boiled to black?

[jdudley76]

I just sterilized a Grand Shave King (an old 3-piece safety razor) and the handle turned from a matte gray to black. Both parts of the head are chrome plated and they're fine. The handle is the only thing that changed color (it was not chrome plated, more of an unfinished matte looking gray before boiling).

Why did it change to black? Did I ruin it?

 

[amishmotorboat]

I believe those handles are aluminum, but I'll have to double check to be sure.

edit: I believe they are. Mine is very lightweight. Google is showing me numerous questions from people wondering why their aluminum pots have turned black.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Nope, I don't think you ruined it at all. I'm supposing this was an aluminum handle, in which case that black, I think, would be aluminum oxide. There are gents out here who will be able to tell you exactly what reaction occured and why that black appeared. There are ways to clean it, so don't worry.

 

[bindibadgi]

It should just scrub off, maybe with a little soap and a toothbrush.

Don't panic; it will come up looking like new most likely!

 

[jdudley76]

Thanks everybody. I do believe the handle is aluminum now (it is very lightweight).

I will try scrubbing the oxide off.

 

[Aberneth]

Nope, I don't think you ruined it at all. I'm supposing this was an aluminum handle, in which case that black, I think, would be aluminum oxide. There are gents out here who will be able to tell you exactly what reaction occured and why that black appeared. There are ways to clean it, so don't worry.

Aluminum oxide, as would appear under those conditions, would be black. In the future, to avoid such conditions, boil in vinegar. Aluminum oxide requires the presence of hydroxide ions to form. Using vinegar will decrease the hydroxide concentration (normally 1x10^7) by a factor of about 30,000. The process works in reverse, too. If it is aluminum oxide, boiling it in vinegar should remove it. Spare yourself the scrubbing.

 

[jdudley76]

Aluminum oxide, as would appear under those conditions, would be black. In the future, to avoid such conditions, boil in vinegar. Aluminum oxide requires the presence of hydroxide ions to form. Using vinegar will decrease the hydroxide concentration (normally 1x10^7) by a factor of about 30,000. The process works in reverse, too. If it is aluminum oxide, boiling it in vinegar should remove it. Spare yourself the scrubbing.

This worked! I added vinegar and reheated a bit (not all the way to a rolling boil) and the handle is back to the original gray color. Thanks, Aberneth!

 

[Aberneth]

This worked! I added vinegar and reheated a bit (not all the way to a rolling boil) and the handle is back to the original gray color. Thanks, Aberneth!

Glad to help. I'm happy that my chemistry degree finally came in handy

To get it to a bright polish, buy solid jeweler's rouge (essentially ultra-fine rust suspended in hard wax), use a lighter to melt a small spot of it, letting it drip on to a cloth. Polish with the cloth, and wipe clean with another cloth. Don't wash it or boil it afterwards. The wax coating it leaves behind keeps it from re-oxidizing or developing a sulfide layer.

 

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

This worked! I added vinegar and reheated a bit (not all the way to a rolling boil) and the handle is back to the original gray color. Thanks, Aberneth!

Vinegar would have been my suggestion to. It's an excellent sterilizer. I used in on my badger brush when some water based mold got on it.

I had to borrow someone else's razor and they hadn't cleaned it, so the water had caused a bit of mildew, and that went on my face and in my brush. But Vinegar cleaned it all up.

The only other suggestion would be a non-Toxic metal polish, such as NEVR DULL magic wadding polish. That has worked for me, but has a kind of acrimonious smell to it (it's not horrifying, but you will notice it for a few days, but it's better than whatever you were describing). I'm being a bit facetious about the smell. I keep a can of NEVR DULL on my desk. It's perfectly safe. I'm looking at it right now, and its about a foot away from my hand, and I can't smell anything.

 

[Aberneth]

Vinegar would have been my suggestion to. It's an excellent sterilizer. I used in on my badger brush when some water based mold got on it.

I had to borrow someone else's razor and they hadn't cleaned it, so the water had caused a bit of mildew, and that went on my face and in my brush. But Vinegar cleaned it all up.

The only other suggestion would be a non-Toxic metal polish, such as NEVR DULL magic wadding polish. That has worked for me, but has a kind of acrimonious smell to it (it's not horrifying, but you will notice it for a few days, but it's better than whatever you were describing). I'm being a bit facetious about the smell. I keep a can of NEVR DULL on my desk. It's perfectly safe. I'm looking at it right now, and its about a foot away from my hand, and I can't smell anything.

Vinegar isn't a sterilizer. Most bacteria prefer a slightly acidic environment. It just removes common oxides, which are not harmful, just ugly. Sterilizers are usually organic solvents, things that kill pathogens and other microbial life. Believe me, HIV can survive vinegar without a second thought.

Polishing should only be used for removing built up scale. Chemical solutions that leave the original metal in tact are always preferable. I'm currently writing a guide to that effect.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Glad to help. I'm happy that my chemistry degree finally came in handy

Didn't you just turn 18 last week?

 

[GentsInstinct]

Didn't you just turn 18 last week?

That's what he said here. I thought I saw that too.

Anyway, the title of this thread sounds like a new Metallica song.

Glad to see you got the color back right on your razor. I'm still dealing with finish issues after attempting to clean a 1910 Gillette single ring.

 

[nemo]

I would be very reluctant to use boiling vinegar on a nickel plated razor as it *will* remove the plating. Please be careful, guys.

Super Speed intentionally boiled in 50/50 vinegar/water to remove plating shown below

 

[proxymoron]

Didn't you just turn 18 last week?

Too funny. 18 or 80, the man knows his vinegar.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Doogie Howser.

 

[Aberneth]

Didn't you just turn 18 last week?

Okay, I don't have my degree yet. I just need 28 general ed credits and 12 elective credits, though. I have all my major requirements out of the way. I'm working towards an astrophyiscs/physical chemistry double major. Nearly done with the chemistry half. I got a huge head start because I'm a graduate of the International Baccalaureate program, and I started taking university level chemistry as a sophomore in highschool.