Calling active duty and vets: shaving in the field?

[kFries]

I love my shaves with my DE. I love the process of bowl lathering. It's all great. It seems really impractical for field exercises though, especially the "back to the basics" ones. Do I go with face lathering a cream? Do I go back to crappy carts and goo from a can? What did/do you all do?

I got a travel Tech for this purpose, but if it didn't work out for you all I'll figure something else out.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

kFries:
I remember shaving in the field (but I always with a DE razor), warmimg up water in a canteen cup on top of the pot-belly stove, using my brush and silver shaving mug w/ soap to build a lather, using my steel pot or canteen cup to shave, hanging my mirror on a tree limb and sitting on the chair from the old field desks.

Later on in my career when Kalvar Helmets came out...I packed in my duffel bag and brought along a medium-size Tupperware bowl to shave in.

"A good lather is half the shave". William Hone

 

[kFries]

I was thinking of hand lathering and a canteen cup for shaving. We don't have stoves anymore, so cold water it is . Unless we have a humvee running... toss it on the engine block... hmmm.

 

[TheVez2]

Travel tech, cheap boar brush, shave stick. Face lather, no cup required except to rinse razor in. Easy. Search the forum for other ideas, this topic has been brought up several times.

 

[JDillon]

I use a Mama Bears shave stick when I'm in the field or deployed. You can use it a few different ways, wet your face then rub the shave stick on your face like it was deoderant then build the lather with your brush. The second way is to build the lather on the brush by swirling the brush around the top of the shave stick. I end up using cold water but that seems to be all the rage right now. I hope this helps.

 

[KW Driver]

when I lived out of a ruck, I'd dry shave with a cart, or castile soap (Dr. Bronner's) face lathered by hand if I was feeling like some cleanup and a luxury shave. with the signal mirror in hand.

now, I live hardstand to hardstand, so, yeah.... but back in the days of "field flying", I could always plug my 110 water heater (that french press coffee isn't going to heat and cook itself, and to hell with the silver bullet brew in the CP) into the radio truck, so hot water was available.

unless you're Infantry, living out of a ruck and LPCs, you should be able to achieve some semblance of civility while shaving.

 

[kmain]

If your job requires you to be outside the wire without being about to go back to base then I know some commands let there units grow beards most of the time... personally the last thing I'd be thinking of is shaving in that situation... would just be extra stuff I wouldnt want to carry around.

 

[ironfist]

An interesting read so far! I salute yous for your service

 

[smokeydave]

An interesting read so far! I salute yous for your service

agreed on that one keep your heads down and be safe

 

[retiredguns]

In 20 years I never had a warm shave while in the bush and it was an early cart (Atra likely), canteen cup and a mini of edge or something. There were even a few cold water and no lather shaves! If I were back in today it would be cold water, canteen cup, DE89 & a tube of cream for ease. There were times when we'd have to go days without any hygiene practice beyond a butt wipe and cold rag wipe down but even then Marines like to try and stay squared away.

Had a small 'stache here but still shaved in the tropics..

 

[PFP_Dad]

Unfortunately I used carts and usually just water in the field (goo exploded in my pack once). If I had it to do again, I'd be all for a Semoge 620, Arko and an easily replaceable DE (Fat handled tech or similar).

Cut the top off a water bottle (if they're provided) and you have a good brush soaking and razor rinsing cup without carrying canteens and canteen cup. Take the brush to the stick to save your face some rubbing and you should be all set unless you need AS.

I recently received a brush in a large pill bottle that would work as an excellent field storage device, might be worth asking around to get two. One for Arko (or lesser shave stick) and one for your brush.

 

[one cut]

depending on where you are and what facilities are available, Ill bring my butler if they let me.
My most basic set up has been, a shave stick it is small light weight and will not get all over everything if it breaks.
for a while I substituted a small sponge for a brush, It worked.
you can also use it to wash yourself if you are very short of water.
saves you some weight.
cut a camping towel in half for a small wash cloth.
The Wilkinson classic is a cheep double edged razor. It is still available.
a small plastic cup works for holding water. But you can always ask the food facility people for a old can or something.



took a photo because.

 

[kw108]

Water in a mess tin warmed over a hexamine stove, with a bic razor as its cheap and light to carry.

 

[tda003]

I had a travel tech (didn't know that's what is was then) and the original Wilkinson Sword blades. Used Noxzema in the jar at base camp. Very often was unwashed and disgusting in the boonies. Humping a radio, I carried NOTHING I could do without. Dirty but WAY cool. All my gear disappeared when I was medivaced out. Truly never had that good a shave w/ adjustables or cartridges since. Stumbled across a tech on the Bay a little over a month ago and B&B shortly thereafter and it's off to the races again!

 

[one cut]

over Christmas I got two last minuet contracts.
spent three days sitting on a dirty couch bored out of my mind waiting to go. We never went.
took a picture of the bathroom facilities and my dopp kit for you.



The lights were out, always have a flashlight with you.

 

[Suntzu]

During field exercises in Europe in the 1980's, in the field artillery, I would warm up water in a canteen cup on the yukon gas stove that we used to heat the tent. Then I would use the current Gillette cart (Trac II or Sensor) with canned shaving cream. During the Gulf War we were concerned about getting a close shave so that our protective masks would fit with a good tight seal in the event that the Iraqis would use chemical weapons. Hot water was not available during the movement to contact and subsequent engagement, so we used cold water along with the tools mentioned above. While serving with the 101st at Fort Campbell, austerity was in style along with camoflague face paint. Daily shaving was sort of optional as long as the camoflague face paint was being worn.

 

[Hawkeye5]

I spent most of 1969 in the field as part of a Cav. Troop. Carts were not an option, DE only. Canned goo, cold water in a steel pot. Just remember to brush your teeth before you shave!!

 

[Kabong30]

Interesting read! Thanks to all of you who served! I wonder if there is some kind of way to find out what would be an acceptable kit and then maybe give some away to those who are currently "over there"?

 

[Mack The Knife]

My standard rig for 20 years was a schick injector, edge foam, and a alice mirror.
and my steel pot, sure glad I retired before the new buckets came out.

dumped the foam in favor of a pump soap, dumped the injector for a Weishi DE, and still have the same alice mirror.
Dont need the steel pot, but still own one for the grand kids to play with.

 

[kmain]

where the heck were you shaving in that picture?