iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The BLUF 2027 calendar is almost here. We'll be revealing the cover shortly, and the store will open for pre-orders, with plenty of time to receive your calendar before the end of the year. Watch this space! Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 19/06/2026

EU Store update: New EU customs rules from 1st July will add a charge of €3 per item on tie clips, badges, keyrings & epaulette sliders for members in the EU. Order in the next week if you are in the EU and want to receive items before the new charges come into effect. Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 16/06/2026

Signing off bluf.com/b/737

And so, it ends. Today marks seventeen years since I took over running BLUF from Leon. It also marks the official end of the transition of BLUF to the new team.
The full text of my final post is on the BLUF blog.

On events

It’s not an exaggeration to state that, each year, thousands of people around the world attend BLUF events, both members and non-members.
And it’s these meetings, hosted by volunteers in over fifty cities, that really are the beating heart of the club, helping people to make connections in real life. Some of those people will become members, and it won’t be long before we have over 6,000 of them.
A heartfelt thanks - I really can’t say it often enough - is due to the many members who have put in their time, and in some cases, their own money, to bring BLUF events to an increasing number of cities.

What's next

Though my involvement with BLUF will be much reduced, I’m certainly not stepping away from the leather scene; in fact, I’m hoping to spend much more time involved, now as just “Nigel” rather than “Nigel from BLUF.”
Later this year, look out for another new project, which will be a zine focussing on providing a space for people to share thoughts and theories about leather, kink, and SM.
There are plenty of other ideas and projects on the drawing board too - keep an eye on my social media for announcements as those come to fruition over the coming months and years.

And finally

A task like this, similarly to being a “Mr,” can mean that you are almost always “on duty,” leaving less time for making truly personal connections - though I have met some amazing, wonderful people over the years, and made some firm friends.
Our new team, Rich #4, Shamil #6 and Simon #8 have between them the skills and the enthusiasm to take BLUF forward into the future. I hope you will all give them support as they plan and shape the future of the club.
I leave you somewhat tired and emotional. But looking forward to the future, and working on new projects.
For both myself, and the club, this is the start of a new era; I can’t wait to see what happens next.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 09/06/2026

Here's to the boys in the backroom

What lies beneath

When you look at a website like BLUF, as an ordinary user, what you don’t see is just as important.

Behind the scenes, there’s a whole other side, for administration, which is almost as important. Nor do you see the dozens of daily emails, reports and other things that make it all happen.

And the same is true of clubs, of titleholders, of businesses, and anyone else who serves the community.

The events you go to, the people taking the stage, the stores you visit - they are just a part of it all.

What lies beneath is often where the hardest work is done.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 06/06/2026

Today's factoid: since 2016, I have written over 300,000 lines of code for the BLUF websites. This doesn't include the app.

300, 000.

Number of lines of code written for the BLUF websites since 2016.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 05/06/2026

Snap! I too have no idea what the cool kids say these days.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 28/05/2026

The latest update to our app is now available via auto-update for Android and iOS.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 27/05/2026

New in the BLUF Store: stainless steel 500ml water bottle £25 / €30 Get yours at store.bluf.com and stay hydrated this summer Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

New in the BLUF Store: stainless steel 500ml water bottle

£25 / €30

Get yours at https://store.bluf.com and stay hydrated this summer

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 27/05/2026

It's another hot day in London, but thanks to this stylish BLUF water bottle, I don't have to worry about dehydrating on the bus.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 26/05/2026

Store update: As part of the BLUF transition, there will be some behind-the-scenes changes to the BLUF UK/worldwide store. You may now see the name SubDirectory appear on your credit/debit card receipt. The EU store is not affected by these changes. Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 24/05/2026

Want to march with BLUF and London Leathermen at Pride? To join us - please follow the link in the event description to sign up. Remember, spaces are limited - first come, first served. And please don't forget to let us know if you can't make it. bluf.com/e/6676 Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/05/2026

This is a test. Nothing to see here. Please move along. Nigel, aka SubDirectory (3)

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 01/05/2026

It looks very much as if some sort of shadow-ban has been applied to our automated event posts. You can find our calendar info elsewhere: BlueSky: @events.bluf.social Telegram: @BLUFcalendar Mastodon: @events@bluf.com iCal feed: bluf.com/pages/calend...

It looks very much as if some sort of shadow-ban has been applied to our automated event posts.

The Meta dashboard simply says we’ve been rate limited, for exceeding the number of API calls. It claims we’ve made over 69,000 in 24 hours - which is remarkable for a script that attempts to post only a few times a day! I can only conclude that this is a ban that they don’t want to admit is a ban.

