

I'll be the guy wearing the Veg.

You can sit at your own table then, nearby, of course!

[JCinPA]

I'm bringing a ton of stuff just because so many questions here are "what does that smell like?" I'm swappable with some of it.

[sjsowa]

Depending how my shift goes tonight I should be able to make it. I have a bunch of blades I'm bringing that I don't use, as well as a Frank Shave silver tip brush and some shaving cream that I only used a couple of times. PIF it, trade it, raffle it, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not going to use it, someone might as well use it.

[Clutch Cargo]

Just bringing the reminder back to the top:

The Chicago Area Close Shave Event is TODAY: Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 09:00AM at Panera Bread on Rte. 83 (Kingery Hwy.) in Willowbrook, IL, just north of I-55 (the Stevenson Expressway).

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Am back from the event - WHEWWWW! It felt like a high school reunion all morning long. A great time and everybody went back home with a bunch of free stuff. See? You CAN save money after all with this wet shaving hobby. Ha, ha!

Say, if you wanted to attend but were NOT able to, I have two gift bags looking for a home. Just PM me your address and I’ll put them in the mail to you. They include the stuff in the pics listed above.

I want to acknowlege - well, where do you start? Phil (Luvmysuper) donated a slug of stuff, several vintage DE’s and notably three beautiful straights. Howie of Parker sent a BOX of stuff to Stuart to give away. The raffle went on and on. The table was full of stuff and we kept going until it was finally empty. Stuff was freely swapped back and forth. Most of all it was all about meeting guys you were already acquainted with.

And then when we were done? John of JCinPA stepped forward and said he had an item he had brought to show but decided to raffle it off. He said he had enjoyed the camaraderie so much it just seemed like the thing to do. It was a stunning gold Gillette boxed, essentially mint. Paul, you HAVE to post a pic. Jaws dropped and frothing commenced. It went to Clutch Cargo with applause all ‘round!

I think everyone was most impressed with Phil’s long suffering Better Half who seemed to enjoy the event as much as the guys did. (Kidding about the long suffering bit, she fit right in.)

Stay tuned for the pictures, compliments of Clutch Cargo...

[luvmysuper]

A Grand time was had by all.
It was really nice to put a face to the names here, I thoroughly enjoyed the morning.
Kudos to Scott and the guys for putting this together, and proving that this thing we do can be much more than a guy sitting alone in front of a computer, or standing alone in front of his mirror.
(NOTE: Alone IS preferred when standing in front of your mirror)

[JCinPA]

Thanks for organizing that Scott! What a blast.

And many thanks to Howie!

Someone said it was like Christmas all over again, and someone else (Price maybe?) said it was 'Shavemas'. I like that!

I'm not sure Paul got the Aristocrat, Scott, I think maybe it was one of the guys across the table from him?

Nice group of folks, to be sure, ESPECIALLY the military guys! Phil is a 21 year Navy veteran, and Price is still serving. Personally, I think the high percentage of military guys on the B&B is part of what makes it so nice.

Price is a mensch, as is Phil. Phil contributed several nice straights, something I've been wanting to try for months now, and guess what came up in my raffle? It needed honing, and Price volunteered to do that for me right away, AND said he had an unused strop he'd give me, as well. Realizing he was in his 'Gentlemanly Restraint' non-accumulation period for the year, I gave him a Trumpers almond soap in wooden bowl as a thank you. Aside from meeting some very nice folks, there are very generous folks around here, too!


Scott, I can't thank you enough for putting this together. Very, very fun!

[Clutch Cargo]

As Captain Pre-Capsize and luvmysuper said before me, The Close Shave event today was really a GREAT get-together! It was truly wonderful meeting everyone and finally being able to put a face to a screen name!

Here's Captain Pre-Capsize getting ready to hand out the Merz Apothecary (www.smallflower.com) gift bags!


Sir-Nix-Alot is about to show us his incredible Milord!


This is SGB1963 explaining all the raffle items graciously donated by Howie from Taconic!


Here's RMartinez, a lucky winner of one of the straights!


It was great to meet SJSowa in person!


More photos in the next post......

[Hammertime1]

Glad it was a good time. Wish I could have made it. Hopefully next time. The heating pad that I been trying to have a romantic Interest with all week has not helped lower back at all. Doc that was going to zap nerves had an emergency an canceled on me at last minute which was my only hope of relief before the event. Let's hear about all the cool show n tell stuff.

[Clutch Cargo]

More photos from The Close Shave Event:

Here's Wid, who also brought a fine collection of his straights!


Here's JCinPA, who so graciously donated a like-new gold Aristocrat to our give-away and brought a table full of products for all of us to peruse!


It was also nice to finally meet Price as well!


Here's MBRANDO who shared a ton of information with us (along with Wid) about sharpening and honing.


And the raffle is about to begin! Left to right: SGB1963, Sir-Nix-Alot and Captain Pre-Capsize.

[Clutch Cargo]

What the heck was my real name again?


Anybody know what this is used for?


And the lucky winner of this fine new razor is........?


Another BIG THANK YOU goes out to Howie at Taconic and the fine folks at Merz Apothecary (in Chicago) for their generous product contributions which helped make our Close Shave Event even more fun today!

[Clutch Cargo]

I'm not sure Paul got the Aristocrat, Scott, I think maybe it was one of the guys across the table from him?

No, it wasn't me, JCinPA; but if you've got another like it in the same condition, I'll bring cash!