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History of Badger & Blade

Badgerandblade.com was founded in August of 2005 by Joel, Nick, Scott (Scotto), Andrew (Austin), Randy (Rtaylor61), Randy (rschul2), Ron (guenron), Mark (mark the shoeshine boy), Art (AACJ), and Rik - to create a fluid online community with the ability, and the desire to promote the near-lost art of Traditional wetshaving.


While there were other online shaving communities, there were none at the time with the features, options and platform you see here at B&B. B&B is, and has always been different from other communities by having this a TRUE community... we like to think every member of this fine forum feels at home here, and feels a part of this little sliver of space on the web. We were the first to create a VB based web forum, to allow us the fine options you see today such as review systems, tons of smilies, tons of features, steadfast reliability, lightning quick speed, and we will continue to be innovate, and be the "first" with many new options to come, such as an integrated wiki, blog system and auction system. What makes B&B truly different is our sense of community... we have a special shave clinic for new users, to help, support and encourage struggling - or curious newbies, we have a barbershop - to kick up your feet, relax and have some fun with "the gang" and we have a review system - to share your experiences, thoughts and opinions of different products. While often imitated, we were/are the first - to implement a true sense of community within a web based shaving forum. We've gone from "the little guy" a mere year ago, to the "thousand pound gorilla" - not with ads, marketing, or huff and puff... but with a true passion for our community, and every member within it. Our goal, and the primary reason for the founding of this community is to create a community that truly cares... and that can always grow - with the members in mind. Sure, this is a shaving forum... and we primarily talk about shaving... but we don't just care about your shave, we care about YOU.

Shaving can be a bothersome chore... or it can be a luxurious/fun experience and just like shaving - this place is only what YOU make it, so whether it be an information resource, a place to have fun and show off new goods, a place to meet some new friends and relax a little, or whether it be a downright obsession, there is one common thing it requires, YOU.

Log in.... jump into the fun, ask questions, review products, talk about last nights game in the barbershop.... or, just kick back and watch the fun. But remember.... this is your little slice of the internet, this is YOUR little place, so whatever you do - have fun and enjoy yourself, because that's why we have... and will always be here.

Significant Events

Significant Events in B&B History
August 13, 2005First B&B thread
August 15, 2005B&B Gallery
August 15, 2005First SOTD thread
August 17, 2005Hall of Fame
August 21, 2005First Acquisition post?
August 23, 2005First B&B Contest
September 14, 2005First Acquisition thread
August 18, 20052nd swap box: Goodwill
November 18, 2005Chat
November 28, 2005B&B DVD ready (Ordering thread)
November 28, 2005By Popular Demand-The Four Pass shave
February 2, 2006The Badger & Blade Decant Club
March 5, 2006Review System
March 11, 2006Wet Shaving FAQ v 1.1 created
March 28, 2006Fragrance Train
April 19, 20061st swap box ends
July 23, 2006What works for me an early version of Kyle's Prep
August 26, 20061 year anniversary, 1000 members contest
October 29, 2006First Official B&B Branded Shaving Brush -- List of all B&B Branded shaving products
November 19, 2006B&B Decant Club Store
November 25, 2006first B&B rules of conduct
November 28, 2006Kyle's Prep
December 19, 2006Gentlemen's Essentials - Official B&B Cookbook
January 16, 2007ShaveWiki Opening Ceremony and Discussion Thread
January 20, 2007First vendor interview with Sue Moore of Saint Charles Shave -- List of all B&B Interviews
February 9, 2007Google Map -- eliminated in 2011 software upgrade
March 15, 2007B&B shaving book???
June 25, 2007Group Buy Policy
July 23, 2007Contributor Page
October 25, 2007B&B Facebook page
January 20, 2008New Front Page Feature (finalized)
June 7, 20081st Meritorious Shaver Award: in the Merit Awards Gallery
July 22, 2008B&B Carnival
February 21, 2008Sampler Kits
November 5, 2008The Irisch Moos Campaign of 2008-09
April 18, 2009First member meet in Texas. Rumors abound about earlier meets, but so far no photographic evidence has been brought to light.
October 14, 2009Carnival of Smiles -- B&B's first major charity event raised over $10,000 for Operation Smile, setting a new standard for future B&B events.
May 2, 2010B&B Steward Program
October 19, 2010Established annual Saint Sue Moore Day
October 11, 2011First straight razor restoration competition. Competition #2, #3, #4, #5, #6.
December 1, 2011Vendor overhaul. Crerated a single tier for vendor subscriptions, and added a new Hobbyist / classified forum
July 13, 2012Twitter feed
December 27, 2012Social Media sharing added to B&B

Growth of Badger & Blade

As of January 1, 2013, B&B had just over 30,000 members. The charts don't reflect this accurately. See the note below for an explanation.


