SuperSpeed and butterfly doors: effects on blades

[sumit]

I just took out my razor blade from my tech. I noticed that if I don't clean my tech after each shave which I don't have time for, It get's a white filmy thing that reduces the metal's shine.

I kept the blade inside and didn't clean it for the last few days like I usually do because since I am going to college and will be having a roommate I figure I won't have time to clean it everyday (I'm a slow shaver and I have trouble speeding up) and also kept the blade inside (Voskhod, my favorite blade, my second shave with one today), since the wrapper says do not wipe, I just rinsed off the tech with water, loosened the head a half turn and kept it on my cuttingedge stand.

Now the problem is, I think I have pretty hard water I just got the report from the Water company today for the region actually and it says that the highest result was above 250 ppm and the lowest result was 86 ppm which leaves me thinking, where does my water stand, but I don't want to get it tested.

Not only did the tech have that white film all over it (very visible on the silver part) I have a frankentech the head is gold underneath and silver on top I don't know how it got that way it was a PIF and a great pif it was. The blade also is getting orange marks on it which looks like rust to me and I'm pretty sure it is. How do I dry my blade without having to keep it on the bathroom vanity? since in the future, I don't want to scare my roommate with a used blade next to the dorm sink every day. I think that'll make me look weird. However, I will keep in mind that the region I'm living in will have much softer water from what I've read on the internet so that could make a difference?

My point about the superspeed is, since it has silo doors as I've heard them called (still not sure why they're called that), the blade has more exposure to air and the water doesn't stay on them inside a 3 piece head like in the tech even with the head loosened. So does that mean, if I get a superspeed, the butterfly doors will act as an opening that I can use to keep the blade inside the razor and allow it to dry better? Has anyone ever given thought to the design of TTO razors allowing for better drying capabilities? Just a thought. Anyway, does anybody have a superspeed they want to pif me?

 

[franz]

Hard water and lather can leave a white film even after rinsing. Best way to get that off is some light scrubbing with dish soap and an old toothbrush, or Scrubbing Bubbles/Lysol if you feel so inclined.

TTOs and three-piece razors shouldn't be any different as far as how quickly a blade will dry. I usually just rinse it and let it air dry - no problems yet. Some fellas use a dip in rubbing alcohol (which evaporates more quickly than H2O) to displace the water; you could try that I suppose.

It's considered poor taste to ask for PIFs around here, but if you keep your eyes open you will surely run across a razor PIF or two. They happen pretty regularly.

Hope this helps.

 

[Go West Young Man]

The people who try to stretch a blade to the max useful life will disagree with me, but I don't see the value in washing your blade after every shave. Hard water isn't going to dull it during the 3 or 4 days you're using a given blade, I would just rinse everything in hot water and lay it out to dry.

 

[Captain Peachfuzz]

You can have your water tested for free at many plumbing shops or places that sell water treatment systems. All you need to do is pick up one of the small sample bottles they have and drop it back off filled with water from the tap. If your water tests out at the 86-250 ppm range you describe it is moderately to very hard and will cause exactly what you describe. The rust spots are probably from dissolved iron in the water which also increases the hardness.

If you live in a dorm there is nothing you can do about water hardness except to use a jug of rain water. Using synthetic soap or canned synthetic shaving cream should eliminate scum build-up but the rust spots probably can't be prevented short of buying the university a $500,000.00 water treatment system. Other than that I wouldn't worry about it since your shaves won't be effected. Just buy a can of Scrubbing Bubbles and clean your razors once in awhile.

 

[Mako72]

The white film is from your shave soap and the orange spots are indeed rust or stains on your blade. Just take everything apart and dry it off carefully. I just press the blade flat against the towel on each side a couple times, but, as Chris mentioned, I am one that stretchs my blades for a week or ten days because they still shave fine. I live in the Mohave Desert and our water is alot harder than most and if I leave a wet blade in my razor I have rust stains in a day or two, if I dry it all there might be one or two tiny spots after ten days. As to Tech vs TTO, a TTO it is a little easier to dry everything off but not by much.

