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DE Razor Polishing/Cleaning/Maintenance etc - Tips & Tricks - Products

I use one of those ultrasonic thingies + dawn + warm water .. I like it so much I do it every time it starts looking ugly and and it comes out new.

I think I got the Magnasonic MGUC500 on the recommendation of this forum come to think about it.
Was checking out these last night, didn't even know these ultrasonic cleaners existed look really handy to have tbh
 
1. Ultrasonic cleaners are amazing, but can remove paint, like the numbers on the adjustment dial of a slim or fat boy.

2. Soaking in near boiling water with some dawn in it ... is good.

3. Working it with a toothbrush after doing no. 2 will get you most of the way.

4. Scrubbing bubbles is great, But be careful about two things: don't use the kind with bleach, and don't leave stuff soaking in it too long.

(Sent from mobile)
Thanks for the heads up about the ultrasonic cleaners on adjustables
 
R

romsitsa

Hello, from personal experience:
Gold plating is extremely thin on all razors produced after the 20ies, these don't take any kind of polish. If there is no nickel under the gold, brass under the gold will oxidise, no matter what you do.
Silver and nickel platings are usually massive, these can be polished with chrome or silver polishes (with hand).
Boiling water won't kill germs, it only helps to loosen up frozen tto/adjuster mechanisms. To kill germs you will have to cook the razor for 10-15 minutes.
Brass and silver are antimicrobial, so these won't have any germs on them.
For disinfection you can use any disinfectant you would use on your hands.
Boiling won't harm plating except for light calc deposits, if you water is hard (mine is), but it will remove the lacquer, if the razor was lacquered.
Really massive calc deposits can't be removed with soaking/ultrasonic, only disassembly will help.
Products dissolving calc depostis can ruin the plating.
 
Heya, thanks for putting up this thread! I'd like to learn some tips and tricks to clean razors too. I was actually considering ultrasonic cleaners after someone mentioned. Not anymore though as I'd like to keep as many things intact on a vintage. +1 for the old toothbrush with toothpaste/mild detergent.

Also, I am one of those excessive people who use alcohol to clean my razor since I already have it around. I do it not just to disinfect the razor but it seems to dry the razor a lot quicker too, and that being the tight spots in the razor that gets wet and you cannot wipe dry.

The boiling thing really reminds me of this video haha! But if I don't want to ultrasound my razor, I'm really afraid to boil it.
 
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In between shaves I take my razor apart and scrub it with Ivory soap and an old toothbrush. Dry it off and put it back together.

My all brass vintage Gillette gets scrubbed with Bar Keepers Friend liquid using a toothbrush to remove the tarnish when I want it to look like brand new again (for a while!). Then is use a dab of Flitz on a microfiber towel to polish the top cap to a mirror finish. That’s it!
 
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My all brass vintage Gillette gets scrubbed with Bar Keepers Friend liquid using a toothbrush to remove the tarnish when I want it to look like brand new again (for a while!). Then is use a dab of Flitz on a microfiber towel to polish the top cap to a mirror finish. That’s it!
Hmm, do you think this would remove this smudge mark on nickel plating as well? I've tried dishwashing and alcohol and didn't seem to do much.

smudge.jpg
 
Ultrasonic cleaners are amazing, but can remove paint, like the numbers on the adjustment dial of a slim or fat boy.


I use my ultrasonic cleaner on every razor I own every single time I use them. It has never removed any paint of any kind from anything. Ever! I dont believe it has that capability. The only way that would be possible is if the paint was already detached from the surface and was just laying there loose, like dirt.
 
I made the mistake of putting my Fat Boy in an ultrasonic cleaner. It didn't remove the paint from the numbers but it sure lightened them. However, every once in a while I put my other razors in the ultrasonic cleaner and put a vintage razor I purchase. I recall I bought a UK Aristocrat razor that looked to be in excellent condition. I could not believe the amount of gunk that came out of the razor and ended up on the bottom of the cleaner. The same with a Red Tip I bought. In fact, one Red Tip would make a squeaky noise when I closed it. A trip to the cleaner ended the noise.
 
R

romsitsa

I use my ultrasonic cleaner on every razor I own every single time I use them. It has never removed any paint of any kind from anything. Ever! I dont believe it has that capability. The only way that would be possible is if the paint was already detached from the surface and was just laying there loose, like dirt.

Depends on the output, my ultrasonic will fade factory paint, the one used by my plater will strip any kind paint and also loose plating.
 
