A minimal traveling kit

There are a number of acoutrements of our addiction to straight razors; hones, brushes, strops, creams, mugs, soaps, etc.. With all this stuff, it is tempting to just toss an electric razor in the bag and forget about straights when traveling. But can we do that without risking severe psychological damage?

I have shown to my satisfaction that I can dispense with the strop, and get by with just honing my razor. http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=7098

Another thread discusses the water shave. http://straightrazorpalace.com/showt...ighlight=water I tried this and found that I could indeed shave with just water. It's not the greatest, nor the most comfortable shave, but it can be done.

So I can now propose a minimal traveling kit, sufficient for months or years on the road.

1 - Straight razor, with a rubber band to keep it closed.
2 - Hone, with a rubber band to snug the razor up to it.

That's it. It fits easily in the Dopp kit, and takes less room than an electric razor. If you have mastered the water shave then any soap, conditioner, oil, or cream encountered in your travels just makes the shave easier. Hotel rooms usually have soap, conditioner, and shampoo that can be used for a shave. Cooking, light machine, or mineral oils are easily acquired and can be used to lubricate the shave.

If you want to expand your kit a little you can include one of the tiny commercial bottles of shave oil.

None of us probably want to give up our luxurious creams and badger brushes on a long term basis, but isn't it nice to know how little you can get by with? If you're going round-the-world with just a backpack you needn't devote much pack space to shaving equipment.

My Swaty hone is kind of hefty. Any ideas for a good fine honeing instrument that is lighter than a Swaty? We may be able to reduce the minimal kit a bit more, yet.

I travel every week and am now using a Merkur Vision DE. I am considering purchasing a "Feather" straight instead of the DE. Anyone use a "Feather" and if so, which one?








Thanks,

Jim:cool:

If you're away for a day or three, here's the ultimate travel kit:
1) Razor of choice
2) Wilkinson plastic bristle brush. ($5, gives a decent lather, dries quickly and works ok with gentler soaps)
3) A small dispenser of shaving cream (You can get a sample from C&E and then just use the container or if you don't have a C&E store near by, just buy a small tub of lip balm for a buck, empty/clean it out and voila -- a great shaving cream container) It's a small cylinder, like 1" high with a 1" diameter.

I find this setup easier to handle than a DE and the shaving experience also beats the heck out of it.

When I travel, I bring one straight razor, a mini tub of cream, a styptic pencil, and a small glass bottle of aftershave balm in my dopp, and a two-sided paddle strop in my briefcase (TI diamond paste on one side). The paddle is pretty small, but doesn't have a case, so it got a little munched up in the bag.

After my last trip where my brush also got munched up a bit in my bag (while wet) and I lost some badger, I invested in a nickel travel brush. As a minimum, I could probably bring a DE, travel brush, and cream (and use that as aftershave too), but that wouldn't be fun at all. I, too, would appreciate some advice on portable stropping solutions. Never thought of actually using my belt, but I do tend to wear a very worn wide leather one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

1 - Straight razor, with a rubber band to keep it closed.

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Thie is, in my estimation, a VERY BAD IDEA! I have met many razors that have obviously been held closed in this manner, because the scales are warped in an evident manner. Rather than use a rubber bad, use a twist tie or even a piece of string, something that doesn't continually apply pressure to the scales all around. Better yet, get a cardboard coffin to help absorb any residual moisture and prevent rust.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

... just buy a small tub of lip balm for a buck, empty/clean it out and voila -- a great shaving cream container) It's a small cylinder, like 1" high with a 1" diameter.

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Dude! ... now THAT is genius.

Something that you can do for your brush is pack it in a used toilet paper roll. Will keep a decent brush from getting munched and absorb moisture retained by the brush.

Also use SOMETHING to strop with. Pack a pair of leather pants or a leather jacket. I would not travel without a strop and have been using a Tony Miller paddle strop for four months now. Ask him real nice and I'll bet he'd still make a pocket sized paddle strop for you just like he did for me, hardly bigger than a Swaty.

I'm a minimalist too, but I have my limits. :D

X

I rarely if ever travel. Since it is so rare I just
break out my Merkur classic DE. I take Proraso
soap- this stuff is perfect for travel.


Terry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by russellnyc

When I travel, I bring ... a two-sided paddle strop in my briefcase (TI diamond paste on one side). The paddle is pretty small, but doesn't have a case, so it got a little munched up in the bag.

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Interesting. A pasted paddle strop could be small and light, and give you abrasive qualities that would allow doing away with the hone. The hone is less prone to "munching" but more prone to breakage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xman

Thie is, in my estimation, a VERY BAD IDEA! I have met many razors that have obviously been held closed in this manner, because the scales are warped in an evident manner. Rather than use a rubber bad, use a twist tie or even a piece of string, something that doesn't continually apply pressure to the scales all around. Better yet, get a cardboard coffin to help absorb any residual moisture and prevent rust.

