Excellent story on how you came to be a 30 DC member, Evan. I look forward to your posts.

Thanks Joe.

I have made TSD my shaving home because it is so friendly and tons of camaraderie here in the 30DC. It shows throughout TSD in all the forum areas, threads and posts.

I have posts over on other shaving forums, but it's only for making a minimum post count to be able to use the PM or BST system for RAD/BAD, as those forums have more BST item turnover. There's also shaving knowledge expansion from just reading and searching. However, some forums.....the drama seems to be thrived on. That's not me, I live with 3 women (wifey, plus a high school senior, and a high school junior) as well as a female dog. Add in caretaker for an elderly parent.....I got drama

Yes, I'd say most of us 30DCr's have made the turn to great shaves 99.5% of the time, but we still learn every now and then, and help others when it's needed and when newbies join in. We 'ooh and aah' over vintage gear, new gear, any gear that's making someone happy 'getting their shave on'. We share life. Everyone's welcome here. Others have said the same, and better than I.

I'm sure Evan didn't know that storm existed with his thoughts and post, nor did you. It was meant in the spirit of having fun, all that stuff we do. But (there's always a but....), that CT hit the wrong chord for me, as I am a severe and sincere animal person. I know it was intended in reference to the 'The Beast' our truck...and that I'm always working/tinkering/driving the loud and smelly thing.....but see previous sentence. There's the possibility of a different interpretation by anyone coming across the 30DC thread, or TSD in general, and has no reference where it came from. This is the thought process brains will go through when they see some of the CTs. Just my micro thoughts.

I agree on the personalization. Back when I made the first 30DC LE brushes, my initial plan was to letter and number them. I bought a punch set, but never got them looking professional enough to use it.

Congrats on your new Semogue OC Boar Brush, Gary! She looks like a winner!

I've enjoyed reading everyone's story about how they became involved with the 30 Day Crew. I've also been here from the beginning. In fact, the Scrabble board SOTD photo in my first post in this thread was taken on January 13, 2015. Referencing @Primotenore's earlier comment, I've been a fairly regular member since then. In fact, here's a photo from January 14, 2015 that clearly demonstrates my regularity. As you can see, I was rockin' my Mongoose in those days too.



I started my traditional wet shaving adventure in November 2012 under strange circumstances. I had gone through a rough patch a couple of years earlier that included getting professional help and routinely visiting the neighborhood pharmacist. I had few outside interests, work felt heavy all the time, and I was desperately searching for a happy place. I discovered B&B and traditional wet shaving while looking for products to help me take better care of my skin at the end of yet another work day.

I lurked on B&B and on several other shaving forums while I accumulated gear and got started. I'd previously lurked on watch forums for a few years, so I was familiar with using them as a way to gather information. At the time, I had no thoughts of making friends on a forum. I eventually discovered TSD, joined almost six years ago, and decided to stop lurking and begin actively contributing. I'm sure I had the perfect forum ID in mind when I registered. It obviously had something to do with watches (my first love), but I fat-fingered the forum name on the registration page and ended up with wristwatchb. I struggle with perfectionism, and my forum name always reminds me that I'm human, nothing is perfect, and that I make mistakes like everyone else. It's a perfectly imperfect forum name. It still makes me smile, and it keeps me humble.

In short order, I met some gentlemen that have become lifelong friends through the 30 Day Crew. (It wasn't actually called the 30 Day Crew for the first couple of years.) I keep in touch with several of them outside of TSD and hope to continue doing so for years to come. They've become part of my family. Brothers I never had. Partners in crime. Dudes that will text me at midnight. Guys that show up. My very own group of Uncle Bucks. And maybe I'm that to some of them too. After a couple of meet ups (and having to miss our meet up this year), I can't wait to see my brothers in person again. On a larger scale, the 30 DC is a special group of folks that are so vastly different, yet so accepting, caring, and non-judgmental. Over the years, we've shared life together, and in many ways, I can't imagine doing it any other way

So, yeah, my shaves have improved a lot. I've tried a lot of gear and given much of it away to help others get started. I've gotten over chasing the next best thing, and I still get excited when I can help someone or learn something new. I've carved out a niche here of starting shenanigans and causing things to evolve into downright silliness. I'm still amazed each day that I wasn't banned the previous night. I can get serious in a hurry when life demands it, but I generally reserve the 30 DC as a place to let (what's left of) my hair hang down. That's why I chose to land here in the first place, and not much has changed since then.

Thanks for putting up with me.

No problem Blair! Believe me, I know what it's like to have a questionable CT. I certainly wouldn't have picked mine.

september 2nd 2018..here's a blast back..
just starting to get more serious here....i guess 2 years here for me..

Thank you for your explanation. You are a good man and would hate to see you leave. Besides, I need you and the other straight shavers to keep me in line. Lol! I truly believe that every one here is a decent guy and would never intentionally cause emotional distress on anyone. Anyway, it sounds like you are ok and that's what matters.

awesome Charlie..

I could probably make a custom punch for you. All I need is a picture of what you want and I can see what I can do. I have a stock of O1 tool steel and a forge to heat treat it so it will last. Not promising anything, but surprising as it is, I'm willing to try.

Perhaps a heat treated punch and a second for branding.

thank you Joe..

Fantastic brush, Gary! Congrats.

Great story and thanks for sharing it, Charlie!

thank you Joe..Mark @Boojum1 enabled me..

thank you Charlie..i love boar brushes..

Great post, Charlie. Thanks for sharing the story.

Your picture makes me think of this:

That's OK, Jason. I stamped #001 on the base of both of the LE brush handles you made for me.

Great morning routine Joe! Some variety going on there, awesome.

Tobacco Tuesday. Fun always. Great to see you drop by Perry!

Fun read as always Primo! Love it, great shave and images too of course!

Hey! Siri!....... 'What is shiny? Siri: "Jim's Razors"... Wowzers. Loves the Haverford!

Good post, Blair.

Mark has very good taste in gear. To he honest, I wish that I would have bought the Semogue OC Boar intead of the Super Badger. I was new to wet shaving and got 40% off my Semogue OC Badger and so it was a good deal at the time. It was my first badger and I wasn't going to spend over 100 dollars just to have one. Do I regret buying it. No, because it looks nice and does the job, but it is such a lather hog that it is a pain to use.