I store my razors in silicone treated sheaths/sleeves from The Superior Shave which I keep in plastic tubs with a desiccant pack. Works great. During the dryer months, I will lay a few razors out on my bureau. During the more humid months, the razors stay in the tubs. No worries this way.
SR maintenance questions
- Thread starter RouxBlade
- Start date
Would Vaseline work?
For long term, yes
If gravity is an issue, you are probably using too much oil.
Those are custom made by sack-ups. Silicone treated cloth.
I use the original sack-ups knife storage sleeve rolls for 6, 8 , 12 knives. Works very well
Rouxblade,
1. I use mineral oil. It's pretty inexpensive, non-toxic (can be used as a laxative), and easy to remove.
2. I learned here to strop before every shave. It really is a game changer. It puts that final/realigned edge back from the last use. The only time I would not strop before use, is when I bought a new SR from a well-established hone-meister who has a well known reputation of mailing out a shave ready edge. This would be out of want to experience a reference edge--an edge that I want to find out is absolutely better than anything I can produce. One can request otherwise, but I'd bet a Snickers bar that edge is stropped after honing and before being mailed out. Caveat--be prepared to lather up, and discontinue a shave while you strop if that edge doesn't meet your standards. Final thought: you can't do any harm stropping a newly-bought SR before first use--assuming one's stropping skills are adequate. It took me some time to learn how to strop.
3. I've heard the before and after thing too. I never strop on leather after a shave, but always strop on the linen side afterwards to completely dry the edge and get some stropping benefit. I strop on leather before every shave.
I use baby oil. Zero issues, not harmful to scales, and safe to use on blades. Bonus it’s cheap.
I can only tell you what I do not necessarily what you should do.
1. I’ve never used oil on any of my razors and have never had any rust. After shaving, I wipe the blade on a dry wash cloth or towel and leave the razor open to dry.
2. If you aren’t proficient at stropping yet, don’t strip before the first shave. It is a good idea to practice stropping with a table knife which won’t be sharp enough to cut your strop. You can also practice on your pant leg while just sitting around. It is just a muscle memory thing
3. I strop my razor before going to bed. It really doesn’t matter when you strop as long as you strop between shaves.
4. Patience is key. SR shaving is is mostly a self learning process and it takes time. Once learned it is just as easy as other methods - just takes longer to learn.
Depends on the humidity where you live and conditions where it will be stored.
I’m in Southern California and I do not oil my razors. For storage and shipping, I use Ballistol applied with a Qtip.
Yes, you need to strop after shaving and prior to shaving. Strop on linen after shaving to dry the edge and remove all the soap, blood, and skin off the bevel.
Take a look at your bevels after shaving, even if you wipe “clean” and dry you will still see stuff on the bevel and edge. I wipe with a damp and dry microfiber and still cannot remove all the soap. I leave the razor open so the blade is out of the scales on a glass tray from a butter dish to dry throught the day.
Soap, blood, and skin all hold moisture, and it is on the thinnest part of the blade so, it does not take much for it to attack the edge and rust/eat it. 10 laps on linen will clean and dry the edge. Oxidation/rust is the biggest killer of an edge, once you learn to strop properly.
Just go slow and keep the blade flat on the strop, spine on the strop the whole time. Watch the flip, do not slam the razor into the strop.
I’m in Southern California and I do not oil my razors. For storage and shipping, I use Ballistol applied with a Qtip.
Yes, you need to strop after shaving and prior to shaving. Strop on linen after shaving to dry the edge and remove all the soap, blood, and skin off the bevel.
Take a look at your bevels after shaving, even if you wipe “clean” and dry you will still see stuff on the bevel and edge. I wipe with a damp and dry microfiber and still cannot remove all the soap. I leave the razor open so the blade is out of the scales on a glass tray from a butter dish to dry throught the day.
Soap, blood, and skin all hold moisture, and it is on the thinnest part of the blade so, it does not take much for it to attack the edge and rust/eat it. 10 laps on linen will clean and dry the edge. Oxidation/rust is the biggest killer of an edge, once you learn to strop properly.
Just go slow and keep the blade flat on the strop, spine on the strop the whole time. Watch the flip, do not slam the razor into the strop.
Heavy oils are not ideal, thicker spreadable type oils are messy and transferable, you don't want to go near anything that contains petroleum, it doesn't like scale material, so go with a pure silicone spray.
I use ClipperCide or Andis Cool Care Plus. This has disinfectant as well as light lubricants. I've used this on straights for ten years with no damage to scales or steel. It's what I always use whenever I send a straight out for sale or honing. And, it's the first thing I use to disinfect it when I receive a straight razor be it new, or used.
I use camphor.
- Thread starter
- #33
To answer my own question about oils.
I have two SRs, maybe going on three. Still determining what my preferred razor is. After switching back and forth, I did a little over two weeks with the (then) new one and have started another two weeks with the other.
All that to say, I shave every day unless travel interferes. So the one that I shave with I don't bother with anything other than regular strop maintenance.
Two weeks, with my local's humidity, probably isn't enough to need oil. But for now at least, I'm using a VERY light layer of mineral oil on the one not currently in use.
I have two SRs, maybe going on three. Still determining what my preferred razor is. After switching back and forth, I did a little over two weeks with the (then) new one and have started another two weeks with the other.
All that to say, I shave every day unless travel interferes. So the one that I shave with I don't bother with anything other than regular strop maintenance.
Two weeks, with my local's humidity, probably isn't enough to need oil. But for now at least, I'm using a VERY light layer of mineral oil on the one not currently in use.
The thing about mineral oil for a straight is, it's protective, completely harmless, and easy to put on. Plausibly unnecessary, and when it becomes messy it's something to second guess, but I like that I know it can help and can't hurt.
I'm receiving today in the mail though a pack of dessicant packets that may help with storage to mitigate issues. Will see how that goes. Got a 3 layer fountain pen holder off Amazon that will hopefully fit straights in the drawers, I think someone on here mentioned using a fountain pen holder to organize there's.
1. Mineral oil works fine, but truthfully, unless you live in a very humid environment a dry blade stores well over time. Renaissance Wax is good for long term storage.
2. Stropping before use is always a good idea.
3. 50 on leather before a shave, 15 on linen after a shave to dry the edge.
Wholeheartedly agree. I live in SW Florida where our humidity is well over 90% all year round and 100% in the Summertime.
The only time I put a lubricant on a blade is if I have sold it or, if I am sending it out for repairs/honing/re-scaling.
