Flying and Safety Razors

[eezee]

A friend of mine who I have convinced to come over to B&B shaving is flying over the Thanksgiving Holidays. He says that safety razors are not allowed in cary on luggage.

I'm curious to see what you gents do when flying. Do you put it in a checked bag or use the cartridge razors when flying?

Thanks.

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

You can carry the razor minus the blade in your carry on. I've done it but expect to be searched by tsa. Some may or may not confiscate it. I don't take the chance anymore and just pack a Trac II razor. The safety razor blades must be packed in checked luggage or the traveler can buy blades after arriving at the destination.

 

[Toothpick]

From the shavewiki: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Traveling_with_a_Safety_Razor

I don't travel by air often. but when I do it goes in my checked luggage.

 

[RaiserLiebe]

Blades are prohibited in carry-on, not razors.
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items#4

Item Carry-on? Checked?
Box Cutters NO OK
Ice Axes/Ice Picks NO OK
Knives - except for plastic or round bladed butter knives NO OK
Meat Cleavers NO OK
Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, and safety razor blades (disposable razors and their cartridges are permitted) NO OK

See also http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Air_Travel

Cheers.

 

[packtray]

I put it all in checked bags. Never been an issue. The TSA agent searching your stuff doesn't have any idea of the market value. Your iPad, not so much...

 

[eezee]

Many many thanks.

 

[Rick2035]

When traveling, which I do all too frequently, I only bring my Merkur 38C or Model 1904; never a vintage razor from my collection. Additionally, I always pack them, along with the blades, in my Dopp bag inside my checked luggage. As an aside, a mitigation strategy against arriving at the distant end without luggage and shaving kit is to never accept connection times of less than 1.5 hours (though I realize for some that's not possible). As one commenter alluded to above, razors sans blade in and of themselves are permitted, but you never know how the TSA inspector at the time will react to an item specifically designed to hold a blade.

Happy shaving and safe travels!

Rick

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

I've been contemplating mailing future me the blades ill use during the trip. I figure you could put a weeks worth of blades in an envelope and send it for one stamp. I might do this for hotels, not ready to show how obsessive compulsive i can be about this stuff with friends and family (yet).

 

[ackvil]

I've been contemplating mailing future me the blades ill use during the trip. I figure you could put a weeks worth of blades in an envelope and send it for one stamp. I might do this for hotels, not ready to show how obsessive compulsive i can be about this stuff with friends and family (yet).

That's what I have done for years. As for friends and family, they all know my obsession about shaving and are used to it. In fact, some time ago my son brought over to my hotel razor blades I left with him last year!

 

[coryforsenate]

I'd say the #1 thing to remember when flying is to never assume the TSA agents have a clue what they're doing or that they understand their own rules.

Flying back from Chicago, I was stopped and searched when they found a Polish sausage in my carry-on that I bought from a deli.

 

[KipNoxzema]

Many travelling members use those carts made in India with good results; the name of which I can't recall right now.

 

[Eeyore]

Checked bag. I just returned from a trip last Friday without any problem.

 

[NRK]

I spend about 25% of my time travelling. Choosing between waiting for luggage and using a cartridge while travelling was easy. The DE stays home, but I have a nice brush and shaving stick with me on the road. Frankly I still get a very good shave with a cartridge. For me the major benefit of wet shaving comes from face lathering with a decent brush and a good soap.

 

[Jarick]

Cartridge razor with a nice brush and shave stick. I don't do long-term traveling though.

I did get searched by customs leaving Mexico recently and they didn't even spot my Cuban cigar tube (nothing in it, just a memento). Well I think they saw it but didn't care. Just kind of looked through everything in all of my luggage and then packed it back up and gave it to me without a word. Weird.

 

[StubbleTrouble]

Most frequent flyers don't check bags - it's a gamble (lost bags and TSA / bag handlers nicking items) and hugely inefficient time wise - air travel is work, period....

I fully understand that leisure travellers often check, and this isn't a factor.

If you're the former and prefer DE shaving, take a plain envelope and some thin but relatively strong cardboard (e.g. a cereal box), place some blades between two pieces of cardboard and tape it shut. Mail it to yourself. If it's international you may be better to use DHL/FedEx/UPS, etc. if you still want to shave the preferred way. Next, call to ensure your parcel arrived before you leave if possible. Lastly, you can often find at least Wilkies, etc. at your arrival destination. Simple!

You CAN carry any safety razor on board so long as there are neither blades in the razor, nor blades in your carry-on articles.

I would suggest collapsing a three piece razor if possible to save yourself the hassle, as carrying a two piece or TTO razor will for obvious reasons get a second look. A fully collapsed travel razor in its pouch is ideal.

MODS: I would be happy to append a travel-legal strategy to the existing wiki or create a sticky if desired. This topic comes up about as much as 'Med Prep' vs 'Labs'.

 

[Eeyore]

I am a frequent flyer, but almost always on short haul trips. Normally, when I've gone through customs, my bag is in the baggage hall as well, so I don't lose too much time.

Sending blades to your hotel internationally is a gamble, in my opinion. Besides, I have way too many "fly in two days from now, stay three days" trips to prepare sending blades to my destination (I don't even want to know how long it takes to Greece or Hungary). So the choice is either putting my shaving gear in checked luggage, or travelling with a Trac II or Atra. And since many low cost airlines don't allow two cabin bags, I take my laptop and emergency bag with me, and check in my clothes and shaving gear.

I just returned from London last week, and my bag was on the luggage band at the same time I entered the hall. It's only tricky on intercontinental flights.

 

[StephenP83]

I do a lot of international travel throughout Europe for my job. I always check my bag. I've never personally known anyone who had an item stolen from checked baggage. I'm sure it happens, but I check a bag when I travel because it's more comfortable for me. I walk pretty slow off the plane, take a bathroom break, and by the time I get to the baggage area there is usually very minimal wait. If my trip will be a week or more, I take a DE. If it's shorter, I usually take a cartridge, brush, and soap. I won't try to mail razors to yourself internationally. I don't see that working out very well. That's just my personal opinion though.

 

[Eeyore]

Same here, but maybe US airports are less efficient?

 

[StubbleTrouble]

Same here, but maybe US airports are less efficient?

Some airports take up to an hour to retrieve bags. JFK and LGA are two fine examples. If travelling to Europe, I'm usually there for over a week as it is, so I do check then, so bring whatever I want/need. My blades for next week are already waiting at my hotel destintation here in the US.

I should clarify that sending blades between the US and Canada have caused me grief in the regular post, hence the comment about using DHL, etc.

 

[Beard Dregs]

I thought the "Fly with DE" threads were on tuesday?

Can we get a STICKY thread on Flying Razor Rules to be updated often with what it takes to make the Theatrical Security Agency happy that month?

http://blog.tsa.gov/2010/08/safety-razors-and-disposable-razors.html

A friend close enough to spend holidays with is close enough to buy a pack of blades for.