You can find our calendar info elsewhere:

BlueSky: @events.bluf.social
Telegram: @BLUFcalendar
Mastodon: @events@bluf.com
iCal feed: bluf.com/pages/calendarfeed

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 30/04/2026

I do the same with my therapist. Yesterday's was "Amyl..it's the real thing"

A bearded man in a T shirt that says "Amyl. It's the real thing!"

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/04/2026

It's Lesbian Visibility Week #LVW26 and I'd like to highlight "Mama" Vi Johnson, who for over three decades has collected kinky and queer stories, history and artefacts at the Carter Johnson Leather Library and Collection. carterjohnsonlibrary.com

History matters. The lives and experience of queer, kinky people illuminate our past, and help guide our future. “Mama” Vi Johnson founded the Carter/Johnson Leather Library and stepped down as Executive Director and Chair this year, after more than three decades preserving stories and artefacts from the 1700s to the present day.
Find out more about the collection at carterjohnsonlibrary.com

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 18/04/2026

Post the best picture you have ever taken of your pet If my cats, Cagney and Lacey, ever released an album of jingly-jangly indie pop, this would have to be the cover art.

A picture of two young cats looking towards the camera. Each is wearing a cone round their head.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 18/04/2026

So, we didn't appeal when we got that FB notice about out page no longer being recommended. And we didn't change anything. And today, it's all back to normal. Which is nice, but honestly, how can you build things when you are forever at Meta's whim?

A notification from Facebook saying "You're back on track. We're recommending your Page again."

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 15/04/2026

UK Fetish Archive at the Bishopsgate Institute

Today, I’ve dropped off some BLUF flags, banners, tie clips, badges and a few other documents, to form the start of a BLUF archive at Bishopsgate.

Over coming months, we’ll look at archiving event posters and internal papers.

Any additional material we archive will be handed over with due regard to ensuring the privacy of members, and will not be available for open access.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 19/03/2026

Consider this one of my parting gifts: at archive.bluf.com you can now browser over 3,800 past event posters, dating back to 2015

A screenshot displaying the message "Welcome to archive.bluf.com"

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 17/03/2026

Want loads of leather events in your calendar app? You need the BLUF calendar feed Details at bluf.com/pages/calend...

An image of a calendar app showing a packed month of leather events

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 14/03/2026

Yesterday, we welcomed our first member with a 6xxx BLUF number; we have a total of just under 5900 members at present, so will comfortably pass 6000 sometime this year. When I took over in 2009, we were issuing member numbers around 271x.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 08/03/2026

Last day of the market today! Final chance to get tie clips and badges at special Darklands prices

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 07/03/2026

We're open! It's day two at Darklands. Come and find the team in the community area, and get your tie clips and badges at special Darklands prices.

A photo of four men in leather behind a desk at Darklands, with the caption "We're open" and the text of the post below the image

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 06/03/2026

Still time to grab some BLUF merch today at Darklands. And we'll be there tomorrow and Sunday too

Two men in leather stand behind a table in a booth with the BLUF banner

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 02/03/2026

BLUF is part of the Fetish Socials United gathering at Beyond Darklands. Saturday 7th March, 13:00-15:00 at the Mr S Leather stage

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 01/03/2026

Here's me at our Darklands stand in 2018. This year, you can meet our new team, and buy tie clips and badges and special discounts. Come find us in the community area next weekend.

A man stands behind a table with the BLUF flag on the front, and an array of flyers and leaflets

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 28/02/2026

Store update / Mise à jour du magasin

New customs rules come into force in France on Monday 2nd March.
This may affect items we post from London, like tie clips and badges.
If you can, buy in person at Darklands next week, or wait until we are clearer on whether or not you will have to pay extra fees on delivery.

De nouvelles règles douanières entrent en vigueur en France le lundi 2 mars.
Cela pourrait avoir une incidence sur les articles que nous expédions depuis Londres, tels que les pinces à cravate et les badges.
Si possible, achetez en personne chez Darklands la semaine prochaine, ou attendez que nous sachions plus précisément si vous devrez payer des frais supplémentaires à la livraison.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 28/02/2026

There's still time to get a BLUF calendar bluf.com/calendar

An image of the March page from the BLUF 2026 calendar, showing a man in full leather leaning against a wall

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 26/02/2026

Heading to Beyond Darklands? Don't forget to stop by the BLUF stand, where you can meet volunteers, and the new admin team, and find out more about the club. You can also buy merch in person, which means you'll save a fair bit compared to the online prices. Come get your tie clips and badges!

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 25/02/2026

This account will eventually be run by the new BLUF admin team, once we have sorted out all the details of the transition. If you want my personal comments, filth and snark, I have created a separate BlueSky id: Follow @subdirectory.uk

Update on BLUF transition

This account will eventually be run by the new BLUF admin team, once we have sorted out all the details of the transition.

