Razor Cleaning Mistake ... ?

[rth97601]

Okay, so if you did the silver-to-aluminum tarnish removal trick, and then wanted to get the aluminum clean, what would you do?

See, here's what I did ...

I got a lot of 3 gillette DEs off e-bay--a 1913 single ring, a 1940s tech, and a 1973 SS. I went through my cleaning routine: Simple Green soak-n-scrub, followed by a barbicide soak, then an alcohol dip, for the shine (it worked nicely on a couple razors I cleaned up before).

After the Simple Green, the Tech and SS were nice and shiny, but the single ring was a bit tarnished yet. Anyhow, I barbicided them and put them all in alcohol (cheap vodka) up to the head overnight, expecting to take care of the tarnish today.

This morning, however, all three were tarnished--the single ring less so than before, but the other two were no longer shiny. I think the vodka may have facilitated, in a small way, the migration of tarnish, in the manner of the aluminum trick ... it's like the tarnish evened out. The tech even had a dark streak round the handle at the waterline.

I polished up the single ring with some mild silver polish, and it looks good, but I haven't gotten the stains to budge on the other two--not with simple green, or silver polish, or alcohol, or vinegar/baking soda. I'm fairly sure the vodka didn't wreck the finish because I've used it before and ended up with shinier razors.

Any ideas what happened, and how (if) it can be fixed?

Ryan

 

[T Rick]

Guessing in the future you'll clean one at a time?

Not sure where your staining is, and not sure what is aluminum. The Super Speed may have aluminum in the handle, but I believe the head would still be nickel plated brass as the earlier ones were.

The Tech, not sure which you have (British Aluminum handle?). Other than that, I think everything was nickel or gold plated (gold would have a lacquer over it, nickel would not). Not sure if any aluminum would be there, but if so it'd be under the plating and no factor (again, except the British Tech).

Now then, what would I try. I'd first try what I have on hand (you might not). Either Never Dull or MAAS metal polish. Possibly some Mothers. But here's an idea. I've become a student of "less is more". Maybe try some tooth paste first, the old fashioned paste type. With a tooth brush or without.

If that didn't do it, my next try would probably be the MAAS, and I'd do it very gently (you can eat through plating).

Good luck, I hope this works out for you (I am optimistic it will).

 

[Bit2]

What you need:
Dawn soap - soak and scrub
toothbrush or fingernail brush
Borax
then
Dawn soap again

Worse case scenario some people use scrubbing bubbles. Can't make it worse right?

Metal polish (in extreme cases)

Remember some razors are chrome plated, others gold or silver plated.
Use the appropriate polish and cleanser for each individual razor. Do them one at a time. Going cheap and quick does not get the job done, obviously.
Try this, clean each one (razor) individually.

You should never use drinking alcohol, buy Isopropyl Alcohol 91% at a drug store.
I don't use simple green on my jewelry, there is no way I'd use it on a razor.

Last bit of advice, quit buying cheap booze! Life is too short to by $6 rot gut.

Good luck,
John

 

[john parker]

Don't know that it makes any difference in this instance, but just found out from Cooncatbob that my 1970 Tech, which has "Gillette" stamped on the head, has a head made of zinc, not steel. It is plated with nickel I would guess. I gather that later Techs would also have a head of zinc.
Good luck, John

 

[rth97601]

Last bit of advice, quit buying cheap booze! Life is too short to by $6 rot gut.

Oh dear no ... I never drink it ... I use cheap vodka for easy sanitizer. I'm a homebrewer/meadmaker, and I fill my bubblers with vodka for extra insurance.

Buffalo Trace, Lagavulin, Bushmills, Rain, Bombay Sapphire, and Cruzan Dark live atop my bar. The cheap vodka lives in the utility closet.

 

[Hoos]

What you need:
Dawn soap - soak and scrub
toothbrush or fingernail brush
Borax
then
Dawn soap again

Worse case scenario some people use scrubbing bubbles. Can't make it worse right?

Metal polish (in extreme cases)

Remember some razors are chrome plated, others gold or silver plated.
Use the appropriate polish and cleanser for each individual razor. Do them one at a time. Going cheap and quick does not get the job done, obviously.
Try this, clean each one (razor) individually.

You should never use drinking alcohol, buy Isopropyl Alcohol 91% at a drug store.
I don't use simple green on my jewelry, there is no way I'd use it on a razor.

Last bit of advice, quit buying cheap booze! Life is too short to by $6 rot gut.

Good luck,
John

This.

Except barbicide and alcohol is overkill. One or the other will be just fine. And rubbing alcohol is a much cheaper alternative than vodka if you must do both.

 

[scottish steve]

I've gone overboard myself on the old cleaning routine and severely donwgraded the condition of a couple of razors. I am now of the opinion that
1. I'm not going to go to such extremes ever again
but
2. If the plating is in such a fragile state then I'd rather know bout it and have a slightly less pretty but definitely clean razor whch has no traces of any of its previous owner/storage left. It might not look as good but I can use it with confidence knowing its mine now.