Shaving while traveling

I drive truck over the road for a living, usually spend 6-8 weeks away from home before I get a chance to spend about a week home, to make matters more interesting I am also a team driver and don't usually have a lot of time to shave and will frequently have to skip shaves in order to meet our companies strict pickup and delivery times. I have been working on assembling different equipment that is useful both at home when I have time, and for when I am on the road and in a hurry but certainly wouldn't mind suggestions from others who frequently travel. The other thing I have had quite the rude awakening with is water hardness, never knowing where I will be next makes it an interesting challenge to get things like preshave and lather conditions optimal, any advice, tips, tricks or recommendations would be truly appreciated.

If you lather with bottled water, it will be more consistent. You can do a short shave of one or two passes in much less time. Face lathering is less equipment than bowl lathering. I go away for work quite a bit too. My short kit is two Henckels Friodurs, a strop, Noxema (for pre shave) a brush, and a soap in a plastic tub, and a small stainless bowl, which doubles as the bowl I use for my partial plate. Bottled water in the bowl, soak the brush, Noxema application, strop the razor, load the brush and face lather, shave, cleanup and go.

For travel, I found that a fairly stiff brush that i can keep in a container and a couple shaving sticks, Arco and many others make the shave a done deal in very little time. Your choice of razor/s. Time constraints make the adjustable DE or SE a winner. Have extra blades along.
Or, a paddle strop and at least two straights or a Kai, Feather, CJB, Sam Hong removable blade straight like folding or Kamisori fixed style longer blade Shavette make dull blade worries mute. An injector cartridge of twenty blades will last a looong time.
The stick is rubbed on your wet face over the bristles and then lathered by the hot wet brush and rubbed in by hand. Surprising amounts of later are produced that stay on the face and in the brush for more passes.
A shave cream can be applied the same way; without a mug and the brush will hold plenty of lather. No more cream than a thumbnail a matchstick thick is needed.
Time is the key.
I have shaved with many types of edged weapons and knives and a carefully broke piece of obsidian.
I prefer to take time with a straight but can have DFS in 6 minutes or less if I shave after a shower.
A pre-shave like Proraso can help your face survive hard water.
Every face is different and the humidity of the sleeping room will make a difference in the moisture of the facial skin.
My face holds moisture and so I can shave the nigh before if I wish and still be presentable the next day. Since I am now single, I hate to shave at night!
Have fun and you will find what works for your face and the area you drive through.
~Richard
PS Thanks for being a gentle man of the road. You guys are the glue that holds the country together. And...Damn good drivers!

Hart Straight razor
Small Trufitt and Hill travel brush in a plastic silver dollar coin tube
Roo strop
Tube shaving cream and face lather
After shave balm of choice

I just starting posting some videos on youtube this week. Oddly enough my second one is about travel gear. It's here: http://youtu.be/rJ60rj9-jgk

OTR Driving must present some unique challenges. My biggest challenge is the TSA.

My minimum shaving kit consists of
- Feather AC DX
- Spare Feather AC Professional blade
- Shaving stick
- Synthetic Brush in plastic storage tube

Latest generation synthetic brushes have improved to the point that I use them now even at home, but away from home their main advantage over natural brushes is is that they dry in a cinch and I do not need to worry about residual moisture damaging the brush.

The Feather AC does not have quite the same feel as a traditional straight, but comes close and - except for spare blades - requires no additional gear.
If I take traditional straights along, for weight and space reasons I carry in my suitcase a 2" wide strop and small (leak resistant) tupperware container with SRD oil applicator for the blade. On longer trips and when weight is not an issue, I may take a 3" strop from home, which makes stropping more convenient than a 2" strop.

For air travel, a three-piece safety razor is easy to carry, fits disassembled in my electric toothbrush container and does not arouse interest when passing through airport security. A safety razor may also come handy when there is absolutely no time for a straight shave.

Shaving creams appear ideal, but on repeated trips the metal tubes may get squashed and may start oozing shaving cream on your gear. If not a shaving stick; soaps work well, although en route I prefer the ones where the lid is secure and does not come off.

I work as an airline pilot, have had no unpleasant surprises regarding water quality so far and would find it difficult to carry around a bottle of water just for shaving. But then again, I don't know the water hardness in some of the smaller towns where you may have to stay overnight, and bottled water can usually be purchased locally.
In that case there may be the problem of heating the water.
If the hotel room does not have a suitable kettle you may need to bring along a portable one or an immersion water heater.

In a nutshell, with a bit of ingenuity it is not that difficult to manage when away from home and one can still get a decent shave.



B.

