DE razor in carry on

[McHale]

OK, here's my VERY recent flying story and what I'm doing about it going forward [sorry it's so long. I hope it's interesting and worth the read - feel free to skip to the last paragraph for solution]:

I hate flying. A lot. And I'm not too manly to admit that while I'm in the air I'm silently praying my plane doesn't get hit by a bird... or a flock of birds... or a drone... or a flock of drones... or another plane. Right now, I fly 2 or 3 times a year to work on a cruise ship for a couple weeks. I *ALWAYS* check luggage with toiletries and blades and the only thing I carry on is meds, my unloaded DE, a light jacket, headphones, my cell phone, and all the needed paperwork for my trip. I'd say about 25% of the time they pull out my razor case, ask me to open the razor, and verify there's no blade. No biggee. This trip was VERY different for a multiple of reasons.

A few weeks ago I leave out of O'hare Airport (ORD for you flying nerds). They pull out my backpack for closer inspection and put it in the explosives checking machine. Then they ask me (nicely might I add) to remove the razor and disassemble it for them. I show them there's no blade, answer a few questions on the razor (Rockwell 6s), gather my stuff and wait for my flight which is on a 3 hour delay due to weather.

Elsewhere...

A buddy is flying in from Philly, no carry on at all. He arrives in Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) but his suitcase is still in Philly. 3 days later, he gets his suitcase, just before we board the cruise ship. This is the first time EVER where we didn't go from airport to cruise ship so if it had to happen, this worked out well. We only went a few days early because I had vacation time to kill and I have friends and family there.

So we get on the cruise ship and everything is A-OK with our luggage and the cruise and our work goes fine. But 3 days into the cruise I have to go to the customer service desk for something and overhear a guy who NEVER got his suitcase delivered to his room. I found out shortly after that several people's luggage got lost at the cruise port and it never made it to the ship. Imagine being on a 10 day vacation with no luggage, no clothes, no toothbrush, no razor, etc.

So ANYWAY, after 9 or 10 days it's time to fly home out of FLL. I screw up and toss my shaving soap (in silver plated shaving mug with Merkts spreading cheese lid on it) and matching silver plated shaving brush (tucked in a medicine bottle sans label) in my backpack. I go through TSA screening and literally all hell broke loose. First, they were angry that I had used a medicine bottle to carry my shaving brush (because it was NOT it's intended purpose and was I trying to smuggle something, disguising it as medicine?). But worse, despite the soap not being a liquid or a gel they were irritated and angry that it's not in a quart ziploc and tried to take it and discard it because they couldn't tell how many ounces it is. I explained that I read the TSA rules for carry-on and I'm 100% positive that hard soap does not have to be in a quart bag. They said they were still taking it so I asked for a supervisor. The supervisor said ALL soaps, shampoos, etc needed to be in a quart bag and since it *MAY* be over 3 oz (it's WAY less than 3), they had to take it. I that I couldn't dare part with the mug and asked if I could scrape out the soap into a trashcan and keep it which he grudgingly allowed. Just as I started scraping, another agent came by, saw the razor and brush on the table and told me to stop. He recognized that someone shaving with an "old timey" razor would use a mug of soap with that brush. He said he saw it in a movie or something and allowed me to go. I board my flight, land back in Chicago and all is well. Thank God someone there used deductive reasoning.

Elsewhere...

My buddy lands back in Philly. They lost his luggage again.

After all of that hassle and stories of lost luggage I decided to NEVER check a bag again and go carry on only. To get through security quickly I'm going to have to sacrifice. There is no place to buy blades upon arrival and there's no way I can mail them so I'm going with a disposable razor, Creamo (which I just can NOT get the hang of) in a 3 oz container, homemade aftershave in another 3 oz container, and no cologne. I may bring my brush just in case the bar of soap is decent.

-Mc

 

[anoop]

I hate air travel too. It's currently a race to the bottom, I think, repeated downsizing and degrading service.
Anoop's Place: Why I dislike air travel

 

[McHale]

Anoop's Place: Why I dislike air travel

Nailed it.

 

[anoop]

A good option for short trips is the Gillette Guard razor. It is a cartridge model, but only just. It has one blade, gives a very decent shave, and it's so cheap it doesn't matter if you lose it.

