Is mirror polished steel just aesthetic? Or does it serve a purpose?

[rufus3898]

I have a (Geo)rge Wostenholm "Imperial" straight razor that has no pitting or rust but the blade has a shiny grey patina on it. Is it necessary to polish it? Or is ok just to leave it as is?

 

[kirk 988]

nothing bad is likely to happen if you leave it as is it gives it caracter and shows its age.
i dont see any purpose of a mirror finish although i only own a few razors with a mirror finish

 

[johnmrson]

Mirror finish is just for looks. It doesn't make the razor shave any better.

 

[rufus3898]

Thanks all I just wondered since I see so many with ultra polished. Soon as I grow the courage I'll try out a real straight myself. I must conquer the nervousness first then I'll be good to go. Practice Practice. Thanks All!

 

[jred]

Make sure you get it honed before you try to use it.

 

[kirk 988]

Thanks all I just wondered since I see so many with ultra polished. Soon as I grow the courage I'll try out a real straight myself. I must conquer the nervousness first then I'll be good to go. Practice Practice. Thanks All!

take Jred's advice its a nice piece of advice
if i were you ide check this deal out
http://www.whippeddog.com/products/view/sight-unseen-deal

the razor wont win any contests for beauty but it will be functional
dont be nervous shavettes are more dangerous IMHO
if you need any advice just send me a PM

 

[rufus3898]

Make sure you get it honed before you try to use it.

Absolutely! I am deathly afraid the of straight but I will fester up the madness and give it a honest go... I may be able to get a story outta my head that tormented me since Jr high. The story was about a dictator (Fidel Castro Like) who goes for a shave. The barber was thinking the whole time how he could bring a end to this dictator with one swipe... Thanks Gr.9 english! Time to break that fear. lol

 

[kirk 988]

Absolutely! I am deathly afraid the of straight but I will fester up the madness and give it a honest go... I may be able to get a story outta my head that tormented me since Jr high. The story was about a dictator (Fidel Castro Like) who goes for a shave. The barber was thinking the whole time how he could bring a end to this dictator with one swipe... Thanks Gr.9 english! Time to break that fear. lol

dont worry go slow and you will be fine

 

[Pete_T]

Mirror finish does make the razor a little less prone to catch water and then rust. If you use wax on it (or oil) and dry it off well you shouldn't have any problems, though.

 

[skipnord]

Ditto what Pete T said. An old machinist friend of mine says if you get a mirror finish on steel it will never rust. I'm not completely sure I agree, but I do agree it would take longer/slower to rust if mirror polished. That said, I prefer leaving patina on old blades.

 

[Kavik79]

yup, I'll second (third?) that. The smoother the surface, the less there is for water to stick to. Which really doesn't matter as long as you put the proper amount of effort into maintenance.

and, I suppose the lather might rinse off easier when in use? again, not a major big deal lol

 

[kirk 988]

yup, I'll second (third?) that. The smoother the surface, the less there is for water to stick to. Which really doesn't matter as long as you put the proper amount of effort into maintenance.

and, I suppose the lather might rinse off easier when in use? again, not a major big deal lol

i can agree on that its not hard to get a tissue and wipe off a razor that will stop rust

 

[deezyrocks]

I think hart razors have an option of a satin look. I think they look super good. If they are making them new like that then it shouldnt be too bad.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Shiny razors were made to make you cut yourself and look bling! The light above the mirror in my bathroom is at such an angle that if the razor is very shiny I get horrible reflections and end up blinding myself temporarily! shiny is nice but not essential.

 

[boar.master]

I think cleanliness is better for your strop, but this will have very little effect.

 

[Mink]

Ok, I'll say it.....it sure is pretty, and that counts

 

[straightrazorheaven]

Hey There

The problem with leaving a patina on the blade is that you don't know what's going on underneath it. Patina can be considered a protective layer on a blade, but it can also be masking deeper problems. It's hard to say without seeing the particular "grey areas" you talk about. Shiny surfaces do serve a purpose, it is much more difficult for water to remain on a shiny surface than a rougher non shiny surface. The mirror polish is something you achieve when you make the scratch patterns smaller and smaller. These scratch patterns are grooves in the metal where moisture can rest and remain. Non-polished surfaces also have a greater surface area to interact with water and air to begin formation of rust. You may believe that you have dried a razor to completion but moisture in the air can interact with the steel over a short period of time (under correct conditions).
When you strop, if you leave the patina on there, it is likely it will be removed by your strop, contaminating your strop with the ferrous material.

Thanks

Carl - SRH