Fun with Travel Kits

[theperfectstorm]

Or, if you prefer, the intersection of Shameless Self-aggrandizement and New Camera.

Top: Epic Wardonia Travel Kit in white Bakelite. Two tubes, Wardonia razor, two blade holders, all snaps together tight and secure. A brilliantly executed piece of 1940's design.

Middle: Classic English Two-Tix calf-skin travel set. Silver tubes, fake Gillette New (possibly Wilkinson). Bone toothbrush from D.R. Harris (my addition). The fake Gillette is a medieval torture device and bone feels weird in your mouth (strangely) but damn it looks good.

Bottom Left: American-style 1940's Cowhide Travel Kit: Yellow Celluloid holders, sweet Maple bristle brush. The celluloid is gorgeous and is double-thick--damn hard to break, so this is the kit I actually use most of the time.

[theperfectstorm]

The Big Red One: Foot long red American-style two-piece travel set. Amazing set, two brushes, entire bottom lifts out as a piece.

[WhosYerBob]

All of them are gorgeous - where did you locate them?

[theperfectstorm]

All of them are gorgeous - where did you locate them?

eBay. Simple as that.

Only one over $20 shipped was the Wardonia. The rest were $10-20 shipped.

[LeverTime]

Do you put these in your checked luggage, or do you separate out the liquids and put them in the plastic bag the TSA requires?

[theperfectstorm]

Do you put these in your checked luggage, or do you separate out the liquids and put them in the plastic bag the TSA requires?

I drive.


If I flew I would check them, though.

[mankini]

Nice, thanks for sharing I travel a lot.
I am always interested seeing how other folks gear up on the road.

[_JP_]

Definitely drool worthy!

[theperfectstorm]

Quick new addition:

Super clean Wardonia Devon Travel Razor Set. Complete with blades and shipper.

[soapbox]

Travel kits are fascinating. My bride bought me an AoS travel kit to get me started wet shaving (albeit with M3, before I discovered DE, SE, or Straight shaving), and I still use about 1/2 of the kit, (case, brush, & balm).

[theperfectstorm]

A small update. Both still need a good cleaning.

1940's American Cowhide set. Mainly got it because of the pattern on the celluloid and the brush.

1940's Cowhide Set. It was 99 cents. 'Nuff said. This one I will use.

[Johnnie Walker]

These are very cool,

**surfs to eBay.**

[Go West Young Man]

What description do you look for on these? I've been keeping an eye out on eBay but nothing good has been showing up under 'shave kit' or 'travel kit'.

[Cuttingboard]

What description do you look for on these? I've been keeping an eye out on eBay but nothing good has been showing up under 'shave kit' or 'travel kit'.

Same here, I can't find anything like these on Ebay.

[theperfectstorm]

I forgot that I never took pics of these. Two English style shaving kits in binocular-style cases. One metal, one hard-core Bakelite.

The bakelite one I am going to use as a cologne kit, since, as I have discovered, a basic round 15 ml glass atomizer fits snugly in those tubes. Like they were born to go in them.

[Featherweight]

The Big Red One: Foot long red American-style two-piece travel set. Amazing set, two brushes, entire bottom lifts out as a piece.

Who's the babe in the photo? :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:

[theperfectstorm]

Who's the babe in the photo? :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:

I am guessing you Captained your High School "Totally and Brutally Missing the Entire Point" team.:laugh:

Nicole Kidman.

[Verderer]

Some nice kits there! I won some travel kits recently on the ebay too, have post some pics when they arrive. One even comes with a Super Speed!

[Verderer]

Yup, received my first one:

http://www.sotataito.com/images/baggie.jpg

I put more pics in the score forum Acquisitions section, don't want to flood up this thread with my pics.

[theperfectstorm]

Yup, received my first one:

http://www.sotataito.com/images/baggie.jpg

I put more pics in the score forum Acquisitions section, don't want to flood up this thread with my pics.

That is a sweet English kit, dude. Good snag.

Okay, boys and girls, lets see some vintage kits. I know some of you must have some new ones since they keep getting bought out from under me on the 'bay.

[Kcaps]

Can I mirror an old question that was asked? What topic do you search for these on eBay? I understand if you don't want to share your secrets so you can snatch all the good deals up yourself though......

[LeverTime]

Can I mirror an old question that was asked? What topic do you search for these on eBay? I understand if you don't want to share your secrets so you can snatch all the good deals up yourself though......

I used "travel kit" or "shaving kit" to find mine, but with either one you are going to get a lot of false positives.

