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2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical - The Year of The Prisoner

Introducing the 2023 Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief

Join the members of the Badger & Blade community for the 14th annual Shave Purchase Sabbatical, held since 2010. Remembering all those who were successful, those who are still toughing it out, those who signed up, and those who fell to temptation, @KQY61 presents to you, the Badger and Blade 2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical, aka The Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief thread.

This year's GRUYERE storyline will be The Year of The Prisoner. The theme will be based on that classic 1960’s television show The Prisoner.

This was inspired by the previous two years, where we were doing a Star Trek - The Original Series theme. I was thinking of other shows of the era, and thought of this one. It was a rather different TV show.

The concept was a Secret Agent show, but with an entirely different take. Our Hero is, or was, a Secret Agent. In the opening, something has caused him to Resign. As he contemplates his newfound freedom, he winds up subjected to sleeping gas and wakes up in a strange place. As a Prisoner. He wasn't allowed to Resign, you see. And, the Powers That Be want to know why he resigned. He never does tell us. Secret, indeed, until the end.

The series was a short one. It ran 16 episodes in the UK, with a 17th tossed in for the US (a Western based episode as those were also all the rage at the time). Our hero has no name, just a Number, which is Six. The boss of The Village is Number Two. Everyone has a Number, no names are used most of the time.

As the show progresses, Number Two is clearly In Charge. As Number Six gains experience over time, he figures things out. Such as many of his fellow Prisoners are not what they seem. They are Warders. Others are, indeed, Prisoners. And, we also find out that they are from both sides of the Cold War. The Village is a collaboration. And our hero cannot risk giving any information up.

Eventually, Number Six turns the tables on Them and winds up getting away after a few false starts. However, the end of the last episode looks exactly like the beginning of the first one. So, maybe he never does win.....

And, there no Number One here. We think our hero is actually Number One at the end, but as I already pointed out, maybe not.....

So we will have no Number One for this year. I shall leave it blank. And Number Six will be the late Patrick McGoohan, the actor who plays Number Six and came up with the idea for the show. No, he wasn't on B&B, but I'd like to honor him and his idea. So, he's Number Six. That leaves me, @KQY61, as Number Two. And this thread is The Village. And, unlike the Number Twos in the series, I won't be stepping aside for a New Number Two every week. ;)

I think I shall run a random pick at the end of the Restraint of those who make it through and make that person Number One.

So, at first we shall all be Prisoners and not Warders, save for Number Two. He's (me) always a Warder. And as folks drop Out, they shall be revealed to be Warders. Those left still In are, of course, Prisoners.

Will you take up the 2023 GRUYERE? Resign from buying shaving stuff and so wind up in The Village of The Restrained?

And now to the rules and regulations. Lifted from last year, of course. We tend to not change these from year to year.

The sabbatical is open to all ascetics, gluttons, minimisers, denizens of the doghouse, hecklers, reformed treewhalers, Darth Lords, trolls, and folks with nothing better to do. We're all about cheap thrills in the sabbatical. Cure your _ADs ("blank" acquisition disorder), prime your 3017 campaign, learn your current setup, enjoy what you've got, protect your paychecks: we walk many paths on the same road.

New to restraint? The ground rules are simple: You don't purchase shaving related goods for a calendar year (12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 525,600 minutes). We start when 2022 becomes 2023, and we end when 2023 becomes 2024. It is not for the faint of heart, the Rules cover a wide area, to help with the goal of saving money. We are all here to save money, to stop filling every nook and cranny of our humble abode with shaving related items.

