Battle Brothers Shaving Co.
“Keep your friends close and your shave closer.”
In the best way, photoshoots will take me to unexpected places. This shoot was a perfect example of that: beautiful razors made of high grade stainless steel…forged in an unlikely, heroic place.
I had never heard of Battle Brothers Shaving Co. before. I am so glad I had the honor of photographing their products. Along with their razors, I had the pleasure of photographing Andrew Weiss who is the founder and heart behind the brand. He spoke excitedly about the products, but most importantly how they even came to be. Because his words are much more important than mine when it comes to his company’s origin, here is the story shared on their website:
The true beginnings of Battle Brothers Shaving Co come from my deployments to OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom). I was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief for medical evacuation. Our unit was broken down into 4 smaller teams spread over 4 different locations throughout the country. There were 20-25 soldiers per team, with 2-3 helicopters each. Our mission was to provide medical assistance, support and evacuation to anyone in need; military, civilian, animals and enemy alike. Everyone was given equal treatment 24/7.
Living at a small forward operating base (FOB) has its own unique challenges. Month after month we ate, slept, laughed and fought together. As the missions went on, our bonds strengthened, a brotherhood was formed. Amidst the chaos of life on deployment, we found simple things to take joy in……like shaving! What started out as a requirement, turned into a hobby and then became a mission to find the perfect shave! Between the whole team, we had all sorts of razors, blades, brushes, soaps and techniques to test, try and compare. Through this process we discovered that, while using high quality products, each person needed a slightly different technique to achieve their own best shave. This little time of luxury, that turned into a group hobby, inspired my own personal quest of finding the best shaving experience for each individual’s customized shaving needs.
Battle Brothers Shaving Co. is a company for warriors, by warriors. It was born out of brotherhood, service and self-sacrifice.
I found Andrew inspiring. His experience on the battlefield is something that most of us will never experience. It was fascinating to hear about that life he lived and the transition of the one he is in now of civilian and business owner. I’m grateful for something as ‘normal’ as a photoshoot to introduce me to him.
Andrew, thanks for sharing your story and mostly for everything you did to serve our country.
Sincerely,
Ashley