And the blades?This.
Have been doing it for years and never encountered any problems.
A disassembled three piece safety razor is unlikely to arouse any suspicions.
Putting the three pieces in different places within your carry-on even less so (even though I do admit that I usually place them in the same container as my electric toothbrush).
Besides, TSA and other airport security staff are generally not out to annoy and inconvenience travelers any more than their job requires. A bit of common courtesy and non-confrontational attitude goes a long way.
B.
Disposable DE vs Cheap DE
- Thread starter Jake Morris
- Start date
The OP mentioned that he could get blades easily at his destination: “I can get blades easily once I land in Dublin, as there's a nice shop called Shaving.IE there.”
Likewise, I rarely had issues finding acceptable blades at my destinations.
For the few instances where I was unsure, I usually had blade(s) waiting there for me in the mail.
B.
So I arrive at my destination and now I have to search for DE razor blades? Why? Why not throw a disposable in your bag and, horror of horrors, endure substandard shaves for a little while? You might find that a throwaway like the Bic Metal provides a very good shave.
You already gave the answer in the sentence after your second question mark.
IOW, why indeed should I endure sub-standard shaves?
And who says that I have to search for blades?
Before arrival, I already have a pretty good idea where to find them, sometimes even in my destination airports.
And if push comes to shove, I can always grab my Trac II or Atra handle and a cartridge, but thankfully I never had to.
B.
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If you want to see what the legislation says (effective as of 10/26/2023), not going off what the TSA says, someone posted this document in another thread about the most recent prohibited item changes. You are correct, it does indeed state that "safety razors (including disposable razors)" are permitted. However when talking about the blades (DE included) which are prohibited (obviously), it goes on to say: "This prohibition includes box cutter and utility knife housings, with or without the blade, but excludes disposable safety razors and disposable safety razor blade cartridges". It does not explicitly stated safety razors that aren't disposable/cartridge. I think some agents are treating safety razors like box cutters and confiscating the safety razor "with or without the blade", because it only explicity allows cartridges and disposable when talking about blades. The old wording (prohibiting "razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors") was clearer when allowing safety razors, the new wording is much more ambigious, which I think is where the most recent differing enforcement/interpretation by agents comes from. Given this, I think it would be the wisest to stick with cartridge/disposable and not risk a safety razor, even if they are technically allowed.
- Thread starter
- #26
I have a cheap enough DE I'm willing to consider "disposable" if this is the case. I think there is a good enough chance that it'll be fine based off how many people said it wasn't an issue. I will definitely report back how it goes.
I'll be interested to know. Just keep in mind that regardless of what the actual rules are, TSA agents may misinterpret them, and there's really no recourse. They can and will confiscate based on their (mis)understanding of the rules.
Whatever you go with, practice at home first and dial it in to your satisfaction. I grabbed a Trac II and a 100 pack of Personna carts years ago for TSA screens when I was traveling often.
Most any system will work well enough these days if you do your part
Most any system will work well enough these days if you do your part
Must be nice. I bet they come home with some cool stuff some days.
- Thread starter
- #31
Yes, I just thought of that today, and tested out one of the two razors I'm choosing between bringing. Was a success. Now to try the other in a couple days.
The new rules stipulate that safety razors with no blade are not permitted. However if you separate the pieces, you have a much better chance. They look for that T shape. Better yet, use a plastic, Bakelite, or 3D printed razor, and you’ll never get caught unless they physically search your bag for some other reason. So there is always risk that they will take it. For that reason I usually just grab a Trac II or a disposable like the BIC Metal when I carry-on. They shave okay. And they make you appreciate your real DE that much more when you get home.