Other people might have better suggestions, but when I travel, this is all I take:

• A stick of Arko. No bowl, less mess, and it lasts FOREVER. Plus has amazing lubrication for a soap. Wet your face, rub it on, then take a wet brush to it. If you've never used it before, it will surprise you how much lather explodes on your face once the brush hits it.
• Safety razor and a pack of feathers. Takes up much less space than a straight and a strop. Plus, when I'm traveling, I usually don't have time to prep/strop/shave/clean etc. like I want to when I shave with a straight.
• Rag
• Brush (there's actually some pretty cool ones out there just for travel.)
• Alum block
• Pinaud Clubman
• The smallest bag they'll fit in. There's some awesome ones made just for shaving that hold everything in place.
• A bowl (if it'll fit. but really not necessary when you use a stick of arko. but certainly nice to have though.)

Since you are not flying...
I would be in the Feather DX Folding, Pro or Kai PINK blades - camp.
Soap is a stick, Palmalove or Tabac.
Brush is a 1305 with paint chipping issues and a plastic holder.
Face lather, 2 pass max (N-S & S-N)

Takes a few carefull shaves to get the hang of the DX.
Very efficient - though they (for me at least) lack the Soul that a regular straight seems to bring.
Oh yeah, don't forget the wound care kit, that liquid bandage stuff can come in handy...

Smooth shaving...

Bare bones shave kit for travel for me would be a shave stick in a container, either Arko or Palmolive, a DE with spare blades and a synthetic shave brush. If you have water hardness trouble bottled water is handy. I also usually have an alum stick and aftershave too but they are not totally necessary for a good shave. Here is a good vid on using an Arko shave stick.

Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z248xt0GciM

As one who uses the 1305 (with paint chipping problems) regularly, I got myself the 620 for travel. Great as a face letharer. When traveling and pressed for time I use the 620, a tabac stick and a Maggard DE. As a side note, I use an alum block deodorant, which doubles as anti slip and nick relief...

My travel-rig poem.

A little hone:

Attachment 197542

A little strop:

Attachment 197544

A door so razors:

Attachment 197545

Cannot drop:

Attachment 197548

With apologies to departed Chuckles the Clown we recall...

"A little song
A litte dance
A litte seltzer
Down your pants."

Lol, well played sir, thanks for all the great tips so far, I have been carrying a merkur 1904 and edwin jagger pure badger with mostly DR Harris for soap/cream, absolutely loving the sandlewood and arlington fragrances. I have seen some interesting brushes from Muhle and others that use a synthetic hair and have considered giving it a whirl, I hear they dry much much faster and are a little less maintenance intensive, not to mention less expensive to replace should they grow legs and walk off, anyone had any experience with them?

I purchased a L'Occitan Synthetic Plisson brush and love it for travel, got it for $30 when they were on sale before the holidays. I also have an Omega Hi-Brush which has a little more back bone but isn't as nice on the face. It is also a bit springy and likes to fling lather. Both work great for travel though. They will completely dry in just a few hours.
BTW: I hear the Muhle synthetics are best of both worlds. Very soft tips with good back bone. ShaveBuster has has a few videos on synthetics, I think he even compares the Plisson and Muhle in one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 18WheelsOfSteel

I have seen some interesting brushes from Muhle and others that use a synthetic hair and have considered giving it a whirl, I hear they dry much much faster and are a little less maintenance intensive, not to mention less expensive to replace should they grow legs and walk off, anyone had any experience with them?

---

The Mühle Silvertip Fibre (v.2.) was the one that I was referring to in my previous reply.

Good brush with the right amount of backbone, works equally well with soaps and creams.
Sizes range from S, M and L to XL (19, 21, 23 and 25 mm knot respectively).

My own preference is the XL, but this one appears to be available only in a single model with either black, white or imitation horn handle.

Some shavers like the pampering softeness of the L'Occitane-Plisson synthetic, but I prefer brushes with some backbone that the L'Occitane-Plisson sorely lacks.


Incidentally, Mühle make also the very convenient grey plastic travel tube for shaving
brushes that I use all the time when travelling.
If I take a safety razor, I have it usually disassembled, but Mühle also offers a nifty safety razor head cover that allows you to leave the blade in the razor when traveling without running the risk to cut the contents of your bag to shreds.


B.

Yes, I have been using a few different synthetic shave brushes. They include a Muhle XL that I had the knot reset to a lower loft in a custom handle, a Muhle travel brush, a Simpsons Chubby 2 and a Simpsons Classic 1 with travel tube, a Plisson and a custom brush with a Virginia Sheng knot. Personally I like them for travel and use at home although I do also have badger and boar brushes. They easily lather any soap/cream/shave stick I have ever used and dry very quickly.

