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Straights and travel

Hi B&B experts

I would like to pass the gap, move from DE to straight, but I have a problem with that.

Traveling is part of my job, so I'm away from home 6-8 weeks in row, and not always in teh same place.
So I have few concerns about moving to the next step.

1_Strop, I guess I should be able to find a travel size or it's a hassle for a beginner ?
2_Honing, If by bad luck I really need to do it while on the move, is there any small kit ?
3_Maintenance, sometimes I need to go in a very short notice, so it's a shave and packing all the stuff, will the straight get corroded/look awfull / loose it's sharpness ?

And I think I'll keep my small DE as backup.

So, do you think with my life style I can go Straight full time, or only those short 3 weeks off at home ?

Tnx

Jay
 
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I picked up a cheap-ish strop to take along when I travel. I pack it flat, along the inside of my luggage. I take one of my cheap SR's, along with a cheap DE/blades in my dopp kit. That way, if my baggage gets lost, I'm not out a whole lot, and if something happens to the edge on my SR, I can still shave in a pinch.
 
If you need to take a plane for travel then straights are a definite no go for carry on luggage and I'm not sure I'd want to put anything really nice in checked baggage. A cheap CJB razor (about $40 including a pack of Dorco pro style blades from a member here) is likely your best bet as the Feather versions are more expensive and likely not worth the risk of being taken or stolen by TSA or airport baggage employees. You will have a hard time finding the feather pro blades so you'll have to put them in a carry on or send them ahead to your destination as well. Going this route you won't need to take a strop or high grit stone for touch ups and if it's stolen you're only out 40 bucks. I'd definitely still pursue the straights but maybe just save them for home use. The CJB has sort of a straight razor feel but it's a little more unforgiving, however the maintenance issues are completely nonexistent.
 
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I just snagged a StarShaving.com small, 2-sided paddle strop that was labled a return/scratch/dent and I could not find any flaw on the strop. It was wrapped in plastic and smelled just like new leather. I've ordered from them before and been pleased as well.
 
I dont really like the shavette, i've been shaved in several barber shops using shavettes.
They dont have the look nor the handling and of course the feeling on the skin of a straight.
But someone mentioned the Feather SS, and I use Feather DE blades already.

I've been watching Thomas from Denmark on utube (is he know here ??) showing the beauty with teck handle.
Buying the blades is no problem as I already do it for the DE's.

Anyone here with some experience with the offer from Feather ? I'll go look in the depths of the forum anyway.


And yes I fly, so i'll keep the razor in the checked in luggage, I already had a set of brush + a Mercur Barberpole paid by a fligh company.....but got the luggage back after a month, unharmed , flying from Pau (southwest Pyrenees France) to Varna (Bulgaria) and the luggage was found in Israel :eek2:
 
Jay, while it sounds like you're convinced of what you want, I'd still recommend a Feather shavette, plus your DE.
Which is somewhat different than the shavette-with-DE blade that you've seen at your barbershop.
Primarily, because it takes perhaps two to three months of regular straight use to ramp up that learning curve, what with prep, stropping, maintenance plus the shaving-with-nondominant hand mechanics.
Just my 2c.
And, welcome to B&B!

View attachment 475104
 
Yes that's the one i mean, the Feather SS.
I dont consider it being a shavette (even if it is one) as the blade holder looks like a regular straight blade, and according to some vids i've seen it's an awsome tool.

EDIT: I mean the Artist Club :001_smile Feather razor
 
Agreed on the Feather Artist Club. I travel a lot for my work as well. Often I don't check my bags with the airlines and simply mail a box of Feather blades ($16-$20) ahead to the hotel or business. I also pack the Artist Club in a separate ziploc bag that I place on the Xray bins so that TSA can readily examine the non-bladed.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
I used to take straights with me on travel all the time but stopped doing it because hotel maids just wouldn't leave them alone.
No matter where I put them, (unless I buried them in my suitcase, which I didn't want to do every day) the maids would open them, look at them and who knows what else. I've had edges dinged and chipped.
I finally resigned to just taking DE's on the road and straight shaving at home.
 
Have you looked at the vintage Wecks. I find they feel a lot like a straight. Without a blade I don't see having one in a carry-on would be an issue, just keep the blades (hair shaper blades) in the checked in bag. Here is mine without a blade:
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I got a few off of the auction site for about $15 and the blades from Sally's for $5 for 6.
 
I dont think i could even think about taking this in a plane.
As my flights are almost all internationals the regulations are awfull.

Any one know of a good place to order the Feather ? or a seller from the forum ?
 
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