Calling all truckers...

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08-22-2015, 02:34 AM
Longhaultanker

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Calling all truckers...

I was asked the other day on another thread if I knew other truckers who SR shaved on the road in the truck stops. I don't know of others who do, and it's hard to know what other truckers do once in the shower rooms. So here's your chance to blow your air-horn about SR shaving on the road.

Tonight I'm in Shreveport, LA at the Loves truck stop at I-20, ext. 4, returning from Toronto, ON Canada. I run a hazmat tanker carrying specialty chemicals. My company does out-and-back runs since most wash out places won't / don't wash out these kinds of chemicals.

When I hit the showers at night first thing I do, after getting comfy, is to get out my strop. I have a cheap strop with crox on the back hooked to a nice red latigo with a webbed second attached. I currently have 5 SRs, 2 TI, 2 Dovo, and 1 Gold Dollar, with a Wacker 7/8 Old Sheffield w/ barbers notch in the mail. Just last night I ordered my first nice brushes, a Plisson and Vulfix 2235 badger. So I usually hit the red latigo a 100 laps in prep. Sometimes I hit the crox first about 20 laps. Take my shower, pre-shave oil, and lather up. Currently I'm using Porasso menthol scented on the road. After the shave, clean up, wash and wipe the blade. I carry a baggy with a double paper towel, folded, saturated with ordinary baby oil (it is mineral oil). Open a fold, lay the blade inside, fold back over, gently press along the front and back of the blade, and cover the pivot. I carry my gear in a small nylon fishing tackle bag.

BTW, tonight's shave was with the Gold Dollar. Great BBS shave too. Surely that will gourd somebody's ox.

So, if you are a trucker who SR shaves while out on the road, chime in. If not, chime in anyway. The road is big enough for truckers and fourwheelers.

Pictures below are of a typical truck stop shower room.

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08-22-2015, 02:44 AM
guitstik

That is nicer then when I was there last, they must have done a remodel. BUT, the last time I was there was just after Katrina hit and I was running 36-42 hour days (DOT suspended normal HOS rules during the emergency) hauling cadavers out and food stuff, water and emergency supplies in. I used to carry a KIT roll with all of my shaving gear in it and pretty much employed the same routine you do now. I still have the same routine but have changed a few things since I have all of my gear in one spot.
08-22-2015, 02:46 AM
Ernie1980

That's a nice system you have there to keep the straight razor shaving available on the go! I see you are out of Houston... my step dad is a hazmat trucker out of Houston too, he works for Schneider.
Be careful out there tonight, there is more bad weather coming.
08-22-2015, 02:57 AM
Longhaultanker

The shower pix are from Angola, IN, not Shreveport. This Loves here still old style.
08-22-2015, 02:59 AM
Longhaultanker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

That's a nice system you have there to keep the straight razor shaving available on the go! I see you are out of Houston... my step dad is a hazmat trucker out of Houston too, he works for Schneider.
Be careful out there tonight, there is more bad weather coming.

Hope to be in by noon tomorrow and home for rest of weekend.
08-22-2015, 04:14 AM
skunkfunk

You've really gone at this pretty hard! I do not have the balls to grab 5 razors and start honing, much less to do it on the road, and certainly not to get a BBS. How long have you done this? By your recent brush order I'm guessing not terribly long.

How much different product do you haul around as far as soaps, etc?
08-22-2015, 04:53 AM
Longhaultanker

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkfunk

You've really gone at this pretty hard! I do not have the balls to grab 5 razors and start honing, much less to do it on the road, and certainly not to get a BBS. How long have you done this? By your recent brush order I'm guessing not terribly long.

How much different product do you haul around as far as soaps, etc?

If you'd like to read about me a bit more, go here.http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...ckin-road.html

I came to SR shaving about 6 months ago. Jumped all in. You'll see more at the other link. As to what I take on the road, my leather roll up with 5 razors, soon 6 when my Wacker comes in, my strops, 1 tube of Porasso cream, and curently 1 brush. Will soon be 2 brushes. 2 New ones in the mail and I'll ditch my beginners brush.

I do my honing, or refresh when I get home from a run. The rest of the time it me, my razors and strops, 1 with crox. You can see the green in the pix on the 1 strop.

When I decided early April to do this I went to youtube to swatch the vids on SR shaving. Was introduced to vids on honing. In my mind it made sense to get stones before razors. Dropped a grand on shapton glass 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16, & 30k soon. Lapping and holders too. I got a Gold Dollar 208 and started honing. I honed the check out of that GD. Got confident enough to start buying TIs, Dovos, now a Wacker. As a trucker, I'm not afraid of much, except fourwheelers. Putting a piece of cheap metal to a stone to create an edge isn't something I'm afraid of. Builds confidence, experience, its relaxing, and soon I was shaving on my own edges. I'm not an elitist, anybody can do this.