Vazeline ( pharmacy ) for adjustable DE razors?

[POSEIDON96]

Hello friends ,

can someone tell me please if normal vazeline from the pharmacy is safe to use for anti-corrosion an for anti-friction parts ?
I used an oil which we have here in Europe called balistol. It’s a foodsafe oil an I thought it’s just fine . But now some people say it’s aggressive against some kinds of metal .

Now I am thinking of starting using normal vazeline.
Do you think it’s Safe ? If you had some experience I would be thankful to hear about it.

Thank you very much

 

[romsitsa]

Balistol is water soluble, not suitable for any lubrication. Vaseline is safe, but also not a lubricant for metal.
But why do you want to lubricate it, is it not made of brass?
The only lubricant I ever saw in a razor was the heavy grease in British Gillette TTOs.

 

[Possum092]

Mineral oil or baby oil…same. Works greats and safe to get in your mouth.

 

[njpaddy]

WHY? What am I missing here?

 

[Scaramouche]

Vaseline (petroleum jelly) can be used as a lubricant or protectant for metals, but is closer to grease than oil in consistency, and can degrade rubber, plastic, or natural organic materials. It also easily attracts dust and dirt on dry surfaces. Ballistol has been used for decades for lubrication and protection of metals (mostly firearms), and is actually safe for most other materials like leather, rubber, plastics or organic materials like ivory or bone as well. It is not, strictly speaking, soluble in water but easily forms an emulsion. It's safe for nickel and other plating, and can actually clean and polish copper and brass (developed to help remove copper residue in gun barrels). It won't dissolve your copper or brass razor, or cause corrosion by itself, but like any lubricant or protectant should only be used sparingly and periodically renewed (and it does have a rather "unique" smell). The main ingredient is light mineral oil, which is actually an excellent lubricant and protectant by itself, without the smell. Avoid primary organic oils (like olive oil or vegetable oil) which can turn rancid (mineral oil is in the strictest sense "organic," but is classified as "mineral oil" and is far removed from its organic roots). It's not a bad idea to periodically lubricate any metal parts moving together in proximity (metal threads for instance), and an occasional wipedown with a protectant will displace water and help preserve the finish on any metal razor.

 

[nemo]

Razors shouldn't need lubing. I'm curious, what model are you trying to protect?

 

[POSEIDON96]

Razors shouldn't need lubing. I'm curious, what model are you trying to protect?

For example my Rex Ambassador and the Merkur Progress

 

[POSEIDON96]

I found this one..
is this suitable ? Is it mineral oil ?

MÜHLE Maintenance Oil 50ml – Executive Shaving

www.executive-shaving.co.uk

 

[rbscebu]

I lubricate the mating parts of my Ming Shi 2000S with Vaseline about once every 6 months and never have any problems (yet).

I use to always protect my SR's with Vaseline before I discovered Renaissance Wax (not suitable as a lubricant).

 

[NorthernSoul]

I use a light mineral oil or a food-safe synthetic oil. You don't need a lot. This easily got rid of a squeak that developed in a 60-year-old TTO razor after cleaning.

I would much rather use a light mineral oil than something heavy like Vaseline.

 

[Brutus]

But now some people say it’s aggressive against some kinds of metal .

This is such a far-fetched outlier statement, could you provide us with your source so anyone can check the veracity and credentials of ‘some people’?


After all, some people say the Earth is flat…



B.

 

[Scaramouche]

This is such a far-fetched outlier statement, could you provide us with your source so anyone can check the veracity and credentials of ‘some people’?


After all, some people say the Earth is flat…



B.

That's actually been a "claim" for years, probably based on Ballistol's own instructions:

Ballistol is fully compatible with all metals including aluminum. However, Ballistol dissolves traces of copper, zinc, lead and tombac and can, therefore, be used to clean brass, bronze and silver. Read more about Ballistol for metal care.