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Thanks for that tip on the scale warpage. I had not considered that. It won't keep me from closing a beater razor in that way for some travel adventures, but it may very well save some of my high quality razors from warped scales.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xman

Also use SOMETHING to strop with. Pack a pair of leather pants or a leather jacket. I would not travel without a strop and have been using a Tony Miller paddle strop for four months now. Ask him real nice and I'll bet he'd still make a pocket sized paddle strop for you just like he did for me, hardly bigger than a Swaty.

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I have one of Tony's handmade strops hanging in my bathroom, so I understand your attachment to the use of the strop. You guys certainly make a custom handmade paddle strop sound like a tempting option.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

I have one of Tony's handmade strops hanging in my bathroom, so I understand your attachment to the use of the strop. You guys certainly make a custom handmade paddle strop sound like a tempting option.

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For the record, the one I'm talking about is just the wooden TI travel strop I got from Classicshaving.com long ago (i.e. before they started coming with nice leather cases).

Hmmm,
Minimal shave kit.

Okay, how is this. Last Spring when staying in Lancaster Pa a few days I lugged my near exploding Dopp kit with razors, a brush, a paddle and a hanging strop along with a mug and a tube of cream.

While standing at the front desk a guy came down, told the clerk he forgot his razor and was handled a single little bic disposable wrapped in a bag. The clerk asked if he needed cream too.

THAT, my friends is as minimal as it gets. He packed nothing!


Anyway, I may make up more of my travel paddles again in case there is an interest. The pocket paddle and a slightly longer one except this time designed to fit in a standard Dopp (brand) bag.

Tony

Yes I have an idea for a travel hone!
Try a “Rolls Razor” Hone you should be able to get one for a couple of dollars. The hone is fitted to the lid of the razor case.
It is the same grain both sides so if it is worn then turn it over.
They are very thin so try gluing it to a piece of wood.
They are aprox 2” x 5” x 3/16. As they were used to sharpen the rolls razor for 30 odd years I suspect they will work on straights.
There is a leather strop in the other side but it isn’t really long enough. Ilija has said you can strop on a leather belt so that might be an option, take it of first though.
Tony

I'd rather break a bottle than shave with a bic lol. However, I forgot to mention the aftershave... Aqua Velva Ice Balm comes in small bottles, is cheap and works decently.

When I travel it depends how long I am going for.

A few days.
--2 Micarta straights in a twin cigar tube, the Micarta handles are chunky and they fit in just right. Strop them before I leave and they will be fine. If I need to stay an extra day I just use the ball of my thumb to strop the edge, it works.
--Travel brush.
--I small pot of shave cream.
--Tea Tree oil, the best post shave oil.

Longer,
--I just add a dovo travel strop.

A pair of razors will last two week easy, so anything longer than two weeks I may have to resort to my DE, you can get DE blades and cream any where in the world.

Peter

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phopwood

When I travel it depends how long I am going for.

A few days.
--2 Micarta straights in a twin cigar tube, the Micarta handles are chunky and they fit in just right. Strop them before I leave and they will be fine. If I need to stay an extra day I just use the ball of my thumb to strop the edge, it works.
--Travel brush.
--I small pot of shave cream.
--Tea Tree oil, the best post shave oil.

Longer,
--I just add a dovo travel strop.

A pair of razors will last two week easy, so anything longer than two weeks I may have to resort to my DE, you can get DE blades and cream any where in the world.

Peter

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I just happen to be on the road now. I'm staying at a government facility for a week while taking a class. This time I'm using an approach similar to yours. I just brought a Henkels 7-day set in a leather traveling case, an old brush, and a mostly used tube of Tom's of Maine shaving cream. The old Henkels kit rolls up tight and fits in my dopp kit easily. I save my almost-empty tubes of cream for use on trips.

I didn't have any trouble sending my kit through as checked luggage on my flight. Getting onsite the guards made me pop my trunk open, and I thought they were going to go through my luggage. I guess my clean-shaven visage put them at ease though, so they didn't.

I stropped all 7 razors before I left. On about #5 I started to get a little punchy and put a little nick in my good leather strop. It was just a small one though, and didn't go all the way through the surface of the leather. It pretty much dissappeared as I continued (more carefully) stropping.

A 7-day kit would see me through a couple of weeks at least. For anything longer I'd probably want a strop or a finishing hone.

I'm going to keep my eye out for a fine abrasive that is lighter than a barber's fininshing hone. Something like that, with a single razor, would set you up for weeks or years worth of shaves and not be so heavy as a finishing hone.

I've always thought that it'd be great if someone sold small Norton 8K travel hones. Perhaps bought a full size hone and cut it down to 2-3 small travel hones....

Hmm, hint, hint....Anyone have a hone saw?

C utz

There are finer finishing hones than Norton that don't need to be soaked, thus being better for edge touchups and easier to use.

I usually just bring:
2 sided srop
My worldmaster Sheffield 6/8(coz I love it and it wasn't very expensive)
Badger/boar brush (small, handy and the only brush I own)
a nice soap like Mammabéar's or something similar in a container that closes well.

