Thread: Travel kit - how do you do it?

Interested in knowing how people travel and shave.

I'm new, but my initial thoughts:

Plastic storage: Some toothbrush boxes / flat sandwich boxes would carry a razor or two, travel stick and a (smaller) brush.

Other storage: glasses cases? wooden boxes (more classy than plastic) -but you don't want anything too heavy or bulky. Pencil or pen tins / boxes, Box strop?

Strop? What do you use - I like the seat belt idea, but is this an ok substitute for leather?
Some sort of paddle strop?
Some sort of holder for your hanging strop that stores it flat.

Cup / bowl / scuttle - in a motel / hotel you could just use one of their cups

In the 'Travelling' thread, BeBerlin suggested we start this wiki:

Traveling with a straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki?

I'm interested in what you do and any more ideas.

All the best,
Michael

I either use a Feather AC or I take a regular straight. If I take a straight I use a TI travel strop which is basically a paddle with one smooth leather side and one split hide side. I pasted the rough side with CrOx. The strop comes in a nice case with a pocket that holds a straight.

For a brush I usually take a Simpson PJ 1 Finest in a plastic bag or a prescription med bottle with a drilled out top (for ventilation).

A tub of Castle Forbes or SRD soap and I'm ready to go.

TI travel strop as described above with a light razor, Omega Boar brush, Irisch Moos shave stick and an Alum block. If I'm away for more than a week. I add a razor or two just for jolly.

I travel with myl the sacramenga box I bought. I put my razor soap anD styptic and brush. I put my strop on the border of the inside of my carry on or luggage and I leave my mug behid and lather on my face. Works perfect.

I have to break this into 2 posts because of a word limit...PITA.

For razors I use the hard plastic toothbrush containers. To keep the razor from rattling around I put a little tissue at each end. I change this after every trip. I like to think it helps wick away moisture too.

To make things easy, I only travel with cream. I like a selection so I take 3 baby food jars with a little of whatever I'm in the mood for. Right now I have Castle Forbes Lavender, Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet and Musgo Real. I used to travel with soap, but I don't say in a hotel for more than one day at a time and my trips can last a few weeks. The soap would never dry properly & get mushy.

I put all my liquids in ziploc bags, and I bring extra. This includes any PSO, ASB, Witch Hazel and oil for the razors. I had a bad experience once where a new bottle of Thayers spilled in my bag. Now I put it in a smaller squeeze bottle and keep it away from my clothes if possible.

For my strop, I purchased a paddle strop from classic shaving. One side is pasted and the other is plain leather. I travel enough to justify the purchase. Pre-paddle strop I used to strop on the free hotel newspaper. It's cheap, and it works if you don't travel much.

For my brush, I found a hard plastic container that fits the brush perfectly. I poked holes on each end to give it some air. If you have a stinky brush, you probably don't want the holes.

I don't travel with a scuttle anymore. Too much of a pain to basically keep my brush warm now that I face lather.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions.

Dave

Originally Posted by dkapp

To make things easy, I only travel with cream. I like a selection so I take 3 baby food jars with a little of whatever I'm in the mood for. Right now I have Castle Forbes Lavender, Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet and Musgo Real. I used to travel with soap, but I don't say in a hotel for more than one day at a time and my trips can last a few weeks. The soap would never dry properly & get mushy.

+1 to traveling with cream; Usually I just get something nice like proraso in a travel sized portion. However, there's no detriment to traveling extensively with soap. I've traveled extensively (3 months or more), with my green marvey indestructible mug and some glycerin soap - no mush! I just kept the soap in the mug and carried it in a plastic shopping bag, tied closed. But it is a bit cumbersome as the mug takes up way to much space.

I think traveling with a stainless steel blade is super important for two main reasons: 1) the cutting edge seems more resistant to jostling, and 2) rust resistance. I lived in southern thailand for two years and my carbon steel dovo would have red stains after ONE SHAVE (an exaggeration but not by much) whilst the stainless is still free of any blemish.

BTW, the C&E travel brush is gorgeous and an all-round great brush.

Cheers,

=)

Originally Posted by FTG

Interested in knowing how people travel and shave.

I'm new, but my initial thoughts:

Plastic storage: Some toothbrush boxes / flat sandwich boxes would carry a razor or two, travel stick and a (smaller) brush.

Other storage: glasses cases? wooden boxes (more classy than plastic) -but you don't want anything too heavy or bulky. Pencil or pen tins / boxes, Box strop?

Strop? What do you use - I like the seat belt idea, but is this an ok substitute for leather?
Some sort of paddle strop?
Some sort of holder for your hanging strop that stores it flat.

Cup / bowl / scuttle - in a motel / hotel you could just use one of their cups

In the 'Travelling' thread, BeBerlin suggested we start this wiki:

Traveling with a straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki?

I'm interested in what you do and any more ideas.

All the best,
Michael

I keep my razors in a Dovo leather case, so I jut pack that. I use a large coffee cup to make my lather, so I just wrap it up in something (shirt, towel, what ever) and pack it as well. My soaps are all in plastic bowls with screw on lids - pack them. I have a small plastic bottle with a screw on lid for witch hazel, and all of my aftershaves have screw on lids as well, screw the lids down tight, put them in a zip lock bag to be safe and pack them. I just put my strop in the suitcase, usually along one side. I put my brush and brush stand in a ziplock bag and pack that.

My Dovo came with a travel case. I have taken my TM Vegan Strop. Last time I had trouble using it because the bathroom door would not stay closed. I had to keep one foot on the door because the door knob was busted. I also had a 8K slipstone which I did not need.

Next time I will take a pasted travel strop, and not bother with the slipstone.

For flying I have a double bladed cartridge razor, or a feather portable DE, or a gillette travel de.

This is my travel set. Inspired by the Sacramenga box I modified an old barbers case from an estate. Since I usually cut my own hair I made provision for scissors also. I don't travel much and it usually only goes as far as an upper shelf when grandchildren visit but if called upon, I figure I can be gone for a long time.

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/pickin/MVC-075F_001.JPG
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/pickin/MVC-076F_002.JPG
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/pickin/MVC-077F_002.JPG
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/pickin/MVC-078F_003.JPG