Straight Razor PIF! What do you like about B&B?

[Slash McCoy]

Another Slash McCoy straight for some lucky Badger. This PIF open world-wide, but the winner must be willing to pay the shipping via PayPal if outside the US or Canada.



To qualify:

1. You must already own one or more shave-worthy straights, and straight-shave on a regular basis.
2. You agree to post a review after shaving with it.
3. You have at least 200 posts.
4. You post a short essay about why you like B&B or what you like best about it or how it has helped you more than other sites. At least 100 well considered words in length.
5. You include the words, "I'm in" so I know you actually want the razor.



Selection process

1. I will select the winner this coming Sunday at Midnight, or some convenient time shortly thereafter.
2. Selection will be random, based on the last two digits of the total forum post count.
3. Entries that do not meet all qualifications will not be considered. Please read the rules for the PIF


The winner should feel free, after shaving with the razor and posting a short review, to keep the razor, modify it, hone it, rescale it, PIF it to someone else, or start a passaround. Anything but sell it.



THE RAZOR

Pics tomorrow. This is one of the series I did recently with walnut scales and what I call the "Crescent City Swoop" shape. These razors all have various small flaws that do not detract from the shave, but do not meet my standards to be sold as premium razors. The particular razor to be PIFed is in a pair of scales I made for a shorty a while back and there is no clearance between wedge and nose. The bevel angle as I recall is around 16.4 degrees. I have shaved with this razor 3 times and it is a very eager and lively shaver. The wedge end of the scales is secured with two pins. This, like my last PIF, is not really a newbie razor and is best suited for someone with at least a few dozen shaves under his belt but it is sure to please the discriminating straight shaver. Razor will be touched up with diamond on balsa and disinfected, and the blade oiled before shipping Monday.



Stay tuned for more PIF action in the future, including a newbie PIF and a People's Choice PIF where everyone can vote for their choice of the winner, based on the entrant's history of helping to educate us all on straight shaving and buying, making, maintaining, honing, or modifying straight razors.

 

[fsturnz]

I’m in! Thanks for the wonderful opportunity for one of your awesome blades.

I joined B&B back in January when I started down the road of traditional wet shaving. I searched on line for information and came across many sites and many forums. But when I searched for specific parameters, this forum came up more than any other. So I lurked for a while, and discovered not only a wealth of information…but the members here honestly seemed to care about this hobby of ours, and were always willing to help others without judging or putting down. Unusual compared to some of the other forums I have tried. I made the move from DE’s to straights in April, finding a good blade on the BST. I’m now on shave 143…yes, I track my shaves and products to help me find what really works. Had my ups and downs, but I’ve arrived at a daily DFS with no irritation. Now own four decent blades(two new and two antique), and looking for more…aren’t we all. I even maintain the blades myself, with skills I picked up as a woodworker, and of course…all the information here.

Thanks to everyone that contributes to making this site one of the best forums, and certainly one of the best places to learn and share.

If I win this PIF, I will most certainly post my experiences with this custom blade.

 

[blackhhawk]

I'm in, I would like to try one of these. Especially an edge from an experienced film honer.

Why do I like B&B? Well, one obvious reason would be because of the fact that members exist who are kind enough to start threads like this. I've never won one before, but I have gotten plenty of "freebies" from other members just by simply posting a question about something. I have NEVER seen a group on the internet that had members who had the integrity and generosity displayed here. After I found my way into straights, I PIFed some DE stuff out to a guy. The only way that this site stays so great is by members continuing to pay things forward to newbies as they gain experience.

The main reason I like this place is the fact that I've been able to pick up a hobby I enjoy with the help of everyone here. I don't physically have someone in front of me teaching me things, and this is the next best thing. The ability to be able to post a question and get back the amount of feedback that I do is remarkable. There are so many "experts" here willing to share their knowledge, all for free. We also have a whole forum for buying/selling/trading things between us at prices that are far better than eBay, or some of the other known market places.

I found B&B from a member at another message board who had a thread about wet shaving. I bought a basic kit to shave with safety razors, then came here to learn. After about a month, I found my way to straights where I now remain and am quickly approaching 100 shaves. Because of everyone here, I'm able to learn more and more each day and improve my technique. Without that, I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Shaving is now something I look forward to doing every day (even on weekends). Thanks B&B!

Thanks Slash, this is very generous. Those custom razors take a lot of time and hard work to make, especially the ones I've seen you make.

I agree to post a review of the PIFd razor if I win.

 

[Chaloney]

I'm in.

ive been a part of quite a few Internet forums over the last couple decades, and of several dial-up BBS's in the pre-internet days. The one thing that makes badger and blade really stand out, especially when compared to its contemporaries, is the way the community treats newcomers. On any forum there will be a certain range of questions and topics that new members tend to post. These are the things that someone comes to the internet to learn when they are trying something new. On every other forum I've been on, there will be, in response to these questions, at least one snide "did you try the search function? That's what it's there for..." answer. Often there will be many of these. Is that any way to treat someone who wants to learn more about a hobby or activity one is interested in? Of course not, but B&B stands alone in being a place where this is not the common practice. Go example, I can't tell you how many times I've read about slash's approach to edge maintenance when a new straight shaver asks how it's done, and he is but one of many shining examples of the welcoming attitude on display throughout the B&B forums. (Yes I realize that the selection will be random and flattery will not improve my chances of winning). My straight shaving, maintenance, honing, restoring, and (coming up next) GD modding have all come a long way in the 3 1/2 months since I started and it is all thanks to B&B.

