Flying with your wetshaving gear

[ShavingBarristr84]

With the introduction of the vaccine, hopefully it will not be long before flying, both nationally and internationally, will be back to normal. With that said, what have your experiences been with carrying your wetshaving gear through security and onto a plane? Do you carry your dopp kit in your carry-on or do you check it? If you put it in your carry-on, what goes in it? Do you split some of your gear for carry-on and some for checked luggage? Share your experiences, and perhaps we can teach each other a thing or two.

Me, personally, I used to put everything into checked luggage, because with the constantly fluctuating TSA regulations, I didn't want any last minute hassles. However, this would result in broken aftershave bottles, bent items, etc. Baggage handlers pride themselves in treating checked luggage as rough as possible. Not to mention the occasional missing luggage. Now that I have invested in more expensive shaving gear and dopp kit, I am hesitant to put it into checked luggage going forward. Obviously, blades would go into checked luggage, but I am thinking everything else would come with me on my carry-on. Unsure how soaps and balms would be treated at security though. Thus, this thread.

 

[Quaznoid]

I don’t take it with me. I throw a disposable Bic type plastic razor in my carry-on and suffer through some lousy improvised shaves every other day or so

 

[snowback]

I always pack mine in checked luggage. I always pack assuming that luggage handlers are playing football with the bags so everything is packed for rough handling - plastic bottles, no-aerosol, etc. I only carry what I wouldn’t miss if stolen or lost.


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[EclipseRedRing]

I normally pack everything in check in luggage and only take what I can afford to lose or have confiscated. I try not to make any airport staff ask questions or have to make a decision, especially in the middle East or South Asia where TSA regulations mean nothing and you can lose a lot more than your shaving gear if you stand out. If I can then I try to buy soap, blades, and aftershave in my destination country as it is nice to try new things.

 

[garyg]

I have a slightly brassy Fatboy that serves as a travel razor, a cheapo synthetic brush - these are in my dopp in carryon small bag. A small tube of cream & plastic 1.7 oz bottle of AS is in the baggie with other liquids, while a shave stick is in the dopp, with a small alum disc. Blades go checked if I am doing that, mailed ahead or purchased at the destination if not. I only recall one time that the razor drew any attention, and that was just to briefly check that the blade had been removed.

 

[sarimento1]

Welcome to B&B, Sir ShavingBarristr84!
We all look forward to traveling again!
Fortunately, with the fast rollout of the vaccines, that day won't be too terribly distant!!

 

[abershaver]

If I have to take hand baggage only, I take a Gillette Guard - great razor!

 

[lancre]

Normally, if I can drive there in a day, I do.

Flying, I check my bags if I can. I only take what is easily and cheaply replaceable. Nothing vintage or high end. If that means I have to settle for a shave that's merely good instead of great, so be it. VDH razor, a tuck of Derby Extras, cheap synthetic brush, TSA approved size of Nivea Nen or PSC Caffeinated shaving cream, travel size of WH, a couple of ounces of Nivea PSB decanted to a plastic bottle, a collapsible dog dish, and a small stainless steel camping mirror. I assume brutal handling by the airlines, so nothing is in breakable containers.

If I'm in such a rush that I'm restricted to carry-on, the VDH & Derby get replaced a Gillette Sensor left over from my cartridge days and a couple of extra cartridges.

 

[ShavingBarristr84]

So it seems the consensus is to check it, and only include cheap and easily replaceable items in the kit. What a shame, remember the days when you could bring pretty much anything you wanted on board except for like firearms and explosives? Those were the days. I would have brought my entire collection with me on board if I could.

 

[ackvil]

When I traveled on business some years ago I often carried on. I always had a travel kit that included everything I needed except blades. With blades, I either mailed them to the hotel I was staying at, bought them at the place I was staying, etc. There were many times when my travel was extended and then I checked my baggage.

Now that I am retired I check my baggage since my wife with all of her personal care products always checks hers.

 

[garyg]

So it seems the consensus is to check it, and only include cheap and easily replaceable items in the kit. What a shame, remember the days when you could bring pretty much anything you wanted on board except for like firearms and explosives? Those were the days. I would have brought my entire collection with me on board if I could.

I recall them losing luggage even in the good old days .. that's why my Fatboy gets carried on. I've never had to go without blades, which are the only essential item that must be checked, as even when my mail-ahead failed, I found some DE's where I was staying. Worst case that never has happened I'd have to buy a cart or disposable which though regrettable would be ameliorated some by having a brush & decent shaving cream in my carryon dopp.

