Effect of Moisture on Blade Sharpness

[LarryAndro]

I read an old article that stated that blade rusting starts immediately after shaving, and is a serious cause of blade edge dulling. Something happened to me recently that seems to support this point anecdotally.

I shave with a straight razor - this thread applies to DE, etc users also - and haven't used my safety razor (generic, Trac II) for some months. I grabbed the razor yesterday for some personal grooming (ear... alas, with age it is necessary...) and it wouldn't cut hot butter! I ran my finger over the blade and it didn't even feel sharp.

Then, I accused my wife of using it to shave the back of a boar hog or some such arts and crafts project. She said no. She had tried to shave her legs with it a few days ago, and it just slid down here leg without cutting anything.

We both are trying to remember anything we might have done to dull the blade, and are drawing blanks. This might be quite plausibly due to mid-life senility. But, it might be due to the effect of moisture on a blade.

I've purchased many vintage straight razors that were obviously much used. I doubt anyone dulled these when they were stored. Nonetheless, I have yet to buy a vintage razor that was anywhere close to shaving sharp. This seems to me to be further evidence that the moisture in the air, even when not abundant moisture from a bathroom, is very effective at dulling the edge of blades. Straights or any type blade.

I don't think the above is news to anyone. But, the quickness of dulling was news to me.

 

[Fletch]

Yeah when you think about what a blade is actually cutting, it's really not anything that would be overly formidable against it. It's not like cutting a whisker is like trying to get through a piece of steel cable. With cart razors I always dried them thoroughly after I shaved by tapping and wiping them (in non cutting direction naturally) against a towel. For the cost of them I wanted to squeeze every last shave out of it I could. Even now with my DE razor I take it apart and wipe each piece down, including the blade after a shave.

For the cost of a blade it's probably not worth worrying over but I figure I have the razor apart anyway I might as well dry it all off.

 

[shecky]

Well before I ever came here, I did an experiment with some disposable razors. I noticed I could get two, maybe three shaves with this particular brand before the blade starts pulling on my whiskers, using the razor and putting it away wet. Under the possibility that minute amounts of corrosion at the very edge may contribute to blade dullness, I began rinsing the razor with a splash of 91% isopropyl alcohol, the idea being that it displaces the water and evaporates quickly. This practice resulted in a razor that lasted twice as long before tugging at my whiskers, 5 or 6 shaves, at very little cost or effort. Not the most rigorous methodology, but good enough for my satisfaction.

Now I thought I was pretty clever with this discovery, but after hanging out here a while, I found it wasn't an altogether uncommon practice. I attribute the longevity of the blade to alcohol retarding corrosion. It could certainly be that something else is at play here that have not considered. But it seems to have backed up my hypothesis, so I'm sticking to it.

 

[LarryAndro]

Shecky, your experience seconds my experience... moisture rapidly and immediately degrades the cutting edge. And, this is why I always coat my straights with oil (vaseline, specifically) immediately after I shave.

 

[armykunin]

Shecky,

I do this with my DE blades after each shave as well. I have heard the same thing about how it evaporates the water and it always seemed to work fine for me plus it disenfects the blade.

 

[sirleanalot]

And, this is why I always coat my straights with oil (vaseline, specifically) immediately after I shave.

+1.

My wife tell me that her late father used to follow a similar ritual with his DE razor - dismantle the razor, rinse, wipe and dry the blades, then coat the blade with coconut oil before putting it away. It must have given the man some sense of satisfaction to perform that ritual.