Do you travel (fly) with your straight razor?

[HokieGeek]

So I am a recent convert to wet shaving with a DE razor and am making eyes at straight razor shaving. I probably won't get a blade until I get better at lathering, but I'm already wondering about travel. When I travel I usually make it a point to only do carry-on and, when I can't get away with that, I still prefer to travel with my toiletries in my carry-on.

Now, a few years ago (post 9/11) I accidentially flew to Florida with two balisongs (commonly known as butterfly knives) in my carry-on. When I got to the hotel and found them, I was flabbergasted. I had no clue how I got through the scanners and I was terrified of losing them when I flew back (at the time I had a good reason not to FedEx them, but I can't remember why). Somehow I managed to once again get on the plane, and fly home safely, with the knives in my bag.

So, is it legal to travel with a straight razor? Have any of you tried?

 

[holli4pirating]

I also don't check baggage, so if I'm flying I don't take a straight. (I do drive with them. Quite frequently, actually.) You could mail one ahead, though.

 

[jkh]

So I am a recent convert to wet shaving with a DE razor and am making eyes at straight razor shaving. I probably won't get a blade until I get better at lathering, but I'm already wondering about travel. When I travel I usually make it a point to only do carry-on and, when I can't get away with that, I still prefer to travel with my toiletries in my carry-on.

Now, a few years ago (post 9/11) I accidentially flew to Florida with two balisongs (commonly known as butterfly knives) in my carry-on. When I got to the hotel and found them, I was flabbergasted. I had no clue how I got through the scanners and I was terrified of losing them when I flew back (at the time I had a good reason not to FedEx them, but I can't remember why). Somehow I managed to once again get on the plane, and fly home safely, with the knives in my bag.

So, is it legal to travel with a straight razor? Have any of you tried?

Look here. And no, not legal.

 

[Chimensch]

I always travel with a straight in my checked baggage and never had a problem until I went to China last October. It was smack in the middle of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the revolution. When we arrived in Beijing and were checking in to our connecting flight to Xian, they scanned my checked bag and called a policeman. She looked at my razors and said they were OK in my checked luggage. I was worred that they would scan my bags again but we flew to Shanghai, Beijing and then home with no more incidents.

 

[Seraphim]

I'm headed to Japan next week. I'll have two straights, a strop, soap, brush, and all sundry necessary items in checked luggage. A week or two without my straights? No way!

Of course I won't be packing a priceless heirloom razor....

 

[azmark]

I travel quite a bit and a few months ago I spaced and took my bag through the Logan airport and was pulled aside at security. They asked if there are any knives in my bag and of course it hit me that about my straight. After looking through my bag and seeing my soaps and strop and a coticule I had in there they let me go with it. Now that being told I would still not advise trying to check it in. It seems it is discretionary choice by TSA.

 

[Seraphim]

I travel quite a bit and a few months ago I spaced and took my bag through the Logan airport and was pulled aside at security. They asked if there are any knives in my bag and of course it hit me that about my straight. After looking through my bag and seeing my soaps and strop and a coticule I had in there they let me go with it. Now that being told I would still not advise trying to check it in. It seems it is discretionary choice by TSA.

That was good news for you, but a bad call on the part of TSA. If an airliner can be hijacked by someone with a boxcutter, letting someone aboard with a full razor is plain ol' dumb IMO.

 

[Will P.C.]

I never carry my straights because I fly for business about 3 weeks out of the month.

If I ever drove anywhere, I would take my full setup and not think twice about it.

 

[HokieGeek]

Pretty much what I expected. I like the idea of mailing a razor ahead to the hotel or wherever. I might consider that in the future!

 

[huntmol]

When I travel I just take a small brush, some QED soap, and my Merkur 11C.
I know a lot of guys do it, but traveling with a $150 straight razor just seems to me like an unneccary risk. I read a post where one guy was staying at a hotel, and housekeeping was playing with his razor and broke the tip off the edge! I can't imagine letting something like that happen to any of my razors.
Plus, I never shave with a DE anymore since the switch, so traveling is extra fun for me because I get to revisit my old double edged friends!

