Do not soak razors in oil!

[jolz]

Hey guys,

I just cleaned up my first vintage ebay razor, and I made the mistake of soaking it in mineral oil as a last step. I let excess oil run off and I wiped it thoroughly with a dry cloth.

Now when I shave with it I get oil residue all over my shaving gear, sink and face. And this does not help the shaving at all, quite the opposite.

I bought a general purpose disinfectant from my local pharmacy, which contains 'Isopropyl Alcohol, Peg-40 Hydrogenerated Castor Oil, Aqua'. Soaking the razor in this stuff though, left it in an amazing condition! It gave the finish a new luster, and also lubricated the mechanism so that the razor stopped squeeking when operated.

My advice: Buy general purpose disinfectant and soak your razor in this stuff as a last step, after cleaning with hot water, toothbrush and dishwashing liquid. And stop there! Do not soak in mineral oil after that. The disinfectant lubes it enough, mineral oil only gunks it up!

Cheers,

Joel

 

[Leisureguy]

Interesting finding! Thanks. I have used mineral oil as a lubricant, but I don't soak the razor, just put a drop or two on the moving mechanism. But the stuff you found is worth checking out. Thanks, again.

 

[JimmyHAD]

I did a search on this topic in the forum when I first started buying vintage (read used) razors on ebay and from other sources. I too tried just lubricating TTOs with a drop of mineral oil and in some cases that was all that was necessary.

In one thread that I found I think it was Taz who said that he had encountered razors that were so grunged up that after boiling he soaked them in mineral oil for up to 3 days if that is what it took to get into every nook and cranny and leave the mechanism operating smoothly.

Well, I have encountered a couple of TTOs that required that treatment and I found that the extended soak was just what the doctor ordered. Whatever the duration if I do soak a razor in oil after it has been in long enough to operate smoothly I let it stand ( upside down with silo doors open) dripping the excess on a paper towel and then rinse well under running water and wipe off any remaining residue. I usually leave it standing overnight. The mineral oil soak has been very effective for me and I have no problems afterwards. YMMV.

 

[jolz]

Yeah, only soak it if it's really needed, like if the mechanism is not working smoothly. And if you do, do like Jimmy and rinse and wipe under water afterwards.

By the way, if you are not planning on using the razor for a while (collecting, shipping, storing etc), a soak in oil is a good idea since it protects the surface from dirt and moisture. Just make sure to rinse it well before use.

Happy shaving!

Joel

 

[texasPI]

Done the mineral oil thing too but I found that wd 40 and other penetrating liquids do an awesome job in freeing stuck mechanisms andsuch in a shorter period of time and with less mess.

 

[papasmurf]

Done the mineral oil thing too but I found that wd 40 and other penetrating liquids do an awesome job in freeing stuck mechanisms andsuch in a shorter period of time and with less mess.

I really hope you are cleaning the razors well after using wd 40 that stuff cant be good for your skin.

 

[galpman]

Interesting finding! Thanks. I have used mineral oil as a lubricant, but I don't soak the razor, just put a drop or two on the moving mechanism. But the stuff you found is worth checking out. Thanks, again.

+1 I just make sure the moving parts are lightly oiled.

 

[creel]

I bought a general purpose disinfectant from my local pharmacy, which contains 'Isopropyl Alcohol, Peg-40 Hydrogenerated Castor Oil, Aqua'

Won't alcohol and aqua lead to pithing?
Won't hydrogenerated castor oil be equally gunking?

 

[TstebinsB]

I would never think to use any oil on a safety razor. I just use a barbercide equivalent. After washing my razors down, I spray it down and let it air dry. It works perfectly.

 

[Scorpio]

Back when I used DE's daily after boiling the razor I would soak them in mineral oil or baby oil for a couple of days to ensure smooth operation. I never had any of the problems described in the initial post.

Raf

 

[Jimro]

I bought a vintage Gillette from ebay that was pretty gunked up, but a ten minute boil and cleaning with Brasso got rid of the surface gunk. I lubed the "action" with CLP (milspeak for Breakfree) which really helped. That razor became my field razor.

Jimro

 

[early30sguy]

CLP is not good for your skin at all. You may want to clean that out.

 

[Exapno]

Done the mineral oil thing too but I found that wd 40 and other penetrating liquids do an awesome job in freeing stuck mechanisms andsuch in a shorter period of time and with less mess.

+1 on that. I squirt WD 40 into the mechanism and over the razor and wipe off the excess. Works great. I also sit the razor in a vegetable steamer for about an hour instead of boiling, I think this is more efficient and easier on the metal.