 

[oakeshott]

The chicks. I dig the chicks.

Not in, but a great PIF.

 

[Acmemfg]

I'm in...thanks for the offer

B&B and Me

Back a few years ago a water main under the house broke, serious mess. During the clean up and rebuild, it looked like my first and (at the time) only shave brush turned up missing; not surprising as the work crew threw out 40-45 pairs of my wife's shoes along with the rubble.

During my search to find a replacement brush, I happened upon Badger & Blade. I had NO IDEA there was a shave culture such as this! The more I read about everything wet shaving involved the more interested I became. I cannot begin to list how many helpful and informative posts I have read on B&B dealing with the shave discipline. Nor can I think of any other forum which is as courteous and thoughtful as B&B has proven to be over the years.

Win or lose...no worries. I am thankful for the opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone here and to say how much fun I have had on B&B.

Oh....I finally found the brush!!

 

[GreekGuy]

Very generous of you Slash! Not in but this is a fantastic opportunity

 

[JHP]

I'm In.

This is easy for me. I wrote my essay on December 22, 2012 in anticipation of this PIF. Just kidding. I did in fact write this on 12/22/12 because it was so true for me at the time, and it is still true today. B&B is a wonderful community as demonstrated not only by this PIF but by the endless thoughtful and thorough posts by Slash helping out the new guys. It's interesting that Chaloney and I have had nearly identical observations. Here's my essay -

I've been involved on B&B for only a month, but in that time I've been impressed beyond words with the welcome I have received. I've been involved with a number of different online forums over the years and NONE of them are like B&B. On some forums the most common response is "Do a search. That question has been answered a thousand times." I have not seen that response on B&B yet. I've spent a lot of time in the last several months, first as a lurker and now as a participant searching old threads. There are some common questions that have been answered frequently, and yet veterans will jump in and answer them again or politely provide links to helpful threads.

The other common problem I've found on other boards is that if you're not part of the in-crowd, your thread or post will be ignored. Not on B&B. Everyone here is so open and willing to help new guys.

Congratulations to the moderators and organizers of this board. You have created a welcoming environment with a wealth of knowledge for those searching for information on wet shaving. Thank you.

 

[weizemanner]

I'm in.

I started my wetshaving journey with straight razors. I spent a good bit of time learning from another place about straight razors. A friend of mine offline introduced me to Badger & Blade. It is mostly about safety razors but it had much better resources like the shavewiki and tons of information about soaps creams lathers and people actually use the off-topic sections. After a while on this board, I finally got up the nerve to try a safety razor shave (for some reason I find safety razors scarier than straights). The information here and the addictive nature of our shaving culture led me to my current career.

This board is also one of the few "budget friendly" boards. If you come on some sites and ask for the cheapest straight a beginner can use, they will snob it up and tell you that you need to spend at least 100 for a decent razor and it's useless to strop on anything less than cordovan. Here they smile and PIF you a gold dollar and teach you how to strop on newspaper and the shaves are just as good.

I feel like there is more new people here that I can help with my knowledge that I have acquired from the elder members of B&B, other online sites, and real world experience. PIF's are a nice tradition too. All in all, I can't help but feel that I am among friends here. Very AD enabling friends... But friends nonetheless.

If I have one negative thing to say it's that the search function never works for me... I just type badgerandblade yayadydyd into google and it works just fine though.

 

[pmaster]

You guys bring up some very good points on why this place is so cool I don't have much to add, except to say that I've frequented a few other forums before this one, but this one is definitely the nicest where people are very respectful and so generous!! I've learned so much and developed a completely new hobby which is not crazy expensive yet so rewarding.

Not-in but cheers Slash for the once-again very nice PIF. Its nice to read all of these little writeups.

P.S. film rocks :-D

 

[Obiwan]

Not in, but great PIF Slash.

 

[jpcwon]

Not in, but very generous!!

B+B just plain rules....Super friendly people and a "chill" environment...what more could you ask for??

 

[Lmarkow]

This is the first and only forum I ever viewed or joined. I hear there are others, some even about shaving, but I can't imagine there being a more supportive group of wet shavers who are as generous with their time, knowledge, and in many cases their stuff. I am non-stop amazed by the generosity of otherwise strangers.

I started wet shaving almost a year ago. 5 quick DE purchases in a month and I was already looking at the straight pics. I wanted to shave with one of them. This would not have been (safely) possible without B&B (and YouTube). Now that I have learned to use these razors, without B&B I'm pretty sure there just wouldn't be a single other sole in my universe that really cares about my shave, my razors, or my observations. Glad to be part of this "sub-culture." Thanks for all of the help. I'll let you know when I'm ready to start honing my own.

Glad for the opportunity to participate in this generous PIF, I'm in Slash, and I'll post a review if chosen. Thank you.

 

[KZero]

Sweet!

 

[Doc226]

Not in but another great PIF

 

[alpster]

I'm not in, but it's a sweet PIF. Good luck to the lucky winner! I will be watching for the review.

 

[Toltepeceno]

Not in, but a very nice pif.

 

[Slash McCoy]

And here is the prize.

 

[August West]

Not in. The real McCoy I see.

 

[totorlekiller]

Very nice blade.
I'd be in if I had 200 posts