B&B Membership Growth
100August 24, 2005
200December 4, 2005
300February 16, 2006
400March 24, 2006
1,000August 15, 2006
1300September 28, 2006
1500October 24, 2006
2000December 20, 2006
5000November 20, 2007
10,000 -- celebrationAugust 12, 2008
15,000 *May 1, 2009
20,000 *June 29, 2009
30,000 *September 2010
40,000 *July 2011
50,001 *July 1, 2012
30,000 * (Why the numbers were corrected.)December 2012
Number of threads
First B&B threadAugust 13, 2005
1,000December 15, 2005
10,000December 3, 2006
100,000July 21, 2009
200,000March 30, 2011
250,000September 10, 2011
Number of posts
100,000November 2, 2006
500,000April 8, 2008
1,000,000March 25, 2009
2,000,000June 7, 2010
3,000,000April 4, 2011
4,000,000April 1, 2012

* Some of the numbers don't accurately reflect the exact number of active members, posts, and threads. The method of determining the numbers hasn't been consistent over time. Many of the numbers here are accumulated totals. Members have come and gone. Posts and threads have been deleted, moved, and merged. Spammers have had their membership revoked. And some of the numbers and dates are just estimates.

* In December 2012, B&B adjusted its membership count to account for fake (spam) members. This brought the count down from 55,000 to just over 30,000.

B&B Carnivals & Charity Fundraisers

The First B&B Carnival was a festival of fun activities, contests, and prizes. But it was also the prelude to something special at B&B.

"During the first carnival we raised nothing. Zero. Zilch. It was after the success of the first event that we decided that the next one should be a charitable event. It was determined that if we were going to put that much effort into it, it should be for a good cause. The rest is B&B history." -- Johnniegold, Merit Award Recipient

Since then, B&B has helped raise over $50,000 for charity, including over $40,000 for cancer related charities.

First B&B Carnival

Carnival of Smiles

October 16, 2009 - November 22, 2009

The B&B Carnival of Smiles in 2009 was the first major charitable event at B&B, and helped transform all future events at B&B.
The carnival festivities raised over $10,000 for Operation Smile
Here's the letter from Operation Smile

Contests & Festivities

Other fundraisers for Operation Smile

The Sue Moore Memorial Fund

In honor of "Saint Sue", October 19th was established as Sue Moore Day in 2010.
To date, B&B has helped raise over $35,000 (as of October 2012) for The Sue Moore Memorial Fund, benefiting The Susan G. Komen Foundation and The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Susan G Komen fundraiser (December 17, 2010)
Soap for Hope (May 07, 2011)
Susan G Komen Run For the Cure Fundraiser (August 14, 2011)


The First Annual Sue Moore Day Celebration and charity auction (October 19, 2011) Raised $6475 for The Susan G. Komen Foundation.

2012 "Saint" Sue Moore Memorial Fundraiser

Other fundraisers in honor of Saint Sue
Think Ink for Pink Group Buy
B&B's 2011 LE Fountain Pen Group Buy
Ink for Pink: Benevolent Badger Blue Group Buy

Other Charity Fundraisers

The "Let's Make Brianw poorer" thread, part of The "I Lurvz My B&B!" March 2012 Fundraiser, where Brian contributed $350.00 in quarters to Cherished Creations (March 2012)
Bill Ellis' Summer 2011 Special Project. A one of a kind B&B Branded strop for Dogtown
The B&B Movember 2011 team raised $7,650.00 in the USA alone.
"Soap for Hope" was launched in May, 2011 to raise more funds in honor of Sue Moore to support breast cancer research and support services. Three lucky donors received prizes of hard to get shave soaps, new Somerset Simpson shave brushes and unique shaving collectibles. The efforts helped push B&B's donations for breast cancer research over the $10,000 mark.

B&B Branded Products

B&B Shaving Products are featured on their own wiki page
Other B&B Branded Products are listed under Group Buys.
B&B ran a store front at zazzle in 2010. Several B&B branded products were available, such as buttons, keychains, coffee mugs, t-shirts, mousepads, etc..
Since 2011, several B&B branded products are available through West Coast Shaving.

Group Buys

Misc.

Inside Jokes that have become part of B&B culture.
B&B's Official Song

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