Humidity and rust prevention.

[Cleanface]

We've had five straight days with RH below 20%. The humidity in my shave cabinet is 40%. Not much to do when that happens but I still wipe the razors down with micro fiber towel and strop after. Then it's back in the vinyl/leather case with a square of VCI paper.
Plays hell with the sinuses though.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I have around 175 straight razors. I keep them in air tight boxes (around 25 to a box) with silica packs or closet dehumidifiers. I treat most with Ren Wax. Now, for the sake of argument, if I only owned one or two SRs and I used them every day, stropped them before and after use and dried them off after each use I would have no problem leaving them in the bathroom.

 

[gunstock jack]

There is something to be said of stainless straights. I use the Buck and it is a great shaver. The Moler is just for show.

 

[gunstock jack]

Personally, I keep my straights in a closed VCI environment.

 

[Eshebert]

I am from South Louisiana, so if I wanted to keep them out of the humidity, I would have to mail them to one of my buddies from up North after each use. The bathroom is the least of my worries. With that said, I dry, I strop, air dry for 24 hours, lightly oil, and store in roll in a drawer, in the bathroom, with silica packs in the drawer. No problems in my sub tropical environment.

In all fairness, I only keep 21 razor, that’s my magic number. If I want a new one, I have to cull an old one (I don’t count gold Dollars).
If I had a bucket load of razors I would have a different approach.

 

[Steve56]

If I had a bucket load of razors I would have a different approach.

And those of us with a bucket load of razors would like to know!

 

[Eshebert]

And those of us with a bucket load of razors would like to know!

Well if your must, . I would build a dehumidified room or closet for my gear. Let’s just say, like a gun room, theoretically, if I had one of those too, .

 

[Eshebert]

I just actually just started using these vs the little bags.

 

[Steve56]

… if I had one of those too, .

Of course you do!

 

[Steve56]

Well if your must, . I would build a dehumidified room or closet for my gear. Let’s just say, like a gun room, theoretically, if I had one of those too, .

I just actually just started using these vs the little bags.
View attachment 1783307

Silica gel can work wonders, but if you have horn, ivory, tortoise, or wood scales (wood, every modern razor made today curse you all), use carefully.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

I would build a dehumidified room

Just two days ago this project was completed. Had a profesional dehumidifier in my room, but I didn’t like the noise created by the unit and sometimes I had to turn it on when I was in the room. Also had ups and downs in the humidity between the running intervals if it was set on schedule when I was away.

So now we got a fancy ventilation unit with heat recovery, dehumidifier and heating (this one is extra, we already have a heating system). In those two days I’ve been using it, it seems the noise is gone and the humidity is stable.

 

[Eshebert]

I have build a few, for a guy who makes Cajun Seasoning, gun rooms. Its very simple, a box fan and a dehumidifier vented to the exterior. Or if its an interior room, you can vent to a sewer or oven hood vent in the attic.

 

[Steve56]

If you have central heat and air, you don’t need to do much except keep razors meticulously clean. Ren wax, VCI paper for long term storage or silicone socks, are icing on the cake.

I’ve done some corrosion tests with broken razors out on my porch, and if I were doing long term storage in unconditioned space, gun products work well, Hornady 1 Shot, Birchwood Casey Rust Inhibiting Grease should work, but I’d keep the yellowish RIG off natural scales.

I hung a cracked Gold Dollar and a broken Solingen on my porch late spring to end of summer in East Tennessee with good performance from the Hornady 1 Shot. There was some faint orange ‘mist’ on small areas of the GD, but the razor was exposed to rain, high humidity, dew, etc.

@SammieM did a similar experiment in the Isles with a motorcycle product with equally good results.

But the Hornady 1 Shot, RIG, or the other product would be cumbersome for a blade in a daily rotation, I’d probably stick to Ren Wax unless there was an issue.

 

[Eshebert]

You told me about Ren wax, and I did put it on my notes. Now the hunting season is done, maybe I will remember to order me some. My brain sometimes gets preoccupied when I’m in rut.

 

[SammieM]

I am still testing the XCP Rust Clocker Clear Coat. My razor is still in the shed and so far no rust. It has been 7-8 months at this point. It is very humid outside to the extent that there are glass containers in the shed that have a fair amount of condensation on them regularly. I’m happy with it, but like @Steve56 says I wouldn’t use it on a light coloured natural scales such as bone and Ivory. I haven’t had a problem with horn or wood or any of the plastic iterations so far…

 

[Mr Bedlington]

I come from an extremely wet climate in Wales in the UK, 60" of rainfall every year, plus high humidity in the summer, I have never had so much as a water-mark or rust spot ever, I wipe my razors down with a piece of kitchen roll, then strop then wipe with a micro-fiber cloth sprayed with 100% silicone spray, I then store them in a living room draw in a box.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Jamie (@Mr Bedlington), Can you post a link or pic of the silicone spray?

 

[Mr Bedlington]

Jamie (@Mr Bedlington), Can you post a link or pic of the silicone spray?

I use WD40 Specialist Silicone spray, the great thing about Silicone is it can be used on rubber plastic Ivory Tortoiseshell anything, it contains no petroleum products has no noticeable odor, and doesn't stain, there are many oils and portions out there I wouldn't dare use on my razors.

 

[Steve56]

Silicone oil is what the ‘razor socks’ are treated with. You can buy it in a bottle too.

 

[SammieM]

I use WD40 Specialist Silicone spray, the great thing about Silicone is it can be used on rubber plastic Ivory Tortoiseshell anything, it contains no petroleum products has no noticeable odor, and doesn't stain, there are many oils and portions out there I wouldn't dare use on my razors.

You might wanna read the ingredients on that WD silicone one more time for good measure…