The Rules
1. Read all of the rules. From #1 through to and including number 16.
2. Start and end time are based on your local time zone. Or, UTC (GMT), if you prefer.
3. Gentlemanly Restraint is restricted to all items related to shaving and the shaving hobby; though you can avoid other purchases as well.
4. No purchases of anything to do with shaving are allowed during the restraint period. NONE. No purchases even if you get a gift card to WCS, ebay,
Amazon, etc. If you need something you may trade for it; that's why you are a part of a community that can help you out. This also means that you
have enough stuff to see out about 12 months of shaving.
5. Gifts. You cannot ask for, solicit, hint at, etc., gifts in any way.
6. PIFs. You may OFFER PIFs (including associated shipping costs), but the PIF excludes those B&B members who are part of the annual sabbatical. You
may not enter or request a PIF.
7. To clarify, not buying anything means not spending money (or redeeming gift cards) on shaving goods, period. This includes blades, cream, soap,
brushes, scuttles, any type of cartridge, aftershave, stone, strop, lapping film, scuttle water heater, kettle for the bathroom, shaving related books,
pictures, knick-knacks and on and on. You get the idea. You spent money on it? You haven't shown restraint. *
8. Plan your year carefully. Think ahead to make sure you have the razors, blades, soaps, creams, aftershaves, scuttles, towels, travel gear, dopp bags
etc. for the next twelve months. If you travel, pick up a couple of the dreaded disposables. You can always ask before the start if you are not sure
how much you will go through.
9.You must check-in on the 2023 GRUYERE thread during the specific times listed

March 29th to April 7th
June 28th through to July 7th
September 27th through to October 6th
January 1st through to January 10th 2024

10. However, at other times please feel free to post and let us know how you are doing in your goal of abstaining.
11. If a shaving item breaks in the restraint and you have no backup handy, one replacement may be purchased as an exception (example if the knot
comes out of your brush when traveling, a cheap brush or superglue to fix broken brush is deemed acceptable in the 2021 restraint). Forgetting
to pack your gear does not count, that will put you out.
12. The fine print on the grey areas: Functional maintenance, such as straight razor honing, does not count as a purchased good. Since we're
all gentlemen here, we leave it up to you to decide if PIF purchases for others count as purchases.
13. Gifts you receive are also dicey. Because these and other fuzzy areas may pop up, let's agree to be gentlemanly in our appraisal of still In or
knocked Out. In other words, you're In until you say "I'm Out" and you're Out if you spent money! If you buy something, announce what you
bought so we can get our vicarious thrills at your expense and strike you from the list in an exciting chapter of our ongoing storyline.
14. Only if you succeeded in the 2022 Sabbatical, you have from January 1-14, 2023 as restock window.
15. If you have to ask for clarification, you probably should not be doing it.
16. Read rule number 1.
Group exceptions:

  • ALL Badger and Blade branded items including B&B Group Buys
  • Sue Moore Memorial Auction items
  • Badger and Blade contributor badge

*Oscar Wilde Clause ("Everything in moderation, including moderation"): If you elect to do so, you may state one specific personal exception when you sign up. The personal exception is a onetime one item purchase (one razor, or one soap, or one box of blades). You can also use the Bingle Buddy Gift Exchange as your exception.

What say you? Are you in?!
 
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Hi,

OK. The usual. Copy and Paste and add thyself.

Fill in #3 thru #5 and leave PMG in as #6. ;)

Participants for the 2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical: The Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief

#1 Intentionally Left Blank
#2 KQY61 - No Exception
#3
#4
#5
#6 Patrick McGoohan

Stan
 
Thanks for carrying the load again. I'm in.

Participants for the 2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical: The Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief

#1 Intentionally Left Blank
#2 KQY61 - No Exception
#3 sjblon - No Exception
#4
#5
#6 Patrick McGoohan
 
Hi,

The only real load, for me anyway, was coming up with a new theme. I was late to the party last year, suddenly realizing no one was coming up with anything. So, I dropped back Ten and Punted by reusing the 2021 theme. I had thought to use it again for 2023 since Star Trek TOS ran for three years. I really didn't like that as it seemed a bit too much....

I had flirted with Soylent Green for 2022, but as we were already so late I didn't follow up on that one. And, what constituted the load for 2023 was writing up all this stuff about The Prisoner and then discovering it way, way too long for the opening post. And then paring it back down. Ha! ;)

Now all I have to so is hope enough folks follow what it was all about. I don't think the show is in reruns anywhere. I have it on DVD (and VCR tapes before that). But I was intrigued by the show as a kid. More so than any other TV show. And, all year, it rather sat at the back of my head as a theme. On my shelf, The Prisoner DVDs sit right next to my Star Trek TOS, you see....