I found that I had to modify the way I made lather with the synthetics otherwise I would have water running down my hand and wrist. They do not hold water the same way as natural fiber knots do. So I start with a dryer brush by just running the tips across the water and start my lather that way adding more the same way as I go to keep building the lather until I have the lather I want. Other than that little change technique they have been great to use.

I would agree with beluga's comment on the Plisson for the same reason, I prefer more backbone. That is not to say the Plisson will not lather up a storm, it will, but it is not my preference in face feel while using.

A synthetic brush in a container and an Arko or Palmolive shave stick in a container is about as convenient as it gets for me in a travel kit.

Bob

So far you guys have been absolutely the most helpful people ever and I want to thank you all for the quick, well thought out and informative responses, got a fair idea of where I need to go from here, just have to convinve SWMBO of the merits of this hobby...lol, thanks for the responses so far, really getting a good idea of what all is out there.

I did an article on this last week. Most of the pertinent concepts have been passed on to you by the above posters, but you may find a nugget of good info in the article. Let us know what you end up with




If you are a new wet shaver there is going to come a time in your life when you need to do a bit of travelling and you start wondering how you are going to bring your newfound obsession with you. Today I am going to cover what you need to be concerned about when travelling with your wet shaving gear and some tried and true options to overcome these issues. There are four considerations to take into account when assembling a kit. We need to keep in mind the space available, deal with possible moisture issues, pack our items so they don’t become damaged, and be aware of security restrictions when travelling by air.

Lets get to it.

BRUSHES

No matter where you are going you need your shaving brush. Thankfully there are no security issues to worry about when talking about brushes. However we do need to address size, moisture, and travel storage.

Many brush manufacturers sell smaller brushes specifically for travelling, but if you prefer the feel of a larger brush you will need to account for the amount of room will be taken up in your shave kit. Some of the smaller shaving brushes marketed for travelling have knots that unscrew from the main body and store in the handle of the brush.

Travel brushes are often packed up and stored for long periods of time without having a chance to fully dry out. Being stored where there is little to no light or ventilation can hasten the growth of mold, or the possibility of the knot hair rotting away if put away while still wet. Boar and synthetic brushes tend to dry quicker, making them ideal travel brushes. On top of that synthetic brushes do not retain water, making them less likely to have issues in storage.

As far as storage of brushes, many shavers opt to take a regular brush and make their own travel containers out of various materials. The most common DIY travel container is a prescription bottle with several holes drilled into the container and/or the cap for ventilation. Other methods of storage include using a piece of PVC with drilled blanks installed on each side, one of the vintage stamped metal tubes with a capped end that came with vintage shaving kits (these are also great for carrying shaving sticks), or a case specifically made for the purpose.

RAZORS

No matter what kind of wet shaver you are (safety, straight, shavette) you can still bring your favorite razor along. Each type of razor presents its own pros and cons.

SAFETY RAZORS and SHAVETTES

Safety razors do not take up a lot of space. Some of them even break down into two or three pieces for easier storage. Moisture is not as much of an issue when travelling with safety razors. In a worst case scenario you have a rusty blade and replace it.

Safety razors may be packed in the buff (with no padding or case), wrapped in a shave towel, washcloth, or even in a sock. Many companies also market leather holders for safety razor storage. Nickel plated, brass, and stainless steel razors will probably be fine any way you pack them but I would be a little more careful with a gold or silver plated razor. I personally bring a well used safety razor with a bit of wear and tear already on it so I don’t have to worry about dinging up a valuable razor.

Gold plated Fat Handle Three Piece Double Edge Safety Razor

If you are traveling by air, be aware that TSA guidelines will allow you to carry on your safety razor. However, you cannot have a blade loaded in the razor or in your carry-on baggage. Your blades can be packed in your checked luggage, you can buy some upon arrival at your destination, or they can be mailed to your destination before you travel (many hotels will accept and hold mail for guests with upcoming reservations, just be sure to call ahead and check first).

If you are not travelling by air, it’s very easy to take a multitude of blades and take up very little space.




STRAIGHT RAZOR

Straight razors themselves do not take up much space. However, the maintenance requirements (stropping/honing) will end up taking up more space. At the very least you will need a strop, and some people like to take a touch up stone with them as well. Due to space constraints, a popular option is to use a travel strop and a barber's hone.

Straight razors are made of stainless steel alloys or carbon steel. Both will stain or rust if left in a humid environment. Make sure and thoroughly dry your straight before stowing it in your travel kit. The greatest danger will be from the other items in your kit that may leak or spill. A small oil applicator or an oil impregnated cloth to wipe the blade down before storage can help alleviate those problems. A nifty product I have seen, but not yet tried, is the Razor Sheath. There are a few versions around, but all of them are a silicon infused cotton sheath that wicks away moisture and protects.

