I am believing everything I read here... and B&B is changing my life!

[Blackbeard's Delight]

I don't know if it's just me, but I have a growing faith that pretty much everything I read here about traditional products is true. Is it just me?

DE shaving... I read up on DE blades/safety razors, brush lathering with shaving soaps/creams, etc etc. I read up A LOT before I decided to order a brush/soap starter set, to go out and find blades and such.

While I waited for everything to arrive, I started using the wet-shaving techniques with the mach 3 and canned shaving cream. The shaves got better with just that. I could have chickened out and stuck with improving my technique with the gear I was used to using. But I still wasn't sold, everyone said DE was better, I had to know.

I got to shaving with DE and it was amazing. How could I deny the results? I felt silly that I questioned it in the first place.

Before I knew it, I am using superlathers, witch hazel with aloe, I can no longer count the shaving soaps and creams on one hand. A variety of aftershave balms & splashes hide on the shelf from the wife. What's next?

So then I happened upon a post about hair products. There were people praising Groom & Clean. Wow, that's crazy... if I start using that, maybe I should pick up some dentures while I am at it! But from what I was reading, it sounds exactly like what I have wanted in a hair product all along. Research and research. Yup, it's my daily hair control product now.

Oh, did I mention that I found the Brown Leaf section of the forums? Yeah, I learned enough about what is involved pipe smoking to feed the curiosity I have had for many years. Soon I made the switch from cigarettes to pipe smoking, and I have been smoking significantly less. I smoked a pack a day(that's 20 cigarettes a day!), and now I smoke the pipe 3 to 6 times a day, and it's steadily reducing. I see myself being able to quit altogether, which was one of my goals in switching in the first place... but I find it a relaxing pastime and I am shooting to bringing out the pipe just once at night, after dinner or before bed, for the relaxation.

So yesterday I find someone posting about how they have used shampoo bars for the first time and they love it. Then many others chime in how they made the switch long ago and will never go back to regular shampoo. I didn't research any further this time. I just posted one question... what stores can I find shampoo bars? Why not. Lets do this.

Seems like the pattern is discover it, research it, buy it, try it, love it. I think I'll cut back on the researching a little bit.

Six months ago I never would have guessed I would be heading down this new-found path to the past. I never would have guessed so many products from bygone years would have made this many improvements in my life moving forward.

My question was originally going to be about products you have discovered and adopted that began with wet-shaving... but I think I will expand it now. How much has wet-shaving, as well as the people and resources at B&B made changes to your life?

For me, I have learned to slow down and appreciate more in life, that faster isn't necessarily better. That 'latest and greatest' isn't necessarily better. That a chore doesn't need to be a chore. That we should be open to try things you normally wouldn't do. You never know when a life change is one internet order away!

So about those shampoo bars........

[rockviper]

Pssst..... don't look now, but there's a nib forum as well

[CharlieFoxtrot]

This place has had a strange effect on my shopping and grooming habits and like many on B&B, I'm not looking back.

[Blackbeard's Delight]

Pssst..... don't look now, but there's a nib forum as well

Sigh...

~reaches for debit card~

There are some places on this site I have been afraid to view. That would be one of them!

[BroJohn]

Talc. You need to get some wonderfully scented talcs for post-shave. Really.

-- John Gehman

[OldGreyGuy]

For me, I have learned to slow down and appreciate more in life, that faster isn't necessarily better. That 'latest and greatest' isn't necessarily better. That a chore doesn't need to be a chore. That we should be open to try things you normally wouldn't do. You never know when a life change is one internet order away!

Now you are approaching the great revelation, that the chore doesn't need to be a chore and to enjoy the daily tasks such that you can look forward to them. If B&B can bring this to you as it has done for me then it has been worth all the time in learning this lesson.

Enjoy the journey, you never know where or when it will end.

[catherix]

Talc. You need to get some wonderfully scented talcs for post-shave. Really.

-- John Gehman

Okay I have to ask where you find wonderfully scented talcs? ~also reaches for credit card~

[alex2363]

Shampoo bars?

[Gissy]

Shampoo bars?

Beer and hair wash?

[Mad Man]

Shampoo bars?

"lush", a chain of organic, all-natural beauty products make a shampoo bar called "soak & float" that is a no added nasty ANYTHING bar that controls oily scalp & dandruff.

[turtle]

I tend to agree with you. A lot of useful information and some very helpful people

[oldspiceboy]

Speaking of shampoo bars. I use a couple of times a week Packers Pine Tar soap. It helps control scalp breakouts since mine is extremely sensitive.

