Avoid cream buildup on the blade?

[schatz]

Let me start by saying that I'm a relative newbie who just joined the board a week or two ago. I put a fresh Israeli blade in my 1940s SS today, used some C&E cream, and had a pretty good shave. Later in the day my latest eBay purchase arrived - a fat boy adjustable which I thought would be perfect to remove the late afternoon shadow. Upon swapping the once used blade to the newly purchased razor, I noticed a small layer of cream on the blade.

What routine would be best to avoid such a buildup? I typically rinse the razor in a sinkfull of water after each stroke and hold the razor under running water after I'm done. I guess this wasn't enough - at least with the C&E cream. I believe I read that wiping the blade with a towel might shorten its life.

 

[zacharydz]

Wiping the blade with a towel will definitely dull the blade. I rinse my razor the same way as you; I can't say that I've taken my blade out on the same day that I shaved with it (I change blades right before I shave, and thus the blade has about a day to dry up). Perhaps others can chime in, but I don't think it would be too much of a problem.

 

[JakAHearts]

Ive seen this with my razors at times too. Usually when I screwed up the lather and its so dry that it wont come off the razor with hot water. For some reason, if you fill the sink with water, and swish the razor in the water, the cream comes off rather easy. Its some sort of space-time thing...

 

[Austin]

Don't worry about the minor soap build-up. It does not diminish the effectiveness of the blade.

 

[schatz]

Thanks guys. Since ignoring it poses no harm, and wiping with a towel dulls the blade, I shall ignore it.

 

[rtaylor61]

I've never noticed a build-up other than a slight film. This may be because I soak my razor during the shaving process. I soak my brush in a coffee mug. Upon removing, I drop my razor into the mug. I also do this in between passes, and then lastly while I rinse out the brush. The last thing I do is empty the mug and give the razor a few shakes to remove any excess water. I've noticed that doing this also helps keep the soap/cream film from building up on the razor during the week.

Randy