Some straight razors are sold with a coffin, which comes in handy while traveling. If your razor does not have a coffin or protective case, you can purchase a leather straight razor case from several retailers. Having a proper case to secure your straight razor is very important. The edge of a straight razor is very delicate and will easily chip or crack if it knocks into another item in your travel bag. Not to mention an open straight razor in your shave kit is a safety hazard.

Coffin case and toothbrush travel case

A cheap method that I have used many times is to pack your razor in a toothbrush holder with some toilet paper stuffed in both ends so it wont shift. At the very least, wrap a rubber band around the blade to keep it closed.

If you plan on travelling with a hanging strop keep it in your suitcase, since it probably will not fit in your shave kit without damaging it. A better option would be to use a paddle strop that is smaller and easier to pack in your luggage. Do NOT roll your hanging strop as it may cause the leather to crease.

Obviously your straight razor must be stowed in your checked luggage during a flight. If traveling over land instead of the friendly skies then there shouldn't be any issues.

SOAPS

As far as soaps go it’s a toss up for what is a better choice. On one hand many creams can be found in fairly small travel friendly tubes and it is very easy to load a brush with cream. However, creams have the potential for leakage. Hard soaps don’t have the potential for leakage, but are usually sold in larger portions.

There are a few different paths you can take. You can use the cream and make sure it is well sealed. You can cut down hard soap to fit into a smaller container (use a cheese grater and pressing it into a container works very well), or you may prefer to use a softer soap (croap) such as Cella. These soft soaps can easily be transferred to a new container and molded to fit. Another option is to use a shave stick. There are many options with no clear single choice.

When packing soap, don’t use glass or pottery containers. You can obtain a small plastic or tin container to put soap in. Glass adds unnecessary bulk and weight and can break, creating slivers you will be finding years down the road.

I have had great luck bringing soaps in my carry on while passing through airport security. However, many shave creams could easily be mistaken for a “liquid” and be banned from being allowed on the plane. Different countries have different restrictions. Different airports in the same countries can allow different items depending on the security measure enacted. Do your research ahead of time and be prepared.

TRAVEL BAG

Called by many names (Ditty bag, Dopp bag, Dopp kit, Shave kit, Wet pack...) these bags are meant to keep all of your grooming necessities in one spot while not taking up a bunch of room. The most common ones are made of nylon, leather, or waxed canvas, but you can make a ziplock bag work if you have to (but it is best to avoid cloth bags since you will want a waterproof material in case of spills or leaks). Many of these kits feature one large central compartment with one or two zippered side compartments or a roll up kit that hangs from a hook and has multiple smaller compartments. Two great examples of the most common types of travel kits bags:


EVERYTHING ELSE

While shaving is the primary focus of this article, you are going to need a few other things on your travels. When I travel I always bring the following:
•Alum bar: I have a small alum block that comes in a plastic case. The alum can be used for your face after shaving and also works very well for a deodorant.
•Grooming kit: Contains clippers, emery board, small scissors. Great for keeping up a sharp appearance.
•Toothbrush and tooth powder (I actually have a small tin of baking soda) I prefer the tooth powder because it works well for me and is one less liquid I have to worry about leaking in my bag.
•Mustache Wax: There are some great waxes that come in small tins and are perfect for a travel kit.
•Hair Pomade: My personal choice for keeping my hair under control. I am still looking for a smaller tin to take up less space.
•Stomach and cold meds: Traveling can be tough on the body and being sick while travelling just sucks. I carry some DayQuil, NyQuil, Rolaids, and Imodium. Between these items I can make it through anything.
•Pain meds: I have an old Bayer aspirin bottle with some aspirin, some Tylenol, and some ibuprofen.
•Cleaning wipes: A little flat pack for making sure things are clean. I have a Lysol brand for the disreputable objects I may need to handle and a little ziplock bag with some baby wipes in case I need to freshen up in the airport restroom or something similar.
•Comb/Brush: I keep a small mustache comb in my kit and a brush for my hair.
•Shampoo and scalp massager: Travel size shampoo (usually Neutrogena T-Gel or Head and Shoulders) and a scrubber for my scalp.
•Misc: I also have a travel size bottle of mouthwash, hand sanitizer, eye drops, q-tips, and chap stick.

**NOTE: It’s a good idea to put all of your liquid items into one (or two) ziplock bags. That way if they leak, spill, or are broken open the mess is minimized.**


Some of you may also want to bring shave oil, aftershave, cologne, or lotion. My personal preference is to not bring these items along unless I know I will need them. Having that many liquids in my travel kit makes me a bit nervous.

