Protecting Gold Finish

[AJS]

The Merkur Slant I got the other day has a gold finish, and I was wondering whether or not there were any special considerations for cleaning a gold razor. My local water is of very poor quality, limescale and soap residue tend to build up on my razors very quickly and because of this I have to clean them very regularly. I don't want to damage the finish of my slant so is there anything I should know about cleaning and protecting a gold razor?
Warm regards,
Alex

 

[guenron]

One thing for sure, always test any cleaning agent in an area that is not especially visible before committing to its use on the entire razor. One thing to remember though is that gold is (under most circumstances) more chemical resistant than other metals. A piece of history as an aside, pure gold is only soluble in aqua regia (royal water), a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids..
What is usually the bane of gold plate iis scratching.
I suggest Dawn diswashing liquid in a hotwater soak for normal (shaving) soap scum and a bit of distilled vinegar with elbow grease for the hardwater scum. Oh, enjoy the "BLING" thing!

 

[AJS]

Thanks for the reply, aside from the gold finish I am still a bit reluctant to try the Slant. I know experienced "slanters" insist that it is not an aggressive razor, but I don't think my technique is consistent enough, I still cannot get the angle thing down, ******* ****! (expletives deleted for those of a sensitive disposition.)
Warm regards,
Alex

 

[yasuo200365]

Alex,

Gold won't tarnish. Don't get hung up on using cleaners etc. soap & water is all that is needed and possibly a little light use of a toothbrush to dislodge the hard to reach crud.

Being obsessive on the cleaning front will wear away the gold plate eventually - best not to do too much to often.

Regards
John

 

[Kyle]

Thanks for the reply, aside from the gold finish I am still a bit reluctant to try the Slant. I know experienced "slanters" insist that it is not an aggressive razor, but I don't think my technique is consistent enough, I still cannot get the angle thing down, ******* ****! (expletives deleted for those of a sensitive disposition.)
Warm regards,
Alex

Alex,
Do Wait! If you use a poor angle with the slant, you will scrape the mess out of your face. Get good with a regular DE, then progress to the slant.

 

[mrob]

Get good with a regular DE, then progress to the slant.

Yeah, and after you Progress to the Slant, you'll be back to the Future where you'll have a Vision of yourself as a FatBoy who wears a coat that fastens with Toggles.