Thread: Travel Shaving

Hi All

I just got back from a week travelling around Italy on business, and I thought I would share my straight experiences with you.

I took a basic kit with me;
7/8 Clauss razor (Giveaway winner)
4/8 Solingen generic (very good little shaver)
Muehle pinsel travel brush
Tabula Rasa shaving soap
Bottle of aftershave
Girlfriends "secret formula" moisturiser/balm
Solingen generic leather/linen strop

As I was in Italy I did buy some Prorasso soap (€1.25 for a tub) and there was a special offer on Alum Blocks, but I have yet to try that.

The first day was a disaster - my aftershave had come open in the bag, and my strop was soaked in aftershave. The bottom third was unusable. I had to dry it out carefully, but this still left the bottom third in a state.

4 nights, 4 different hotels and 4 shaves later, my face is still alive to tell the tale, and although I never got BBS on any of the shaves (single pass wtg and a bit of touch up if required) I was able to shave enjoyably and without injury every morning.

Lessons learnt;
Shaving in strange bathrooms was fine, and in fact I found the little shaving mirrors with the magnifying side to be really useful - I may have to get one for my bathroom.
Take only as much aftershave as you will need, not a full bottle, in a sealable container.
Next time I will take a stainless steel bowl for soap, as it was cold every morning.
SAD, RAD, HAD, CAD and all the other AD's get you wherever you are in the world.

Travelling with a straight is easier then expected, and on a business trip like I generally have, you need something to look forward to when waking up, and it makes for the perfect start to the day.

Si

Yep, I tend to pack a straight if I'm away for more than 2 nights. The last time was a visit to NY 2 weeks ago. I took my American Barber 6/8 spike point (via Joe/Josh/Gary), my T&H super badger travel brush (via Forestry Prof), soap (via Colleen), and a small German loom strop which is ideal for travel (red paste one side, soft tan leather other side). Oh, and Coral skin food of course.

Managed BBS. In fact, too much BBS because those magnifying mirrors in hotels mean I see more closely and try to shave more closely. Can end up with a little irritation as a result. But the concept of a mirror which moves out from the wall and is backlit is great and I'll probably also invest in one, but without magnification if possible.

The downside to travelling with a straight -- having to check the luggage in the hold.

Tony ships his bottles of strop conditioner in a little ziplock bag--might be a good idea for products like AS that could leak.

I think when I travel I will probably take my Feather. I don't want to have any misadventures with my nice Tony Miller strop...

Glad to hear it can be done, though!

Josh

I always take a straight when traveling. I really like the little TI paddle strop with case that holds my razor. ClassicShaving still carries these. This is really the only time I ever use the little paddle but it works fine and the kit fits in my bag (which obviously gets checked) very well.

Lynn

i just had my shaving kit stolen from baggage---no travelers insurance so i am at the mercy of the airport and what they are willing to compensate me

got some positive feedback from them since i send them an itemized receipt from Mr. Ayers

i will be traveling within the next couple of weeks and i am definitely going to get travelers insurance

I also only ever take straights when travelling - my leather strop fits perfectly in my check-through baggage, and I've never had an issue (well, not yet) with lost luggage. I always take a minimum of three striaghts with me and always make sure I refresh the paste on the embossed side of the (hanging) strop. I spend the week before I travel refreshing the edges on the blades I want to take and shave testing them. I never take my best blades in case my baggage is lost or stolen or whatever.

When I pack my toilet bag, everything gets put in separate plastic bags in case of leakage. Also, I wrap rubber bands around my straights inside their coffins in case the lids work loose during flights (unlikely, but possible I suppose).

The only thing I've missed taking on recent trips is my hone - I bought a few old razors from antiques places while away and it is pretty frustrating to have to wait until you get home to sharpen them.

James.

I moved to Poland for a while, and decided to take four straights. Because I have been here for a while, I have missed my norton most of all. Also I only brought one soap - coleens bay rum. I like it but I wish I had a little more variation. I might try to pick up some WARS cream. I have acquired a few hones and things whilst I have been here, to try to replace the norton, but all the AD's refuse to go away, and I still spend loads of time searching for bargains!

Yeah, the little ziploc bags are great. I started this after a customer got his package with strop dressing distributed over eveything inside <g>.

I am probably the exception here but I rarely take a straight when I travel. I usually want a quick, easy shave so I can go enjoy the destination. I travel light and a C&E travel brush, a Merkur 1904 and a Col. Conk soap in a travel container work fine. At the beach though, when I have a who week to just relax a straight goes with me, 3 to 4 day jaunts, no.

I am becoming a big fan or paddles now. Something about the compact size and rigid surface makes them nearly foolproof. I've been using both a narrow and wide one almost exclusively now for a few weeks and notice no diffewrence in my edges.

Now, to really travel on the quick.......I'm checking in at a Holiday Inn Express in Lancaster for a long weekend, a guy comes down to the desk as he has forgotten his razor. The clerk hands him a little plastic bag with disposable razor, a tube of shave soap, a toothbrush, paste and deoderant...a freebie. Hell, if they had clean underwear and socks, one could leave all his luggage at home and really travel light!

Tony

I ziplocked my bottles when I was in Europe recently as well, but only the shave cream. I took the remains of a bottle of Lush Ambrosia which is so slick and moisturising, I didn't feel I'd need an AS and I was right. It doesn't require a brush either so that makes it easy on the go. A Tony Miller paddle and my ironwood W&B and I was good to go.

X

I’ve found I can travel pretty light.

I take one inox Friodur fresh from the hone. This will give me at least three weeks of good shaves. Stainless is nice if you’re in hurry and don’t have time to dry or oil the blade.

One 2” X 18” strop and big honkin’ rubber band to attach it to a door knob or towel bar.

One green tub of Proraso.

One small boar bristle brush.

That’s all I need. Hotel rooms all come with mugs and little coffee makers perfect for whipping up a lather. A damp cloth goes in the microwave and comes out ready for steaming the face. Built in hair dryer dries the boar bristles so their ready to be packed up.

Happy trails!

LG Roy