I ordered the Gillette Guard around the time of this thread. Today, I used it for the first time (at home, not traveling) just to test drive it. I found it gives a very decent shave, but there is a lot more razor burn than when I use my regular DE setup (AS-D2 + Kai). But it felt better than any other disposable razor that I have ever used. So thanks again for the suggestion because I think I will carry this with me the next time I'm traveling by air and do not plan to check luggage.

 

[jar_]

I just gotta ask.

What is the threat potential of a DE razor? When was the last time someone ran amuck threatening folk with a DE razor?

 

[anoop]

It's not the razor, it's the blade.

 

[jar_]

It's not the razor, it's the blade.

And I repeat; "When was the last time someone ran amuck threatening folk with a DE razor blade?"

We have really reached a period of absolute silliness.

 

[anoop]

And I repeat; "When was the last time someone ran amuck threatening folk with a DE razor blade?"

We have really reached a period of absolute silliness.

I think there are many other sillier rules than disallowing of DE blades, e.g. no metal butter knives for meals, requiring removal of shoes, the full body x-ray machines, etc.

If you want to know what constitutes stupid steps, just list all the additional stuff required over TSA Pre. It is very easy to get TSA Pre--many airlines will give it if you buy a First Class ticket, so all the additional stuff is a sham.

 

[NesOne]

I just carry it in my pocket, and place it on the basket during screening. I take a Black Beauty, and place it on the tray with the doors open. After I get through, I place it in my laptop bag. Blades in my checked baggage. If I'm only taking a carry-on, then I find a local place that sells blades. Last time I traveled I settled using blades from a family dollar store.

 

[Haadkoe]

I saw some Barbasol disposables in the dollar store earlier today. RAD tried to get me, but I managed to make it out the door without buying a pack.

If their canned foam is decent, perhaps their razors are as well in a pinch.

Conversely, if you are staying at a hotel you can try mailing the DE blades in advance.

As always YMMV.

 

[anoop]

I saw some Barbasol disposables in the dollar store earlier today. RAD tried to get me, but I managed to make it out the door without buying a pack.

I am so disappointed to hear that. Please work harder on your RAD.

Conversely, if you are staying at a hotel you can try mailing the DE blades in advance.

This has been mentioned but it seems like a pain. How do you package one or two blades, and then dispose them safely after use?

 

[Haadkoe]

I am so disappointed to hear that. Please work harder on your RAD.



This has been mentioned but it seems like a pain. How do you package one or two blades, and then dispose them safely after use?

Stick however many blades you think you will need into an empty blade box (or remove blades until only what you need for the trip remain), drop the blade box in an envelope and mail it.

Assuming you successfully receive them at your destination, place used blades back into the plastic blade box and discard in the trash.

A pain, yes, but perhaps less of a pain than shaving with whatever you might end up otherwise using.

Bringing disposables would probably be easiest though. Might even be able to locate a competent barber shop in the area for a shavette, if you're really daring.

 

[anoop]

Stick however many blades you think you will need into an empty blade box (or remove blades until only what you need for the trip remain), drop the blade box in an envelope and mail it.

Assuming you successfully receive them at your destination, place used blades back into the plastic blade box and discard in the trash.

A pain, yes, but perhaps less of a pain than shaving with whatever you might end up otherwise using.

Bringing disposables would probably be easiest though. Might even be able to locate a competent barber shop in the area for a shavette, if you're really daring.

There are a couple of problems for me.

Mailing a box is not straightforward, and at least for me, would involve a trip to the post office because it won't fit in the outgoing mailbox. Also, it will probably be charged a non-standard rate.

I don't have a supply for plastic boxes because my blade of choice is Kai which comes in a cardboard box.

So yes, carrying a disposable of choice is the easiest.

 

[Houdini5150]

mail blades in advanced...

 

[Kostas1]

Ha! On flight back to Chicago from LaGuardia, TSA pulled my bag aside. Upon disassembling my razor, agent asked what blades I use because the Treet blades he's used for years were giving him irritation. I told him about PSIs and to immediately go to Pasteur's after his shift.

 

[Haadkoe]

There are a couple of problems for me.