I don't really care about the size issue, I just want to be comfortable.

My travel kit:

• 2 8/8 Friodurs previously in razor coffins, but since my wife threw all mine away accidentally I am using bubble wrap and boots as storage (I rotate but I always take 2 which are replaceable incase of loss or damage)
• one small pure badger brush
• a travel strop made by Tony Miller
• 2 Tubs of shaving cream by Colleen
• 2 tubs of shaving soap by Sue
• Coral skin food
• Aqua Velva Musk aftershave
• GFT Sandlewood Cologne
• Royall Musk Cologne
• a Styptic pencil
• one bottle of lavander preshave oil
• One first aid kit (oh shush I havent actually ever had to use it!!!...well ok except for the ear...so once...big freakin deal lol)
• Lynn's address (I have it memorized at this point) for all my honing needs. I think I have sent Lynn razors from several states at this point...soon he can start building a stamp collection lol.

I thin thats it and yess it all fits in one dopp kit...its sort of big though hehe


I refuse to deny myself lifes simple pleasures just because Im not home...if I crash on a plane or get shot on the street I will miss saying hello again to my lovely wife, and I will miss all the birthdays and family celebrations, but I WILL die with the satisfaction that I got one last good straight razor shave in....and that will have to do, because its the only part of that equation which I can control, and thats going to have to be good enough for me.

oh and btw...I am absolutely NOT a minimalist... :)

I'm on the road again this week. My kit:

1 Dovo straight razor in it's metal box.
1 fine barber hone
1 small (18.75 ml) bottle "shave secret" oil.

It all fit easily in my toiletries bag.

No brush, no soap, no cream, no strop. I'll let you guys know how it went at the end of the week.

The oil came from Wal-mart and was under $4. I've found any light oil will do though.

I wrapped the hone in a clean sock to protect it from baggage handlers.

Everything went in the checked luggage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLStorm

My travel kit:

• 2 8/8 Friodurs previously in razor coffins, but since my wife threw all mine away accidentally I am using bubble wrap and boots as storage (I rotate but I always take 2 which are replaceable incase of loss or damage)
• one small pure badger brush
• a travel strop made by Tony Miller
• 2 Tubs of shaving cream by Colleen
• 2 tubs of shaving soap by Sue
• Coral skin food
• Aqua Velva Musk aftershave
• GFT Sandlewood Cologne
• Royall Musk Cologne
• a Styptic pencil
• one bottle of lavander preshave oil
• One first aid kit (oh shush I havent actually ever had to use it!!!...well ok except for the ear...so once...big freakin deal lol)
• Lynn's address (I have it memorized at this point) for all my honing needs. I think I have sent Lynn razors from several states at this point...soon he can start building a stamp collection lol.

I thin thats it and yess it all fits in one dopp kit...its sort of big though hehe


I refuse to deny myself lifes simple pleasures just because Im not home...if I crash on a plane or get shot on the street I will miss saying hello again to my lovely wife, and I will miss all the birthdays and family celebrations, but I WILL die with the satisfaction that I got one last good straight razor shave in....and that will have to do, because its the only part of that equation which I can control, and thats going to have to be good enough for me.

oh and btw...I am absolutely NOT a minimalist... :)

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That's not a travel kit that's a travel trunk..:roflmao

Now that I've left a supply at my gf's house, I can travel minimally - with nothing. :)

Generally, though, I pack two razors of my choice, a paddle strop, and a tube or two of cream with a brush.

Josh,
I take it that you put you clothes in a second suitcase.
Rick

I'm going to give the Rolls razor a shot and if that works well I might use that for travelling in the future....I don't travel much though..

Here's my kit:

- Feather AC Razor plus a pack of blades (no strop, no hone, sometimes I'll throw in a Gillette Superspeed as a backup)
- Shavemac Travel Brush
- Small container of shaving cream (Magellan's sells various sized small containers that one could use)
- Stypic pencil
- Small container of Nivea A/S
- Cologne in a decant sized container (I get these from Scotto at B & B)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

I'm on the road again this week. My kit:

1 Dovo straight razor in it's metal box.
1 fine barber hone
1 small (18.75 ml) bottle "shave secret" oil.

It all fit easily in my toiletries bag.

No brush, no soap, no cream, no strop. I'll let you guys know how it went at the end of the week.

The oil came from Wal-mart and was under $4. I've found any light oil will do though.

I wrapped the hone in a clean sock to protect it from baggage handlers.

Everything went in the checked luggage.

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Well, I survived a week shaving with the oil. It's not bad stuff. I did do a couple of shaves with the little bottles of conditioner in the hotel too. They work fine too but form a kind of gross snot-like substance which drips off the razor.

The hone kept the razor nice and sharp.

I did get an old cushoned strop-back hone from the American Hone Company this week. It is still in its original box. I think this will be my new traveling hone as I can both hone and strop with it. It appears to have a felt backing between the stone and the leather. The leather is still supple and the felt still cushions.