[pezdaddy]

Um, hate to ask a question that is obvious to everyone else, but what are the tubes for? I'm thinking a shaving brush, but why are there two?

[Go West Young Man]

Um, hate to ask a question that is obvious to everyone else, but what are the tubes for? I'm thinking a shaving brush, but why are there two?

Shave sticks, generally.


I used "travel kit" or "shaving kit" to find mine, but with either one you are going to get a lot of false positives.

You need to mix+max all sorts of terms: travel, shave, toiletries, kit, overnight, vintage, mens, leather. If you lose an auction, eBay will 'suggest' similar one to you, that's a good way to pick up on common descriptors.

[Kcaps]

Well with all you guys to compete against, I hope I can pick at least one up!:tongue_sm How much do you usually pay? Someone mentioned under $20 shipped.... if that is the case, that's amazing!

[theperfectstorm]

Well with all you guys to compete against, I hope I can pick at least one up!:tongue_sm How much do you usually pay? Someone mentioned under $20 shipped.... if that is the case, that's amazing!

Dude, NEVER pay more than $20-22 shipped for any case except crazy-@ssed British ones--and even then don't go over$25 shipped. There are plenty out there, another WILL come along for $12 shipped, trust me.

Since I have what I want and need I can tell you this:

Go to Collectibles---->Vanity, Perfume, and Shaving.

Search for "shaving kit" be sure to check the International listings for the English kits.

Then search:

"Grooming" then

"Toiletry" then

"Vanity kit or vanity set" then

"travel" then

"Men's"

That will cover all the bases, but the last two are general enough that they may throw up 300+ hits.

[theperfectstorm]

Look for complete kits--no missing pieces or empty spaces.

Celluloid cracks and warps pretty easily and most of these interior pieces are two-piece, a top and a bottom. Never buy a set unless you can see the tops and the bottoms in the pictures! Warped bottoms can be heated and fixed--cracks are deal-breakers.

Always examine the pictures very hard to make sure the zipper is a.) there, b.) attached to something, c.) fully stitched into the fabric of the kit.

Always examine the pictures very hard to make sure all of the leather stirrups that hold the pieces are whole and stitched to the case on both ends. Nothing worse than getting a kit and finding half the straps shot or torn.

Where possible look for complete kits that include the various manicure pieces that belong in the top of the kit. You may never use them but the kit looks weird without them and they are difficult and expensive to replace--even with modern equivalents.

If you are in the CONUS never pay more than 8 or 9 Pounds for shipping from the UK, anything more is a rip-off. English kits tend to be smaller and lighter than US kits, and should ship reasonably cheaply.

[LeverTime]

I never bid more than $1 on these, and I've won four (and lost many, many more). With shipping, they ended up being $5-10. I've never seen one so glorious (relative to others) that I felt the need to bid higher.

One problem I've had with three of the four I have is the thread attaching the zipper to the leather case coming undone, or ripping itself out of the case. I'm not sure what to look for to prevent that from happening, since they were not detached when I received them (ie: I accidentally ripped them apart). Anybody else who actually uses there kits have problems like this?

[Go West Young Man]

Also, some of the kits from the 60's and 70's are much cheaper than they look online. I have one that's cheap leather covering heavy carton stock, with plastic bins and thin metal covers. It's still cooler than anything you can buy today, but I'm keeping an eye on the 'bay hoping to upgrade to something a bit higher quality.

[theperfectstorm]

Also, some of the kits from the 60's and 70's are much cheaper than they look online. I have one that's cheap leather covering heavy carton stock, with plastic bins and thin metal covers. It's still cooler than anything you can buy today, but I'm keeping an eye on the 'bay hoping to upgrade to something a bit higher quality.

That's a good point. As the 1950's ended the Western fascination with plastic and vinyl caught up to the travel industry. Kits from the 60's and 70's can be cheap and flimsy. Indeed, the later they are the more they are just corporate gifts in the style of the old kits with weird load-outs, useless pieces and no real logic to their organization. These can usually be spotted pretty easily. Shiny black plastic or faux croc cases in space-age polymers. Clear plastic boxes with stainless steel lids, nylon and plastic brushes.

While a lot of these are cheap and really tacky, it should be mentioned for the sake of completeness that the West German's did in the early 60's make some pretty high-tone versions of the new modern style of kit, with higher quality pieces and the occasional leather case. But you have to be real careful on these.

The cheap ones do make good throw-them-in-a-bag with camping and traveling gear cases though.

[saabaru]

Interesting......Might have to look into one :thumbup1: