Razor Maintenance - Rust

[rstrawsb]

It seems that no matter how well I dry my razor I seem to get a little rust forming overnight. Any suggestions on what to use to prevent it. I was thinking about WD-40.

It may be that I tend to rinse my razor in the water in the sink while shaving. Maybe I should just wipe the cream off on a towel.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Ron

 

[xChris]

WD-40 may not be the best long-term choice for razor care/maintenance. I would think that any of the protectants/lubricants for knives would be a better choice for straight razors too (of course celluloid handles may be the only caveat to your choice). Some examples would be Militec-1, Sentry Solution's Tuf-Cloth (esp. the Marine environment formula) & Tuf-Glide, or even just plain old mineral oil.

Another one usually mentioned in the wetshaving forums is camilia oil, especially for day-to-day protection/lube. Another thing to mention, and which has also been discussed, is a hair dryer set on a cooler air setting to displace and dry up water in the pivot area.

I'm still not completely comfortable with using the towel to wipe off the cream from the razor. I'm still concernec that I'm gonna roll the edge, or cut through the towel (and maybe my hand). It is certainly an alternative to constant rinsing & then completely drying the razor after each shave.

 

[rtaylor61]

It seems that no matter how well I dry my razor I seem to get a little rust forming overnight. Any suggestions on what to use to prevent it. I was thinking about WD-40.

It may be that I tend to rinse my razor in the water in the sink while shaving. Maybe I should just wipe the cream off on a towel.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Ron

Ron,

Following your shave, try stropping the razor 15 laps on linen and 30 laps on leather. It has been suggested that one of the reasons for stropping immediately after a shave it to heat up the razor to remove any unwashed residue and help the razor to dry completely. Another thing you can try is after shaving, wipe the blade down with alcohol. Also, be sure you are leaving the blade exposed for proper drying.

Randy

 

[ouch]

My knife gurus all use camellia oil on their megabuck gems. It doesn't get rancid, and does the trick. I use it on all of my carbon steel cutlery.

www.korin.com

 

[guenron]

Try some Dovo Sterol.. Made specifically for this situation..

 

[jim28277]

I use Clippercide (http://www.cachebeauty.com/wholsale/king.htm#clip).

 

[Rik]

Hi Jim,

Sorry for not seeing this thread sooner. I feel it's unwise to use a strong petroleum product like WD-40 on your face (you'll always have residual amounts on the razor) and would cautions against it.

I use a product called Camelia Oil from the camelia seed. I use it after each shave with my straight razors and on the majority of my carbon steel tools in my woodworking shop.

 

[abandonship]

I hope this is read, the last post on this thread was a long while ago...

My str8 has been rusting on the hinge slightly. The rest of the blade is rust-free, so I'm not sure how to a) remove the rust, and b) how to prevent it. I will get some mineral oil, but I'm still at a loss as to how to get in the hinge. any suggestions?

 

[Iceman]

I used to have a similar problem with my 3 straight razors. Not any more. I began to store my razors in a cigar box. They are lined with Spanish cedar that is also used in humidors to absorb excess humidity. The cigar box works great for getting and keeping the razors dry. I use another cigar box to store my DE's and yet a third for the extra blades. If you dont smoke cigars or have a friend that does, you can go to any cigar store and they have them for sale. $2-4 for the larger sizes. Many times they will give you a small one.

 

[Joe Chandler]

After shaving, rinse the blade off with straight hot water. Get the blade hot in the water, wipe off with a towel, and leave open to air dry. Do not store in the bathroom, as it usually stays warm and humid in there. I live in Louisiana, and I have never had a problem with rust using the above procedure. Stropping 5-10 times after the blade is dry wouldn't hurt, either. The only time I ever use oil on my blades is for shipment after restoration or honing. I use either Tuf-Cloth or, more recently, camellia oil. There's a seller on ebay selling 8oz. bottles of camellia for around $4. That should last you approximately 3.67 lifetimes.

