Thread: Travel tips for my straight razors

I just sent 3 of my 4 razors in to Lynn for honeing. I was shocked when he sent me an email back letting me know that the razors had "lots of small dings and chips" and would require more work than a simple hone.

I feel that I am going out of my way to take care of my razors, but I don't just leave mine in the bathroom like most people. I travel for work at least 2 weeks per month. I tossed my old Mach3 razor 3 months ago when I started with the straight razor, so that's not an option.

I have to assume that the damage to my razors occurs while traveling. Normally I chose one of my razors for a business trip, I close it and tightly wrap one of my wife's hair ties (those soft feeling rubber band deals) and then I put the razor in the plastic case my Dovo came in. How could it get dings and chips while closed with a rubber band and in a case? I have done a few trips where I didn't put the rubber band on it, but it was still in that plastic case.

So if any of you have other ideas for travelling with my razors, I would love to hear them. Because apparently I am damaging my razors the way I am handling and storing them. What do you do with your razors while you're at home? How do you store them?

Thanks!

I broke the cardinal rule of forums.

Search first, ask later...

Travelling with a straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Sorry! But more ideas, or storage tips are welcome.

Actually, it looks like there is nothing in there about travel cases, or precautions. Maybe we can expand that article, by brain storming right here in this thread.

I usually roll my straight into clothing first and then use the old hair tie from the wife. I pack it in the middle of the other clothes to provide cusion.

Never had any problems YET...

I was travelling to Israel once from the UK with a big old W&B wedge and a Solingen 7/8 full hollow. When I arrived the wedge was fine however the Solingen had a horrible chip in the edge.

High impact of being in my plane luggage must have caused the chip.

The Sheffield wedge must have just been too strong, but now I always take extra precaution.

I pack my razors in a razor roll and then into a hard case when I travel with them. A possible alternative is to keep a DE for travelling.

The little chips and dings could be minor and just not as noticeable until you do a thorough inspection and it does take a technique or two. My first straight has a small chip along the edge and its so small the only way I can see it is to let the light shine on the edge and reflect the edge back to me and then study the edge line carefully.

I haven't honed it, but I continue to shave with it knowing the honing will have to catch up with that very small chip. What caused it was when I let my hand drop down and the razors edge barely touched the sink and just the wrong way.

While learning, I did let the same razor "touch" the sink a few more times, but there wasn't any more damage to the edge.

As for traveling, I am a big fan of disposable (blades) straight razors. They are inexpensive, take minimal care, and are very low cost. A pack of 5 blades will get you at least 20 good shaves and if you lose it or damage it, you can easily buy another cheaply. I feel so at ease with using these when I travel. The blades are already packed and the no frills scale can take a beating and still work.

Good Luck,

Pabster

Ken Rupkalvis repinned a bunch of antique store finds for me and returned each enclosed in a very colorful toothpaste tube, wrapped in wax paper. That'll do, I think.

I've traveled far and wide with my razors. I tend to pack them in their metal coffins or my dovo razor case (which looks a lot like a cigarette case my grandpa had). The only caution with the dovo case is that the elastic slot needs to be prestretched beacuse when new it's quite strong and can warp the scales and cause blade damage - which did happen to me with my starter razor's cheap celluloid scales.

(So your damage could come from the hair tie keeping the blade too close to the inside edge of the scales + sudden impact.)

My solution is to travel with a stainless steel razor, the hardness of the steel ensures the blade is strong enough to withstand shocks and I don't buy synthetic scales either.
Wood, horn, MOP and the like are much less susceptible to bending while being jostled about.

Hope that helps.

cheers!

You didn't say if you ever looked at your razors with at least 30x magnification. If you haven't it possible those chips were there to begin with. really small microchips you can get by with but once they reach a certain size you wind up with a very harsh shave. If a razor is wrapped in bubble wrap that would probably protect it fine.