Tip for travelling: Spare blades in your dopp kit

I have a tip for everyone who likes to travel with their DE razor. Bear with me as I describe my somewhat painful lesson, and hopefully it will save you some discomfort down the road.

Let me preface this by saying that I received two separate blade deliveries on the same day last week. It was a total of 170 blades, and they are currently sitting right next to the medicine cabinet:


While packing for a trip, I checked through my dopp bag to make sure that I had everything that I needed. My travel razor still contained a blade (that I should have removed during the last trip), and there was an open box of blades in one of the pouches. On the outside chance that it was empty (why would I keep an empty box?), I checked, and there was a single blade in the box -- one was enough for the trip.

This morning, the first morning of the vacation, after my normal vacation prep -- Prorasso cream with my Wee Scot -- I dug in with the blade that was already in the razor and it was painfully dull. When I opened the spare blade to replace it, I noticed that the wrapper wasn't glued shut. Inside the wrapper, the blade as covered with soap scum -- another used blade. Apparently I re-wrapped the last blade that I removed from the razor with plans to throw it away later (I don't know why I didn't just throw it away).

I finished shaving with the awful old blade that was in the razor.

I don't know what bothered me worse -- the fact that I didn't toss the old blade during my last trip or that I didn't just take the 2 seconds to grab a pack of blades from the huge stack next to me as I packed.

I picked up a pack of Dorco blades this afternoon, so the rest of the trip will be slightly better than shaving with the crusty old blades...

Lesson: Always toss your old blades, and when packing, bring more blades than you think you'll need.

Lesson learned. Good tip.

I had a similar experience. It felt like trying to shave with a cinderblock. No fun. Your lesson is spot on!

Good advice. I always have two packs of blades in my travel kit, including one that is unopened. When I return from a trip I through my travel kit to see what needs to be replaced. On one trip I forgot to pack a brush and could not find one on any of my travel stops. After that experience I selected a brush that I keep in my travel kit.

I always travel with a small roll of duct tape. After I am finished with a blade I wrap it in tape and toss in the trash,knowing the cleaning staff will be safe from cuts. And I always take two packages of blades.

I always keep at least one or two packs of blades in my dopp bag when I pull everything out. The clamshel razor case also has a place for a tuck of blades which is kept in it.

Nothing worse than trying to shave without a blade



All packed and ready to go

Thanks Turtle. After seeing your photos, I just bought one of those blue cases on Amazon, and they threw in a cheap razor..