 

[DCRIII]

Can't wait to travel again, especially somewhere tropical, such as Hawaii again!
Here's what I took with me the last time I was in Waikiki. Nothing that's hard to find and is easy to replace if lost or damaged.

 

[chuckd]

I don’t take it with me. I throw a disposable Bic type plastic razor in my carry-on and suffer through some lousy improvised shaves every other day or so

+1 to this. I bring a cartridge razor, Arko soap stick, and a cheap Omega Sintex synthetic brush in my carry-on.

 

[ProtoGent]

I guess it strongly depends on where you want to go and where you pass borders.

I travel often with carry-on baggage. Since I travel inside the EU I can keep my full DE razor gear with me. Never had any issues at all. Brush, blades, soap, razor...

I assume passing US borders makes this impossible.

However, restrictions clearly state what kind of blade is forbidden, which is approx. 6 cm long. A DE blade is way shorter. And you really don't need the 300 ml tube of shaving cream, do you?

I don't want to miss a good shave. Especially on vacation.

 

[ShavingBarristr84]

That's the thing, my wife gifted me this really nice full grain lather Polare Dopp Kit, and I added a few Hide & Drink leather pouches for my razor and brush to it. To travel from the US to Europe, and not have it with me, or risk having it lost or damaged in checked baggage, it's like bad choices either way. I guess I could take it with me on carry on minus blades and liquids. And a cheap Tech. Disassembled. But as someone mentioned above, even then, what makes sense to a TSA agent in New York may not make sense to the Turkish agent in Istanbul.

 

[Scaramouche]

I guess it strongly depends on where you want to go and where you pass borders.

I travel often with carry-on baggage. Since I travel inside the EU I can keep my full DE razor gear with me. Never had any issues at all. Brush, blades, soap, razor...

I assume passing US borders makes this impossible.

However, restrictions clearly state what kind of blade is forbidden, which is approx. 6 cm long. A DE blade is way shorter. And you really don't need the 300 ml tube of shaving cream, do you?

I don't want to miss a good shave. Especially on vacation.

As of 2018, in the US:

Accessories. Disposable razors and their cartridges are the only types of razors permitted in your carry-on luggage. Razor-type blades, such as box cutters, utility knives, and safety razor blades, are only allowed in checked luggage. You may also carry nail clippers and nail scissors with blades shorter than 4 inches.

 

[BigJ]

Once upon a time, I traveled a good bit for work (>3MM air miles). During that time I evolved into a ‘one bag’ (carry on only) flyer.

My strategy depends on whether I will stay at one place for awhile or whether I will have multiple destinations. If staying at one place, then I bring my travel razor (a light-weight Lord L6) and mail a few blades or purchase locally (which can be fun). If multiple destinations, then I resort to a cart.

In either event, the rest of my kit includes:
La Toja stack
Wee Scot brush (in a pill bottle from my pharmacy)
Small bottle of AS (with my liquids)

Hope we will all get to travel again in 2021!!

 

[never-stop-learning]

When I traveled on business some years ago I often carried on. I always had a travel kit that included everything I needed except blades. With blades, I either mailed them to the hotel I was staying at, bought them at the place I was staying, etc. There were many times when my travel was extended and then I checked my baggage.

Now that I am retired I check my baggage since my wife with all of her personal care products always checks hers.

Once upon a time, I traveled a good bit for work (>3MM air miles). During that time I evolved into a ‘one bag’ (carry on only) flyer.

My strategy depends on whether I will stay at one place for awhile or whether I will have multiple destinations. If staying at one place, then I bring my travel razor (a light-weight Lord L6) and mail a few blades or purchase locally (which can be fun). If multiple destinations, then I resort to a cart.

In either event, the rest of my kit includes:
La Toja stack
Wee Scot brush (in a pill bottle from my pharmacy)
Small bottle of AS (with my liquids)

Hope we will all get to travel again in 2021!!

+1 to these.

 

[JeffJ]

Too much hassle to fly with DE. Especially on business. My travel kit has been stripped down to a Gillette sensor and Palmolive shave cream. No brush.

Used a Gilette Guard for years. That's good as well though harder to get close shaves.

 

[Egmont]

Before COVID, I traveled for work. I used minimal, low cost stuff. Lately due to tremor difficulties I rarely use DE and have been using Gillette sensor disposables for travel. Cheap and work well for me. I like Arko sticks for travel. I’ve been all over US and many overseas locations in Europe and Asia and Arko is always easy and fast to lather regardless of water hardness. I don’t bring aftershave lotion or balm. Instead I bring face cream with moderate SPF. Soothing like a good balm but some protection for my inside/outside travel duties. Available from nivea, dove, neutragena and probably others.

Probably have a few more months before I can go back to work.


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