As said asking for a PIF is poor taste but there is a PIF for a Feather TTO in General Discussion so go see if you qualify and if so sign up, otherwise you can pick a Superspeed up for around $10+/- in the BST. You might also cruise some antique stores near you on a weekend and see if you can't turn up a razor or two.

Good Luck!

Jay

 

[sumit]

So you don't wash your blade after you shave, but you rinse it in hot water? I don't understand.

The people who try to stretch a blade to the max useful life will disagree with me, but I don't see the value in washing your blade after every shave. Hard water isn't going to dull it during the 3 or 4 days you're using a given blade, I would just rinse everything in hot water and lay it out to dry.

 

[sumit]

But it says not to wipe it.

The white film is from your shave soap and the orange spots are indeed rust or stains on your blade. Just take everything apart and dry it off carefully. I just press the blade flat against the towel on each side a couple times, but, as Chris mentioned, I am one that stretchs my blades for a week or ten days because they still shave fine. I live in the Mohave Desert and our water is alot harder than most and if I leave a wet blade in my razor I have rust stains in a day or two, if I dry it all there might be one or two tiny spots after ten days. As to Tech vs TTO, a TTO it is a little easier to dry everything off but not by much.

As said asking for a PIF is poor taste but there is a PIF for a Feather TTO in General Discussion so go see if you qualify and if so sign up, otherwise you can pick a Superspeed up for around $10+/- in the BST. You might also cruise some antique stores near you on a weekend and see if you can't turn up a razor or two.

Good Luck!

Jay

 

[sumit]

I was saying the water in the dorm is pretty soft but where I am right now it's not.

You can have your water tested for free at many plumbing shops or places that sell water treatment systems. All you need to do is pick up one of the small sample bottles they have and drop it back off filled with water from the tap. If your water tests out at the 86-250 ppm range you describe it is moderately to very hard and will cause exactly what you describe. The rust spots are probably from dissolved iron in the water which also increases the hardness.

If you live in a dorm there is nothing you can do about water hardness except to use a jug of rain water. Using synthetic soap or canned synthetic shaving cream should eliminate scum build-up but the rust spots probably can't be prevented short of buying the university a $500,000.00 water treatment system. Other than that I wouldn't worry about it since your shaves won't be effected. Just buy a can of Scrubbing Bubbles and clean your razors once in awhile.

 

[Captain Peachfuzz]

If your dorm has soft water your problem will go away once you get there without doing anything differently from what you are doing now.

In regards to rinsing; if you have hard water where you are at now, you will get a white film from natural soaps and rust spots unless you avoid contact with the hard water completely, regardless of whether you rinse when you are done or not. It is the water/soap mixture that causes the problem, not the water by itself.

In regards to wiping, the blade makers tell you not to wipe as a precaution, so you don't cut yourself. If you are careful there is nothing wrong with doing it short of the hassle.

 

[kingfisher]

In answer to your one and only question, which was "will the Superspeed allow the blade to dry easier while staying in the razor?" the answer is: YES.

When you finish the shave, loosen the silo doors and rinse, then shake gently. Set it aside to dry. I leave the silo doors partially open until right before the next shave.

I love my TTO razor (it's a Slim).

 

[Go West Young Man]

So you don't wash your blade after you shave, but you rinse it in hot water? I don't understand.

I just swish the whole razor under running hot water for a couple seconds. I toss my blades after 3 or 4 shaves, so nothing bad is going to happen to the edges in that short amount of time.

 

[Go West Young Man]

But it says not to wipe it.

LOL, there's a difference between gently patting a blade dry and running your finger along the edge!
That's a lawyer's warning, not a product engineer's.

 

[doug1066]

I just rinse the blade razor in hot tap water with the silo doors loose. The white film you are seeing is soap scum left over from yor shave. You can wipe the razor on a towel if you like. Nothing really to worry about.