I have routinely cleaned my chrome-plated and stainless steel razors in a ultrasonic cleaner with very hot water and dishwashing soap. By very hot I mean up to 85-95 Celsius.

This is very effective as the high temperature speeds the process drastically, even with soap scum deposits from dealing with hard water. Most such deposits can however be avoided if the razor is cleaned and dried after shaving.

Other materials and/or finishes might require more caution. As some have noted, you should pay attention polishing, especially old razors with tarnished plating, and it's better not to stick a razor with painted parts in an ultrasonic cleaner.

I wouldn't use vinegar, because it's not necessary and can potentially kickstart a corrosion process, and/or damage some razors.

If you decide to try an ultrasonic cleaner, fingers should never enter the water while the machine is running.

BTW pouring boiling water from a kettle into a vessel at room-temperature, will reduce the temperature of the water; while exact figures depend on the specifics, in my experience, the water and vessel will often settle around 85 Celsius or so.

I have placed razors with plastic parts in water that was almost boiling without any ill consequences, however YMMV depending on what kind of plastic has been used.
 
You can buy polishing cloths for your razors on Amazon. Research them though. Some aren't recommended for rhodium. I soak mine in warm water with Dawn dish soap and use a soft toothbrush. After I dry the pieces I apply a little bit of petroleum jelly to the threads. If you are using a handle of one metal to a head of a dissimilar metal it is possible to get a little Galvanic corrosion. I would consider not keeping those pieces assembled together for a long length of time.
 
When I change blades I clean the razor with Never Dull polishing wads. Rub with a microfiber cloth. Sometimes I use MAAS Metal Polish. Once a year I polish them with a car paste wax.
 
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After each blade removal, I use warm water and a boar nail brush (manicure brush?) that I had bought from Bed. Bath, and Beyond to gently scrub all the razor parts after disassembly or opening the TTO doors. Then I let it air dry for a day. This seems to remove any soap scum and keeps the razors looking clean. I don't use any dish soap or anything other than warm water, and this has also kept my vintage razors looking good, too (although all my vintage razors looked very good when I received them).

The use of a nail brush and warm water was mentioned in cleaning instructions that came in the box with, or were printed on the box of, my first DE razor, a Merkur 23C, in 2013.

Regarding any negative effects of using alcohol on gold plating: I had briefly soaked some vintage gold plated razor heads in 70% isopropyl alcohol before my first use, and both of my gold plated Gillette DEs (a 1920s Old Type and a 1930s New Long Comb) were unaffected, but I did encounter some spotting on a GEM 1912 gold plated head after the alcohol soak. However, I am not sure if the GEM head was actually gold plated or was just brass with a clearcoat.

One word of warning: for any threaded parts made of Zamac, it might be a good idea to lightly oil the threads occasionally to prevent or slow down corrosion.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Keep it simple is my #1 rule with cleaning. Normally an old toothbrush and a drop of dish soap is plenty. I have had a few vintage Gillettes with heavy staining and even polishing with Autosol didnt help them. A post war Tech below. Notice the scratches in the cap after scrubbing with a toothbrush and then lightly polishing with Autosol.

IMG_1359.jpg


To clean that cap I used Bar Keepers Friend. It is mildly abrasive but you dont use it to scrub with. The powdered BKF when mixed with water creates Oxalic acid. That acid is what does the cleaning. Below, after 5 seconds of rubbing the cap with my wet thumb and a bit of BKF.

IMG_1607.JPG


Cleaned. Not polished, cleaned, there is a difference. Always clean the razor before polishing it.

Techs are Nickel. BKF doesnt touch Nickel. It will however dissolve gold on contact.

My gold plated early 1940's Gillette Regent Tech after a thorough scrubbing with a toothbrush and dish soap.

IMG_1803.jpg


I learned a lesson after that. I knew BKF would clean it and knew it might remove the gold plating but I wasnt worried about it. What I didnt know what how quickly it would remove it.

I wet the razor, gave it a sprinkle of BKF and a light scrub with a toothbrush. In 5 seconds or less, this is what I had.

IMG_1807.jpg


That gold plating literally disappeared as I watched. It was there then it was gone. I was left with a perfectly clean razor that was now in dire need of polishing.

To polish that razor I first used Autosol and a toothbrush scrubbing and wiping off and scrubbing again until I had it close to where I wanted it. That gave me this.

IMG_1827.jpg


The doors had some fairly heavy scratches so I sanded them out with 600 wet sandpaper as best I could and polished the doors and comb more carefully on my buffing wheel with white jewelers rouge. That gave me this.