 

[abandonship]

Thanks for the info, I left it closed after shaving, so that must be the problem. The cedar makes, sense.
Joe, I'm planning on moving back to Louisiana come summer (NOLA). Do you think the change in climate will be challenge for my blade?

 

[gglockner]

I wash the razor off with liquid soap rinse (blow as much water off) and wipe with a towel.
If it is high humidity I sometimes use the blow dryer. Do be carefull not to get the scales hot.

Glen

 

[mparker762]

Thanks for the info, I left it closed after shaving, so that must be the problem. The cedar makes, sense.
Joe, I'm planning on moving back to Louisiana come summer (NOLA). Do you think the change in climate will be challenge for my blade?

Nope. I'm in Houston, and never had a problem with rust. I don't rinse my blades though, that's just a good way get water into the hinge. I wipe them on a folded towel next to the sink, and when I'm finished I just strop them lightly on a towel then wipe the spine and shank down with a oiled patch and strop the blade on the same oiled patch. Takes longer to type than to do.

 

[Suzuki]

I've only been at this for a couple of months - I've taken to periodically putting a little mineral oil (I'm going to switch to either camilla or Tuff-Glide) on the shank and in the pin area periodically.

While WD40 would likely work, besides the smell and possible irritaition it could cause if you shave with a blade that has this stuff on it, I would worry about its long-term effect on the scales.

I rinse the blade (not the tang) and am careful not to get water into the hinge area. I dry the blade and wipe the tang carefully with a soft cloth and strop my razor lightly a few times.

I keep my razors in cardboard razor boxes or in a canvas chisel roll up (with the exception of my TI, which has a leather pouch) and store them in a wooden drawer - in a room other than the bathroom. I've had absolutely no problems with rust.

I've noticed that a lot of new razors come in plastic boxes and these are terrible for storage as they don't breathe - and therefore are a perfect environment for rust to develop. I purchased a used Dovo that had barely been used, but had been stored in the plastic box it came in and it had more rust than any other used razor I have purchased (cleaned up fine, but interesting to see a razor that was likely less than a year old with more rust than my $5 e-bay specials).

If you live in a very damp/humid environment, I would suggest storing your razors in a wooden cigar box (you can line it with felt or some other soft material to prevent scratching and even divide it into compartments if you like), which will naturally regulate moisture - if you're really concened, you can put a silica dehumidifier in there just to be extra sure.

 

[jnich67]

I've found it useful to hold the razor with my thumb and forefinger covering or "guarding" the shank and pivot area while rinsing the blade. This helps prevent water from getting into that difficult spot. Having to change to this grip also gives me time to remember not to ding the blade on the faucet. I also rinse with the water on low pressure so it doesn't splash all over the razor. Afterwards, I apply some alcohol to the blade. Dry with a towel and strop. I leave the razor out and open for 20-30 minutes while I dress, then store it outside of the bathroom. I've never had a problem with rust. Just my 2 cents

Jordan

 

[abandonship]

wow, thanks for all the replies. I'll try the storage suggestions and get some oil. thanks y'all!

 

[Steelforge]

I keep my razors in a canvas chisel roll, which I roll up and put either in the cupboard (closet ) next to the bathroom where the hot water tank lives (always nice and warm in there), or in a drawer in my bedroom.

 

[abandonship]

I purchased a used Dovo that had barely been used, but had been stored in the plastic box.

I thought that was kind of fishy that my razor came in a plastic case. I've been keeping the razor open for a while and storing it outside of the bano. It hasn't developed any more rust. thanks!

 

[netsurfr]

I first tried the Tuf-Cloth. This worked very well on most of my razors. However, on one razor, it seemed to cause the gold wash to bleed a little. I have since changed to camelia oil and am very pleased with the results. I usually also take the time to strop 30 times after shaving.
Bottom line: Go with Camelia oil.