Stan
 
Like the theme. Never heard of the show, but always liked Patrick Mcgoohan on Columbo. Will have to watch the series now.
Haven't been shaving a year yet, but feel I can easily make it a year with the gear I have. The only thing I should need us aftershave, mainly because I don't know how far it lasts. With that said I will buy some and call myself in.
 
Thanks for carrying the load again. I'm in.

Participants for the 2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical: The Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief

#1 Intentionally Left Blank
#2 KQY61 - No Exception
#3 sjblon - No Exception
#4 Tillerman
#5
#6 Patrick McGoohan

Hi,

OK. The usual. Copy and Paste and add thyself.

Fill in #3 thru #5 and leave PMG in as #6. ;)

Participants for the 2023 Shave Purchase Sabbatical: The Gentlemanly Restraint Until Year's End RElief

#1 Intentionally Left Blank
#2 KQY61 - No Exception
#3 Tillerman
#4
#5
#6 Patrick McGoohan

Stan
 
Hi,

The only real load, for me anyway, was coming up with a new theme. I was late to the party last year, suddenly realizing no one was coming up with anything. So, I dropped back Ten and Punted by reusing the 2021 theme. I had thought to use it again for 2023 since Star Trek TOS ran for three years. I really didn't like that as it seemed a bit too much....

I had flirted with Soylent Green for 2022, but as we were already so late I didn't follow up on that one. And, what constituted the load for 2023 was writing up all this stuff about The Prisoner and then discovering it way, way too long for the opening post. And then paring it back down. Ha! ;)

Now all I have to so is hope enough folks follow what it was all about. I don't think the show is in reruns anywhere. I have it on DVD (and VCR tapes before that). But I was intrigued by the show as a kid. More so than any other TV show. And, all year, it rather sat at the back of my head as a theme. On my shelf, The Prisoner DVDs sit right next to my Star Trek TOS, you see....

Stan
I hadn't heard of the show but am looking forward to watching it. It seems to be available on several online platforms.
 
Hi,

Oops. List got buried!

1 Intentionally Left Blank
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5
6 Patrick McGoohan

I removed the # symbol I originally had. We don't really need those, do we?

Stan
 
I LOVE that show. One of my all time favs!! Since I was mercifully saved from a stupid indiscretion, I will loyally submit for another year. My favorite purveyor of A/S may do a drop at some point, so that is my exception (plus the one thing for which I do not have 5+ years of stock).

#1 Intentionally Left Blank
#2 KQY61 - No Exception
#3 sjblon - No Exception
#4 Tillerman
#5 Noodles - A/S
#6 Patrick McGoohan
 
Hi,

It was, as I mentioned, an odd show. There's all sorts of books regarding it, and these days, websites. The only caveat is there's a bunch of contradicting information as well.

The basic backstory comes from an earlier show McGoohan was in. Danger Man in the UK, Secret Agent Man in the US. John Drake was McGoohan's character. It was different than the others, kind of campy when most of which were James Bond like. And there is an episode, my favorite, The Girl Who Was Death, and if that isn't John Drake in that, I'll eat my hat (and I do wear hats)!

The other writer, George Markstein had said Number Six was John Drake but they could never officially say that since Danger Man was from the BBC and The Prisoner was from ITC. McGoohan always said Number Six was not John Drake. Well, I can see how The Prisoner came from Danger Man after DM was over and done with: Say, what does happen to a secret agent who resigns? Well, now we know! ;)

There is another odd thing for those who are off to watch the series. They are out of sequence as aired. And there were originally fewer shows planned than made. The end result is from one show to another, Number Six seems to have a greater amount of savvy and then seems to lose it and then seems to regain it. And you'll find about as many Order To Watch It In lists as there are people who have watched it.