Mailing a box is not straightforward, and at least for me, would involve a trip to the post office because it won't fit in the outgoing mailbox. Also, it will probably be charged a non-standard rate.

I don't have a supply for plastic boxes because my blade of choice is Kai which comes in a cardboard box.

So yes, carrying a disposable of choice is the easiest.

If they made it all the way from wherever they were manufactured to you wrapped in wax paper and placed inside a cardboard box, they would probably be fine for one more trip. Also, a 5-10 pack of blades would easily fit in a standard envelope and would most lilely be under the maximum weight for a letter with a single stamp on it. Putting the box inside of a tri-folded piece of paper would be all the additional protection one would require.

Disposables are there for a reason though. Wouldn't want to put them out of business completely.

 

[anoop]

If they made it all the way from wherever they were manufactured to you wrapped in wax paper and placed inside a cardboard box, they would probably be fine for one more trip. Also, a 5-10 pack of blades would easily fit in a standard envelope and would most lilely be under the maximum weight for a letter with a single stamp on it. Putting the box inside of a tri-folded piece of paper would be all the additional protection one would require.

Disposables are there for a reason though. Wouldn't want to put them out of business completely.

Around where I live, the post office charges a different rate for a pack of blades in an envelope because they consider it "too thick". But, as I mentioned earlier, the pain is really in having to make that trip to the PO because the envelope won't fit in the outgoing mailbox.

Then there's the problem with disposing such blades at the destination or the logistics of shipping the used ones back home.

The Gillette Guard is the perfect razor. While it is certainly cheap enough to be disposable, the handle is actually reusable and each blade has its own plastic cover, so absolutely no issues with safe disposal and very minimal waste. In fact, if there was a heftier handle that was built for the blade, I wouldn't mind getting one.

Of course nothing is cooler than this razor for travel, but unfortunately doesn't look like it exists.
Zafirro. Sapphire Blade Razor.

 

[Northstonehill]

Well, bringing a cart is not always sufficient. I have bought a cool TOBS short handle for my Fusion, only for use when travelling with carry-on, and this ALWAYS get pulled for extra inspection. Apparently it has some kind of steel structure inside it that could look like a knife...

 

[modyblu]

I last flew in April, both departing and coming back my carry on was flagged for secondary inspection.
This did not make my wife happy, next time I will put everything in checked baggage.
I did lose about one ounce of my Thayer's witch hazel as I was told "The bottle is 4 oz. size, didn't matter that it only had an ounce in it. They also took a tube of toothpaste that I forgot to put in checked baggage.
This was in Mexico on return trip.
I wonder if next time I'll just show up in the nude, and just go without shaving for my vacation.
Flying is just totally getting to be a pain in the neck.
I also had issue as when ticket was purchased, they put my middle initial at the end of my first name, causing me to be flagged for that. What a pain!

 

[Haadkoe]

Around where I live, the post office charges a different rate for a pack of blades in an envelope because they consider it "too thick". But, as I mentioned earlier, the pain is really in having to make that trip to the PO because the envelope won't fit in the outgoing mailbox.

Then there's the problem with disposing such blades at the destination or the logistics of shipping the used ones back home.

The Gillette Guard is the perfect razor. While it is certainly cheap enough to be disposable, the handle is actually reusable and each blade has its own plastic cover, so absolutely no issues with safe disposal and very minimal waste. In fact, if there was a heftier handle that was built for the blade, I wouldn't mind getting one.

Of course nothing is cooler than this razor for travel, but unfortunately doesn't look like it exists.
Zafirro. Sapphire Blade Razor.

Wow, I've never seen a mail slot that was that thin so it never occurred to me it would be an impossibility. In that case I would probably tape the wax paper wrapped blades to a 8x11 sheet of paper or two, tri-fold it, and mail it off. Maybe even write "Razor blades: Do not bend" on the envelope and hope for the best.

As far as disposal, I'd get creative. Stick em in a soda can and toss it. Rewrap in wax paper, bring them to the front desk and ask them to dispose of them properly. Stick em in your wallet/luggage and let TSA confiscate them on the return trip. Haha Where there's a will there's a way, but different strokes for different folks.

I'd probably just bring a disposable though. Lol