But yea this site has heaps of info for the man wanting to fine tune his regime of personal administration.

[json]

"lush", a chain of organic, all-natural beauty products make a shampoo bar called "soak & float" that is a no added nasty ANYTHING bar that controls oily scalp & dandruff.

+1 to lush. their products are good. I recommend J.R.Liggets tea tree and hemp bar (found at most natural/organic stores like whole foods or your local co-op) i choose them over lush for bars. they seem small but last like 2+ months, YMMV.

[Blackbeard's Delight]

Shampoo bars?

Yeah that's what I thought too. Here's the thread I discovered it on:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...the-First-Time

Seems like the people that use shampoo bars have the same conviction about them that wet-shavers have when they switch to safety razors. Worth a try! I would like to look forward to shampooing... then it won't be just another thing I have to get out of the way so I can get to shaving!

[ackvil]

Like you I often go to B&B for advice on just about anything.

At one time I wanted to buy a smoker and posted some questions in the Mess Hall. The advice I got was great. In fact, my first attempt at using a smoker was with ribs. I reported that one of my neighbors said the aroma was fantastic and hence a custom title was born. Another time, I asked about a good knife to fillet fish. Again the advice was right on target. I had a problem with a fountain pen that would not work properly. I did a Google search and could not find any helpful answers. I posted on the Nib Forum and the advice I got fixed the problem for only pennies. I could go on about other recommendations but you get the idea.

What I have learned is that the folks on B&B have numerous interests and areas of expertise. You can get good advice from techies, photographers, cooks, wine and spirit lovers - just about anything on this site. And what is particularly helpful is that often there is more than one opinion on the subject so you can get the facts and decide on your own.

When I first joined B&B my wife could not understand why I spent so much time on a shaving site . When I showed her the number of forums we have here she was amazed. She still is amazed about the time I spend here - but when friends comment about the same thing she tells them how much information is on this great site.

[Blackbeard's Delight]

+1 to lush. their products are good. I recommend J.R.Liggets tea tree and hemp bar (found at most natural/organic stores like whole foods or your local co-op) i choose them over lush for bars. they seem small but last like 2+ months, YMMV.

I wonder if Trader Joes has something like this. Their website doesn't list any products they sell really. I only say that because I have a Trader Joes right up the street from where I live. (It's basically the same as a whole foods store). I am going away later this week and I'd rather pick something up to try rather than wonder if an internet order will reach me before I go, or pay overnight shipping on a $5 bar of shampoo! :)

[KyMash]

And to think I started wet shaving to "save" money...HA!

[Blackbeard's Delight]

Like you I often go to B&B for advice on just about anything.

At one time I wanted to buy a smoker and posted some questions in the Mess Hall. The advice I got was great. In fact, my first attempt at using a smoker was with ribs. I reported that one of my neighbors said the aroma was fantastic and hence a custom title was born. Another time, I asked about a good knife to fillet fish. Again the advice was right on target. I had a problem with a fountain pen that would not work properly. I did a Google search and could not find any helpful answers. I posted on the Nib Forum and the advice I got fixed the problem for only pennies. I could go on about other recommendations but you get the idea.

What I have learned is that the folks on B&B have numerous interests and areas of expertise. You can get good advice from techies, photographers, cooks, wine and spirit lovers - just about anything on this site. And what is particularly helpful is that often there is more than one opinion on the subject so you can get the facts and decide on your own.

When I first joined B&B my wife could not understand why I spent so much time on a shaving site . When I showed her the number of forums we have here she was amazed. She still is amazed about the time I spend here - but when friends comment about the same thing she tells them how much information is on this great site.

It's true, this website is one of the best resources out there. I have done google searches for products that have just led me to threads on a forum here. That's when I finally decided to sign up and join the community.

Another thing I am amazed by is how pretty much everyone here is very gentlemanly. People will come right out and disagree with you and give their opinion, which is what I like to see. But it never gets demeaning or condescending. I haven't run into any posting flame wars or whatnot. It really brings about a comfort level that opens me up to posting about anything I need an opinion on or a question I am looking for an answer to.

Like in this thread I started in the Haberdashery... I never would have posted this question on Facebook!

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Belt-Placement

[Antique Hoosier]

Badger & Blade has significantly impacted my life in very positive way!

[Hiisi]

Shampoo bars? just when i thought i only need a couple of more products!