I hope this helps out a few people. Any one can figure this out, but having a head start can make a big difference. How do you dispose of your used safety razor blades when travelling? Does anyone else have anything that they HAVE to bring with them? Any other hints or tips you have found that work well?

If this was helpful to you please let me know by leaving a comment, liking, or sharing this article. Have a great day and a smooth shave!



Matt


Originally posted here: What you should pack in your shaving travel kit and why

Matt,

Re: "However, many shave creams could easily be mistaken for a “liquid” and be banned from being allowed on the plane."

To clarify, Transport Security Administration (TSA) rules regarding creams are quite clear and there is no room for interpretation:
"You are allowed to bring one small bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint. These are limited to 3.4 ounces or less per container. "

Further, if you bring along a half empty 150 ml tube (e.g. Proraso or La Toja), you still exceed the allowance, because it is not policy to give credit for containers that are no longer full.

If you bring a a tube of shaving cream (or toothpaste) along that exceeds the 3.4 oz / 100 ml limit, you may therefore need to find a substitute at your destination. :-)

Due to the international nature of the airline industry, rules in most countries are virtually identical, even though some countries further afar "on the road less travelled" may have additional restrictions.




B.

I may not have expressed it correctly, but my intent was what you or I may consider a "cream", someone else may consider a liquid, or vice versa. If I transfer a portion of sharing cream or shaving balm into a smaller container there is no original labeling to beck up my argument and it is dependent on the security officials opinion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MattCB

I may not have expressed it correctly, but my intent was what you or I may consider a "cream", someone else may consider a liquid, or vice versa.

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Matt,

to repeat:
Liquid, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes: if it falls under ANY one of these categories, the "Maximum 3.4 oz/ 100 ml Each" rule applies.

You may be unsure as to whether to call it a cream or a liquid, but that does not matter one iota to the TSA.
To them it's all the same.

And 3.4 oz is the maximum per container.



If there is no volume indicated on the container it is up to TSA personnel to decide whether they consider it within limits. As they see everyday many of the typical 3 oz plastic bottles that drugstores like Bartell Drugs or Wallgreens sell, they have a pretty good idea though and in all my years of flying for the airlines I never had any issues.



But to avoid the issue altogether, I like to carry shaving sticks or soaps, as they fall under neither of above catergories.




B.

I think what Matt is getting at is when you decant your liquids into 100ml containers, usually clear or opaque, they are no longer in their original containers with original labeling. Who is to say what those liquids really are except TSA or Customs if so inclined. Even if you are in volume/weight compliance you may still have trouble. It has not happened to me but I would not be surprised if it did.

I once had the pleasure of arguing with airport security going to my connecting domestic flight from an international flight. I had several boxes of brand new empty brass rifle cases, no primer, no bullet, no powder, in my carry on and was advised that I could not take ammunition onboard. This was way before 9/11. I hate dealing with what I consider willful stupidity so I can see the possibility of there being trouble with non original containers with decanted liquids in carryon should someone want to get officious.

Bob

BobH has the right of it. Wasn't trying to downplay what you were saying Beluga. I have updated the original text to be more clear. I really do appreciate the feedback.

Matt

Good comments.... Recently I traveled to France and Belguim and took with me Valobra Stick which has first-rate skincare quality and excellent glide for both straight or safety razor use. Also I used Molinard Rasoline for both a pre-shave and for my primary shaving cream. Rasoline is a French made foam-less shaving cream but I find it very useful as a pre-shave foamless cream as well due to its mild scent and it's super slick foundation-- super slick and versatile in other words. One of my trusty straight blades accompanied me in my carry-on luggage and I carried my safety razor in my carry-on with DE blades in my check-on luggage. While in France I purchased some Martin De Candre which was a fringe benefit of course!!!

I am beyond jealous, haven't been to Europe in years, did you get to visit anywhere of special significance while there, or any wetshaving manufacturer shops?

I use a Dragon MD Shavette, a few blades, a boar brush with a leather carrying case, tin of soap and some aftershave. Bare bones yet efficient. These are not long trips like your drives on the road and boar bristle isn't the quickest thing to dry but there has already been tons of useful information posted here. Great topic and great responses. Things I have never even thought of.

Well I would suggest the same kit that I use when camping.
1 arko shave stick
1 omega s brush ( synthetic )
1 shampoo travel container of whatever aftershave or witch hazel you choose .
A de razor with a few blades
Or
Inexpensive straight ( dovo best quality) and a tony miller travel strop