IMG_3208.jpg


I've since worked on it a bit more touching up here and there with a small felt wheel on my Dremel and done the edges of the doors and more on the safety bar.

Restoring vintage razors is a process. You need to start with a clean surface, inspect it and see what it needs then work on those areas. Sanding and polishing needs to be done very carefully. Its very easy to create waves in the doors, for example. When sanding you need to sand the entire surface evenly and be careful to follow the original contours and not mess up any corners or anything, which is very easy to do.

If its a vintage Gillette with a gold wash on it, that gold wash was originally protected by a varnish. You can see that varnish on a NIB Gillette NEW LC I had between the teeth of the comb and in the crevices of the handles ball end. The places where it pooled and cured.

IMG_1122.JPG


IMG_1124.JPG


Once that varnish has been removed, the very thin, very fragile gold wash will follow. Clean razors with that type of original finish very carefully, very gently and sparingly if you want to keep the finish.
 
Keep it simple is my #1 rule with cleaning. Normally an old toothbrush and a drop of dish soap is plenty. I have had a few vintage Gillettes with heavy staining and even polishing with Autosol didnt help them. A post war Tech below. Notice the scratches in the cap after scrubbing with a toothbrush and then lightly polishing with Autosol.

View attachment 1197235

To clean that cap I used Bar Keepers Friend. It is mildly abrasive but you dont use it to scrub with. The powdered BKF when mixed with water creates Oxalic acid. That acid is what does the cleaning. Below, after 5 seconds of rubbing the cap with my wet thumb and a bit of BKF.

View attachment 1197236

Cleaned. Not polished, cleaned, there is a difference. Always clean the razor before polishing it.

Techs are Nickel. BKF doesnt touch Nickel. It will however dissolve gold on contact.

My gold plated early 1940's Gillette Regent Tech after a thorough scrubbing with a toothbrush and dish soap.

View attachment 1197245

I learned a lesson after that. I knew BKF would clean it and knew it might remove the gold plating but I wasnt worried about it. What I didnt know what how quickly it would remove it.

I wet the razor, gave it a sprinkle of BKF and a light scrub with a toothbrush. In 5 seconds or less, this is what I had.

View attachment 1197248

That gold plating literally disappeared as I watched. It was there then it was gone. I was left with a perfectly clean razor that was now in dire need of polishing.

To polish that razor I first used Autosol and a toothbrush scrubbing and wiping off and scrubbing again until I had it close to where I wanted it. That gave me this.

View attachment 1197249

The doors had some fairly heavy scratches so I sanded them out with 600 wet sandpaper as best I could and polished the doors and comb more carefully on my buffing wheel with white jewelers rouge. That gave me this.

View attachment 1197250

I've since worked on it a bit more touching up here and there with a small felt wheel on my Dremel and done the edges of the doors and more on the safety bar.

Restoring vintage razors is a process. You need to start with a clean surface, inspect it and see what it needs then work on those areas. Sanding and polishing needs to be done very carefully. Its very easy to create waves in the doors, for example. When sanding you need to sand the entire surface evenly and be careful to follow the original contours and not mess up any corners or anything, which is very easy to do.

If its a vintage Gillette with a gold wash on it, that gold wash was originally protected by a varnish. You can see that varnish on a NIB Gillette NEW LC I had between the teeth of the comb and in the crevices of the handles ball end. The places where it pooled and cured.

View attachment 1197255

View attachment 1197256

Once that varnish has been removed, the very thin, very fragile gold wash will follow. Clean razors with that type of original finish very carefully, very gently and sparingly if you want to keep the finish.
looks like it did the trick mate :)
 
When I change blades I clean the razor with Never Dull polishing wads. Rub with a microfiber cloth. Sometimes I use MAAS Metal Polish. Once a year I polish them with a car paste wax.
When I was in the Navy we used Never Dull on brass but I never used it on anything else. Maybe chrome belt buckles? Such a long time ago.
 
One word of warning: for any threaded parts made of Zamac, it might be a good idea to lightly oil the threads occasionally to prevent or slow down corrosion.

That has to do with that galvanic corrosion I spoke of. Zinc is the primary metal in the Zamak alloy. When I was in the Navy we used sacrificial zinc anodes to reduce corrosion on small craft and barges. Apparently there are electrical currents that flow along a steel hull in salt water so pieces of zinc were attached near each end of the hull. The result was rather than the steel rusting the zinc anodes eroded. I am no engineer but I have heard of the threads corroding on EJ razors and I think that might be the result of a zamak razor head on a brass or steel handle.
 
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