Firearm Cleaning Oil & Lubricant - Ballistol

Keeps firearms protected – lock, stock and barrel. Ballistol cleans and removes all types of bore fouling. Cleaning with Ballistol will save you time, minimize the need for brushing, and also form a protective film on your firearm. Due to its slight alkalinity, Ballistol neutralizes and...

ballistol.com

With - misinterpreted and misinformed - comments like these:

Ballistol on Brass

I read a firearms ad for Ballistol. One of the pros they quoted was that it would dissolve brass debris in chambers. If it will dissolve brass, how safe is it on a blade with brass trim? Anyone have any bad experiences with Ballistol on their brass trim?

www.bladeforums.com

Ballistol Warning

I recently found out that Ballistol will heavily corrode brass and possibly etch or damage chrome and nickel plating on firearms. I had used a wiping stick to swab my gun barrel with 7:1 water and ballistol. Took the patch off and tossed it in the trash, slid the stick into its protective tube...

www.muzzleloadingforum.com

Ballistol rusts my barrel?

Okay, so I clean and maintain most of my firearms with Ballistol, and have for several years. Other than arms that were built to use something specific, like ARs and breakfree, I tend to gravitate towards using ballistol both as a cleaner and a preservative. Today, however, I made a...

www.mdshooters.com

Ballistol again is mostly light mineral oil - which has been used for centuries in the form of choji oil in Japan (essentially mineral oil with some clove oil added to distinguish it from cooking oil) for preserving high-carbon steel katana and their brass and copper fittings. Many of which are preserved like the day they came from the forge. This is a photo of a 600 year-old blade in the Tokyo National Museum:

Your copper, steel or brass razor will outlast you and all your great-great-great-great grandchildren's descendants preserved with Ballistol.

 

[Trollky]

The most convenient lubricating option I have found for my adjustable razors is olive oil. It's something that is already in the house and it works great.

 

[Scaramouche]

The most convenient lubricating option I have found for my adjustable razors is olive oil. It's something that is already in the house and it works great.

Olive oil works great as a lubricant. I wouldn't recommend it for a metal lubricant however for a couple of reasons - first it contains some saturated fat, which is slightly acidic and slightly corrosive. Great for your heart though (the olive oil/vegetable oil kind). The second reason is that (because organic) it will degrade over time, oxidizing and forming peroxides, turning rancid (which is mostly descriptive of taste and smell), actually chemically changing a product, and not for the better. Since a razor is continually "washed" and rinsed, likely no harm, no foul, and will certainly lubricate, but not an ideal lubricant. Except for pasta. Yum!

 

[ERS4]

The construction of de razor is really simple, but moderate lubrication is good for any mechanical construction, while reducing limescale build-up.

When I replace the wheel razor, I add a small amount of "silicon oil" to the gap between the thread and the adjustment button.

 

[santamariasteve]

I found this one..
is this suitable ? Is it mineral oil ?

MÜHLE Maintenance Oil 50ml – Executive Shaving

www.executive-shaving.co.uk

Absolutely it's a good product. But use it sparingly. "Less is more."

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I vote for Wahl clipper oil, comes in a black bottle with a red cap, only costs a few dollars. Its vegetable based, so it won't harm metals, nor is it bad for your skin. Its used primarily for oiling the Wahl clipper blades, and if it can oil them without harming them, it can certainly do the same for any adjustable razor. Its a oil, not a grease.

I agree with others, Vaseline is more like a grease, and it will make the mechanics gummed up and sticky, while also yes, attracting dust, dirt, and whatever else. And then you will be forced to use isopropyl alcohol in order to break the vaseline down and get it out of your razor.

 

[Filudo]

I have put vaseline into the mechanism of those cheap Future copies....seems to work....

 

[cpcohen1945]

I use Vaseline on the threads of my Merkur Progress, and EJ DE89, and Lupo aluminum.

I just checked the 10-year-old EJ DE89, and the threads look fine. Still chromed, no Zamak showing.

. Charles

 

[buttertie]

To prevent rust. I use Camellia oil on my razor. It is light, not harmful to human body, not sticky and very easy to rinse off using water. Japanese use this to prevent knife/Japanese sword from rusting. I get 100ml camellia oil in Amazon jp for $5

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