If you want my personal comments, filth and snark, I have created a separate BlueSky id:
Follow @subdirectory.uk

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 24/02/2026

Sometimes, it's just too hot for full leather. So how about a fabric uniform shirt with the BLUF logo, like this?

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 24/02/2026

An experimental cheese and bacon sponge, with bacon wrap

A small round cake with cooked bacon wrapped round the sides

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 24/02/2026

Breeches, leather and a Tom of Finland print

A bearded man stands in leather breeches, next to a Tom of Finland print

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 24/02/2026

As a filthy dirty pervert, this sort of stuff from politicians who claim to be main stream absolutely appalls me. What the hell does he mean by "unregulated sexual economy" and what regulations are these right wing nut jobs going to impose on us?

“Marriage traditionally was the means by which sexual relations between men and women were regulated, and I think we are suffering from having a totally unregulated sexual economy,” he says.

“I’m not interested in your love life, or anything about your personal life – that is your business. But I am interested in the framework in which you make your decisions, and I’d like the framework to be more pro-social. If you want – most people do want – to settle down with one person to have children, we should make that easier.”

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/02/2026

Not geared,but snap!

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/02/2026

Your club needs YOU! We’re looking for a few more volunteers to help out at the BLUF stand for this year’s Beyond Darklands. We particular need people for Saturday 1300-1500, 1500-1700 and 1700-1900. If you’d like to help, please DM, or -preferably - email darklands@bluf.com

Your club needs YOU!

We’re looking for a few more volunteers to help out at the BLUF stand for this year’s Beyond Darklands.

You’ll need a ticket that gets you into the day festival, and it’s a great chance to meet more club members.

We particular need people for Saturday 1300-1500, 1500-1700 and 1700-1900.

If you’d like to help, please DM, or -preferably - email darklands@bluf.com

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/02/2026

Found a place for it. That should catch the eye when people arrive.

A Tom of Finland print, illuminated, on the wall at the end of a hallway

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/02/2026

Things you re-find while recovering from renovations! I remember my mother spotting this when it was on the wall and saying "That's new, isn't it?"

A print of a Tom of Finland artwork, showing two soldiers fucking in the woods, whole a third looks on

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 23/02/2026

Care package for some beaten up boots just arrived from Scratch Doctor

Leather care products: primer, cleaner filler and touch up paint

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 22/02/2026

Anyone want a load of twin slot shelving brackets? East Londoj

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 21/02/2026

BDSM “good practise” rules were not handed down, set in stone.

BDSM ‘good practice’ rules were not handed down, set in stone

I’m not going to get directly into discourse about that film. But I do have thoughts...

I have had some amazing sessions with people, where we haven’t sat down and agreed safe words first. But we have had a connection, and I trusted them: to be human enough to know what a genuine cry of distress sounds like, and to be wise enough to check in and say things like “Can you take a bit more for me, boy?”

And I have had disastrous scenes with people who think all they had to do was say “the safe word is pomegranate” and it absolved them from everything: they either finished before I thought it really got going, or I could have been blue in the face and it was all still ok, because I hadn’t remembered their magic word.

In kink, one size doesn’t fit all, but generally, communication and connection are the keys to a safe, fun time.

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 20/02/2026

More fun stuff; thanks to XToys, I've managed to integrate control of the Lovense Edge2 into the playspace web page, along with text to speech for sinister robotic commands.

A web page showing a camera view of a bondage chair, and controls for a vibrator and hypnotic audio

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 19/02/2026

Maker type people: this is 3mm thick neoprene, 50mm wide. The pin is from a segufix-type lock. Do you think this will hold, with just a simple hole punched, or should I use grommets?

A locking pin sticking through a neoprene strap

Another view, showing the base of the pin behind the strap

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 19/02/2026

Budget play space: a massage table adapted for bondage, with fixing points added on each side and at each end.

A massage table with fixing points added

Massage table showing the other end, with removable face cutout

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 19/02/2026

Any bootblack people have recommendations for how to bring these back to their former glory?

A boot with the polish rubbed through completely

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 18/02/2026

More tinkering with the control for the barber's chair - interrupt the white noise and type a phrase for the computer voice to say into the headphones.

A screenshot of a dialogue box with the text "When I release your right hand, take some poppers, boy" next to a button marked "Say"

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 18/02/2026

Here's the P&H next to an old 302. Slightly different cut, and a little thicker, but a good budget choice

A new Pratt and Hart glove, compared to an old D302

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 18/02/2026

New gloves! Not quite a 302, but fairly close, and half the price

A fist clenched in a tight leather glove

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BLUF HQ @bluf.social · 17/02/2026

I have been unavoidably detained

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