- Brush: Chisel & Hound
- Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant +
- Lather: Chicago Grooming Co/House of Mammoth - Armonía
- Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co/House of Mammoth - Armonía
- Fragrance: Declaration Grooming/Noble Otter/House of Mammoth Cerberus Fougere
One of the aspects of this hobby that hooked me from the beginning was that artisans participated in the online community. Getting to hear directly from the folks who made the products I was using gave me a sense of who they were, their process, the things they valued. In some cases it deepened my love for their work, made it more special. One of the best things about becoming an artisan myself was the chance to make deeper connections with other artisans I respected.
And so, collaborations have been a hallmark of my work as House of Mammoth. I've lost track of the full list of other artisans/brands I've collaborated with, but it's been quite a few. I've mostly slowed down reaching out to others, but I still get the odd solicitation from someone just starting out, perhaps hoping I'll put my stamp of approval on their (zero) efforts and make them some quick cash. I've been the person who did all the work in a school group project, so nah. But for Happy Together, I want to recognize some of my longest collaborators who I love and respect.
u/geekyoldrob aka Chisel & Hound has been making beautiful shaving brushes for years, and his creativity hasn't slowed one bit. I'm impressed by how he's able to work with any material, and never backs down from a challenge. He's made some of the best Mammoth coin collaboration brushes I could have imagined, and together we've been able to raise thousands of dollars for charity.
/u/declarationgrooming and u/nobleotter are two pioneers and top tier artisans in the hobby. I don't think we've yet seen another artisan who is able to make arguably the best shaving products across multiple categories the way Scoot has. And I've been impressed by Cody's quiet commitment to excellence in continuing to elevate his already successful brand when he could just rest on his laurels.
I'll save my highest praise for my production partner, /u/chicagogroomingco. Before I asked her to take on the mammoth challenge (hee hee) of production and fulfillment, and eventually formulation (Magic splash/balm ftw), we were colleagues and friends. If you love House of Mammoth, you know nothing we do would be possible without Vida.
Hope you guys have a wonderful day, and thank you again for the honor of being part of this crazy event.