I would assume it would be people voting for products they had experience with. I don't expect people who don't own any custom razors would vote for the custom razor they think looks best. Most likely they'd abstain. Yes, this would favor products that have a larger number of customers, but that's not a bad thing. If 100 people have a product and like it, that's worth knowing. Is it more valuable than if one person with a lot of experience has a product and likes it? In some cases it is, but people have to decide that for themselves. Recall amazon reviews. If there's a product with single digit reviews and a five star rating, you're not going to assume it definitely deserves that rating, but it will get you to look into it. If there's one with four digits of reviews and a four star rating, that's also a product worth looking at.
2014 Badger & Blade Awards - Straight Razors Under $500
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I would assume it would be people voting for products they had experience with. I don't expect people who don't own any custom razors would vote for the custom razor they think looks best. Most likely they'd abstain. Yes, this would favor products that have a larger number of customers, but that's not a bad thing. If 100 people have a product and like it, that's worth knowing. Is it more valuable than if one person with a lot of experience has a product and likes it? In some cases it is, but people have to decide that for themselves. Recall amazon reviews. If there's a product with single digit reviews and a five star rating, you're not going to assume it definitely deserves that rating, but it will get you to look into it. If there's one with four digits of reviews and a four star rating, that's also a product worth looking at.
I have no problem with the owner of the B&B name putting that name on any award, as long as he provided the basis for the award. Joel has done this. As a newbie, I did not even know who Joel was until this thread. He is not the reason that I am here. I am here as I have a fascination with steel cutting tools, and enjoy trying to understand some of the mysteries in steel that make one alloy or type superior to others for particular applications, shaving being one of those. Steel has been around since biblical times, so one would think that everything there is to know about steel is known, but this simply is not the case. The ingredients and the processes that made the old Damascus so sought after have been lost to us since about 1700, and material science has not been able to replicate this steel yet. We know that this steel had carbon nanotubes and cementite nanowires which we learned in about 2006, but how this medieval product was made remains a mystery.
Human hands forging, heat treating, grinding and honing steel into useful tools that last a lifetime is what fascinates me. One thing I do agree with that Joel said is about "Shave Ready." The reason that the NOS razors Joel cites are superior with respect to this aspect is that a skilled human hand made it that way prior to boxing it up. Manufacturers no longer make this investment into their blades probably because it is not cost effective to make them this way. Nate made a business of this skill that has evolved into making razors. And that is a good story. Congratulations Nate!
Human hands forging, heat treating, grinding and honing steel into useful tools that last a lifetime is what fascinates me. One thing I do agree with that Joel said is about "Shave Ready." The reason that the NOS razors Joel cites are superior with respect to this aspect is that a skilled human hand made it that way prior to boxing it up. Manufacturers no longer make this investment into their blades probably because it is not cost effective to make them this way. Nate made a business of this skill that has evolved into making razors. And that is a good story. Congratulations Nate!
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Wait big surprise Tim Zowada won over $500.00 catagory. Tim makes good razors but I wonder what other catagory the Zowada are up for?
Yeah, again just MY opinion, Cedric Christ should have won that, hands down.
I've no money for either but love the look of Cedric's work.
Just received Cedric's razor yesterday. Truly amazing.
Google cedric christ. He's a preacher. Vaguely remember some preacher being in the news for conspiracy theory that Starbucks puts extra "protein" in their drinks, assume reference to this. Sad that I didn't realize it. Look deeper. Find Cédric Christ. Ah, that makes more sense. Probably easier to find him by googling "Ali's razors".
Then, look at his Gallery at his website. Then go to FB, click 'Like' on Ali's Blade FB page and in no time you're going to admire what this guy can do.
I think it's cool that TZ's son is doing his own thing in the same vein. Very cool.
Gotta agree with you on that! Seeing a son following in his fathers footsteps does my heart some good.
I haven't heard of Nate's Straights until now. Beautiful work. I love the 5/8 design. You don't see that very much with most custom makers.
I must have one.
I must have one.
I have to disagree. I think most voters would not have the opportunity to try and compare all the products in a given category and if a product they liked and had spent money on was up for a vote, many would vote to see their choice affirmed by the award they voted for. As in your examples, how many amazon reviews (or anywhere else for that matter) are written with either an admitted or apparent complete lack of experience of the product other than looking at pictures online.
Frankly, despite thinking that awards like this are unnecessary at best and fraught with the potential for the appearance of favoritism at worst, although that does not appear to be the case with the b&b awards, I think they can be a good way to learn about products I might otherwise have overlooked. I would rather see "best new" awards, even if the product is not truly newly available but rather newly brought to the attention of b&b, decided by a small panel of people who get to evaluate all the possible candidates. Of course, nominations could, and maybe should, be open to the general membership of b&b, or at least to contributors, so we lessen the risk of good products falling through the cracks. The ability to nominate a product could motivate a "true believer" to become a contributor, further supporting b&b and helping b&b obtain the products for review at the same time.
Anyway, congratulations to the winners.
Exactly. It was suggested that people would vote for products they hadn't used but thought looked the best. I was saying I doubt that would be a problem. If you read further in my post you'll see that I actually bring up that widely distributed products would receive more votes and explain that this is not a problem. Likewise, I'm sure the judges of these awards didn't try every shave soap and strop and <$150 shave brush and <$500 razor in existence (they might have tried every >$500 maker... though probably not). Expecting that from any trial is unreasonable. And having a thousand voices who have tried an average of three brushes each offers a different and valuable perspective when compared to having three voices who may have tried a thousand brushes each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iAzLHzkFHvM#t=590
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If I wanted to know about the popularity of products, I'd just read the forums.
What's the most popular shave brush?
the one that is in everybody's hand at the time that they are shaving. that brush is very popular.
-jim
Congratulations Nate, you make a very nice looking product.
There is a lot to like in this post, as far as this member is concerned. Perhaps next year a Gold Silver and Bronze system could be instituted, so as to see what other makers were close to the summit. I think member voting is not such a great idea.
I agree 100%. I have seen the "Award" banners on the site and wondered how the winners were determined . . . and now I know. So long as the PROCESS is known, how much credence to give the awards is up to the individual.
Yup. That said, debate is healthy . . .
I think this is a workable compromise.
I second this post.
I personally think the post awarding the prize to Nate was somewhat enthusiastic, but I have no doubt that MY post detailing my first experience with my inbound Ralf Aust will be equally effusive. So what? I was very pleased to find out that, for a few dollars more than I am paying for my "production" straight, I will be able to purchase a "hand-made" blade. now to find out that for double THAT price I can acquire something like what is displayed in this thread? AWESOME. This is why I keep coming back to B&B, because there is ALWAYS something new and interesting to discover about my newest hobby.
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