straight shaving over-seas

[crazygiant]

so i just wanted to know if anyone has had experience with being deployed to the middle east, and straight shaved while they were. i want to know if it would be better to use a real straight or a feather style. if using a real straight did you have time for the up-keep (stropping and honing etc.) between your missions, or should i just go with the disposable straights?

[Wintchase]

I did. And yes you will have time.. The biggest problem was stropping. Ifound it was just easier to hand strop.

[crazygiant]

im fairly new to wet shaving so what the difference between stropping and hand stopping?

[regularjoe]

I'm not sure I'd want to hassle with it. I'd constantly be worrying about dinging the blade, or cracking the scales in my ruck, or having it confiscated by TSA when I went through the airports. They make you stow all your gear and knives in the belly of the plane. I've been on those baggage details, and I can tell you there's no way I'd leave my blade to them. Not even if it was packed inside something sturdy. A couple hours on a baggage detail and those kids start cheering when a duffle goes tumbling ten feet off a truck. One the other hand, once you get there it's not really going to be any big deal. You'd probably want to buy a paddle strop before you go. So if you decide to do it, pack your straight inside a box full of cottonballs, inside a wooden box, inside a waterproof box, inside a steel box. Then again, maybe I place too much importance on shiny stuff. Be safe brother!

[sinnfein]

I've used my straights on all my deployments and of course planning to bring on my next one coming up shortly. If you do with a real straight I recommend adding at least a barber hone to your set to keep it sharp. And if this is your first trip over there remember most places you will be sharing large shower trailers, so without a doubt you will get a few funny looks. If you pack them decently you shouldn't have a problem with the baggage handlers. Good luck and try to enjoy your trip, you can really have some fun there you just have to use your imagination.

[crazygiant]

thanks for all the info guys and i think ill go with the disposable then really get into real straights when i get back considering that i dont even have a real one yet

[poppy926]

From someone who could not serve (medical reasons) Thank you.
Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.