 

[Seraphim]

When I travel I just take a small brush, some QED soap, and my Merkur 11C.
I know a lot of guys do it, but traveling with a $150 straight razor just seems to me like an unneccary risk. I read a post where one guy was staying at a hotel, and housekeeping was playing with his razor and broke the tip off the edge! I can't imagine letting something like that happen to any of my razors.
Plus, I never shave with a DE anymore since the switch, so traveling is extra fun for me because I get to revisit my old double edged friends!

<$50 razors are available all the time in the BST and EBay, designed for traveling in style.....

Plus, I never leave my straights out on the bathroom counter when I leave the room, as the guy who had housecleaning break his razor did....

 

[luvmysuper]

<$50 razors are available all the time in the BST and EBay, designed for traveling in style.....

Plus, I never leave my straights out on the bathroom counter when I leave the room, as the guy who had housecleaning break his razor did....

+ eleventy-leven to this.

The razor is there to shave me, not to impress some nameless face in housekeeping.

Put it away, out of sight - out of mind.

 

[professorchaos]

I check everything. Ideally the only things I'll bring on board are an IPod and a book. I have a few which I could bear, but would rather not loose. They go in the checked luggage. No problems thus far.

 

[Doc4]

when I fly, I just keep my straight in the pocket of my suit jacket. It'll usually get noticed as my jacket goes through the scanner as I board, and then I have to explain to airport security about the importance of freshening up with an in-flight shave just before landing ... I show them my puck of shave soap and Simpson Major in my carry-on bag ... and it's kind of a coin toss what happens then.

In the occasional circumstances that they confiscate the straight, I just don't shave for the duration of the trip, and when I get home I explain what happened to SWMBO and that basically gets me permission to order one new straight ... nothing custom, mind you, but still a nice Grelot or maybe a ram's horn scaled TI. Somehow I no longer mind having The Airport Guy take away my Zeepk.

 

[Chimensch]

when I fly, I just keep my straight in the pocket of my suit jacket. It'll usually get noticed as my jacket goes through the scanner as I board, and then I have to explain to airport security about the importance of freshening up with an in-flight shave just before landing ... I show them my puck of shave soap and Simpson Major in my carry-on bag ... and it's kind of a coin toss what happens then.

In the occasional circumstances that they confiscate the straight, I just don't shave for the duration of the trip, and when I get home I explain what happened to SWMBO and that basically gets me permission to order one new straight ... nothing custom, mind you, but still a nice Grelot or maybe a ram's horn scaled TI. Somehow I no longer mind having The Airport Guy take away my Zeepk.

And to think that I almost didn't read this post. After all, how much else is there to say about travelling with a razor that hasn't already been said ... and then along comes Ian to brighten my day. I now declare this thread silly. Can we go back to arguing about coticules now?

 

[Rik]

When I travel by air I take a DE - no issues to date.
If driving, I pack a couple of straight razors.

 

[Luc]

I wouldn't fly with a straight. I would probably bring my DE instead. If I have to go somewhere for more than a week. I would probably end-up mailing a razor ahead...

 

[Oglethorpe]

I recently traveled with two straights via air. I checked my luggage. Stropped them both up before leaving and since I anticipated needing two shaves while I was gone, I was in good shape.

Of course, I packed my puck of soap (Fitjar, molded in the tub) but forgot my brush. Shaving with "face soap" as lather is not recommended!

 

[LaughingAtFate]

Flew a few times with a Straight in checked baggage, No issues with any of the airport dudes, after all, they don't go 'bewm' and they hurt when you try to stick 'em up yer nose, So the airport dudes just let it go through

Wouldn't dare take 'em in carry on

I'd suggest getting one of those replacable blade straight razors for aircraft travel if you are constantly doing it, and making sure the blade isn't inserted when you go through

Failing all that, this could be a way of disposing all those cheap and nasty ebay specials that friends and families keep foisting off on you that are basicly rubbish, as per Doc4's suggestion

 

[perogee]

Honestly, it seems stupid to even try to take one through security, even a cheap one. You are just asking for trouble. You get yourself a security guard having a bad day, and you have a bad day.
I have yet to take one on a flight vacation, but I will check mine, thank you very much (of course, it will likely be my GD, just to be on the safe side)