Odd color help: Scrubbing Bubbles/Gold razors

[Starfury]

Well gents, I have here two gold Gillettes in need of some help.

Both were in the Scrubbing Bubbles soak, and as you can see in the images there are some odd colors that emerge.

I wonder- is that the lacquer being discolored?

You can easily see the discoloration on the collar of the Aristocrat. On the New it almost looks like I took a flame to the head and scorched it. The same thing appears on the head plate.

More Scrubbing Bubbles doesn't seem to help matters.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[AsylumGuido]

How long was it in the Scrubbing Bubbles? I usually let mine sit for about five minutes and then use a toothbrush to the remaining liquid to work into the tight areas and then I rinse immediately.

 

[Starfury]

How long was it in the Scrubbing Bubbles? I usually let mine sit for about five minutes and then use a toothbrush to the remaining liquid to work into the tight areas and then I rinse immediately.

Damn you are quick Quido.

They were each in the SB for about 1/2 hr. Then after I took them out and saw the discoloration, I put them back in to remedy the situation. However, that hasn't exactly been the solution to said problem.

Thanks.

Cheers.

 

[AsylumGuido]

I've never had that happen before. Is there any possibility that there was already discoloration covered by crud that was exposed once cleaned?

 

[Starfury]

I've never had that happen before. Is there any possibility that there was already discoloration covered by crud that was exposed once cleaned?

Quite possible, at least for the Aristocrat.

I mean, the head of the Aristocrat was BLACK.

Neil Young one sang in "I am a Child": "What is the color, when black is burned?"

Well that was the color of the Aristocrat head.

However, the head and plate of the New wasn't too bad. Just seemed to appear after being soaked.

Cheers.

 

[Fnord5]

Gold shouldn't discolor at all, regardless of what you soak it in.

I would assume that there is plate loss in those areas.

 

[scottydoint]

I had a similar reaction to a silver tech handle after soaking it in SB for at least a day. It didn't scrub off, but i think it would've polished off.

 

[Starfury]

Gold shouldn't discolor at all, regardless of what you soak it in.

I would assume that there is plate loss in those areas.

I'm thinking maybe the lacquer is causing this, but I may be wrong. Dunno.

Cheers.

 

[Starfury]

I had a similar reaction to a silver tech handle after soaking it in SB for at least a day. It didn't scrub off, but i think it would've polished off.

That is another possibility. We'll see once I can get some polish.

Cheers.

 

[AsylumGuido]

That is another possibility. We'll see once I can get some polish.

Cheers.

The problem is that gold plating is usually too thin to polish. I suppose you could use a very, very nonabrasive polish and just try toi remove the very top surface level of discoloration, but be aware that you may end up with a brass spot, or copper in the case of the New.

 

[Starfury]

The problem is that gold plating is usually too thin to polish. I suppose you could use a very, very nonabrasive polish and just try toi remove the very top surface level of discoloration, but be aware that you may end up with a brass spot, or copper in the case of the New.

Indeed.

This is always my fear when cleaning gold razors.

Thanks gents.

Cheers.

 

[sprescott]

That is another possibility. We'll see once I can get some polish.

Cheers.

I would not go with the polish yet! It is too harsh and will remove the lacquer and the gold plating. These spots are easy to clean.

My technique:

Wet the razor. Give the razor a shot of Windex window cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Clean off the brown areas very lightly with a Q-Tip or a cotton pad. Rinse the razor thoroughly in water after this cleaning.

Please try this before moving to more harsh methods for cleaning a gold plated razor!

-Steve

 

[AsylumGuido]

I would not go with the polish yet! It is too harsh and will remove the lacquer and the gold plating. These spots are easy to clean.

My technique:

Wet the razor. Give the razor a shot of Windex window cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Clean off the brown areas very lightly with a Q-Tip or a cotton pad. Rinse the razor thoroughly in water after this cleaning.

Please try this before moving to more harsh methods for cleaning a gold plated razor!

-Steve

Nice advice, Steve. I hope to try this myself some day.

 

[thirdeye]

I would not go with the polish yet! It is too harsh and will remove the lacquer and the gold plating. These spots are easy to clean.

My technique:

Wet the razor. Give the razor a shot of Windex window cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Clean off the brown areas very lightly with a Q-Tip or a cotton pad. Rinse the razor thoroughly in water after this cleaning.

Please try this before moving to more harsh methods for cleaning a gold plated razor!

-Steve

Nice job Steve, you took the words right of my keyboard...

This should do the trick.

 

[Starfury]

I would not go with the polish yet! It is too harsh and will remove the lacquer and the gold plating. These spots are easy to clean.

My technique:

Wet the razor. Give the razor a shot of Windex window cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Clean off the brown areas very lightly with a Q-Tip or a cotton pad. Rinse the razor thoroughly in water after this cleaning.

Please try this before moving to more harsh methods for cleaning a gold plated razor!

-Steve

Interesting stuff.

Don't worry though- my RAD has me so broke that I can't afford polish right now...

But I do have some window cleaner laying around. I'll give my goldies a shot when I get home today and report back.

Thanks Steve,

Cheers.

 

[The Real McCoy]

I don't use anything harsher than Windex or Toothpaste on gold razors these days- everything else will damage the finish in 1 way or another....

 

[Kbennett]

I noticed a slight rainbow shimmer appear on the head of a gold NEW after using scrubbing bubbles, but no major discoloration. After a couple of uses it appears to have disappeared or dulled enough that I don't see it. I've been careful using SB on my razors since then with no ill effects.

 

[cooncatbob]

That orangish brown is the lacquer.
Whether the scrubbing caused it or just reveled it is hard to say.
I don't know if there's anything you can do now except strip off all the lacquer.
I've done this on several gold razors, a quick soak in lacquer thinner will remove the lacquer.
If your want to relacquer your razor. Staybrite Lacquer for brass should work on gold.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=13B55&FamilyID=3260

 

[Starfury]

OK, here are the "after" picks after using the Windex.

Mind you my photographic techniques allow every scratch to appear.

Quite an improvement.

Thanks gents, you are life (and gold razor) savers.

Cheers.

 

[thirdeye]

Glad to see it worked out for you....