But then our last two years show, Star Trek, was also aired out of sequence. Production issues and all that. So, it's hardly an unusual situation. And then the shows are in air order on my DVDs for both series. Maybe some streaming option has re-sorted them.

Be Seeing You

Yeah, I had forgotten that tag line from the show. Be Seeing You was used a lot at first in The Village but then kind of dropped off as time went on.

Stan
 
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Hi,

This is The Village:

Village.jpg


It's actually Portmeirion in North Wales. The exteriors used for the show. And here is Number Six's place:

village-1.jpg


Number Two lives in the Green Dome.

Stan
 
Hi,

The Penny Farthing bicycle shows up all over the place. The avatar I have is what all the people in The Village wear for an ID badge. Except Number Six, who rebels against it. And his Number for that matter, even though we never get his name. ;)

I think the idea here is that the Big Wheel still needs the Little One to get anywhere in life. :)

Stan
 
1 Intentionally Left Blank
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5 Noodles - A/S
6 Patrick McGoohan
7 VerbaVolant - No Exception
8 bjm - Exception: razor handle
 
I watched the first episode on YT yesterday... what a unique (almost strange) storytelling from today's point of view. And these special effects white buddles... hilarious. 🤣

I haven't made my mind as yet if I feel confident enough to join in for 2023... ... although I really like the theme.
Anyway, I don't want to be the first nominated warder .. lol.
 
Hi,

I think you are referring to Rover. The weather balloon. That was a stopgap special effect because the floating all terrain vehicle 'robot' they had made up didn't. Float, that is. The first time they went to use it during shooting, I think. Panic! That story was in a documentary I saw long ago. Probably out here in Web land these days.

You will see more of Rover in other episodes. He's a busy guy, or robot, or bubble!

And the car is a Lotus Seven Series II. Has the Cosworth single overhead cam crossflow head on what was a pretty basic Ford engine. Has a pretty cool sound. I had all four series of Lotus Seven cars over the years. Some road cars, some track cars. I fell in love with them from this show. You'll see more of it in a later episode. My favorites are the Twin Cam engined Series Four and the Coventry Climax engined Series-I. You can still buy them new today from Caterham who bought the rights, tooling and such from Lotus in 1974.

And a Lotus Seven is not an item for our restraint! :)

Oh, I can see that now. Someone stops buying shaving gear and spends a lot more on a car because of the restraint! That'd be cool, actually.....

Come to think on it, I am currently Seven-less. I usually had a Seven for a roadgoing sports car while I had something else for the track. Usually a different Lotus. And, these days, I happen to not have either a road sports car or a track car. I might be the guy in the restraint who gets a Seven..... ;)

And I shall admit now, that my phone ringtone has long been the theme from The Prisoner. Has the engine sound from the Seven in the middle. No one else has it, so I always know it is my phone in a crowd.

I just had an idea. Here's an updated list:

1 Rover
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5 Noodles - A/S
6 Patrick McGoohan
7 VerbaVolant - No Exception
8 bjm - Exception: razor handle

I think that sounds better while keeping Number 1 open for later. ;)

Stan
 
Amazing idea for this year's theme. Now I need to see this tv show 🙂

I'm in!

1 Rover
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5 Noodles - A/S
6 Patrick McGoohan
7 VerbaVolant - No Exception
8 bjm - Exception: razor handle
9 elmo_koffman - exception: blades
 
I'm in!

1 Rover
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5 Noodles - A/S
6 Patrick McGoohan
7 VerbaVolant - No Exception
8 bjm - Exception: razor handle
9 elmo_koffman - exception: blades
10 Jim99 - Exception: aftershave
 
I'm in!
1 Rover
2 KQY61 - No Exception
3 sjblon - No Exception
4 Tillerman
5 Noodles - A/S
6 Patrick McGoohan
7 VerbaVolant - No Exception
8 bjm - Exception: razor handle
9 elmo_koffman - exception: blades
10 Jim99 - Exception: aftershave
11 Pepin - exception vintage razor
 
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