What stuff to take to descale a Gillette Slim?

[dullhead]

Hi,

After having some bad luck buying a Gillette Slim (the geometry of the head was off) I finally got a good one
in very good condition...and it is older than me...and I am no long 24...so to say

Some language hurdle, before I try to explain what I am trying to ask...I am no native speaker...
In german the "stuff" in the water, which make water harder and which is removed by a descaling agent is called
"Kalk" <Ca(OH)2>...but I don't know, whether it makes any sense to say "there is chalk in the water"...?
Ok...because I don't know the correct word I will call this stuff simply "stuff" in the following.

The Slim I got is in very good shape and condition...the only thing are spots of "stuff" here and there at points,
which cannot be reached with a toothbrush or something that alike easily.
And Nickel plating isn't that strong as say......titanium or rhodium.
Before I do something horribly wrong: I descale my Espresso maker with a midl solution of
citric acid because it does not attack bronze/copper - in opposite to acetic acid.
Is it ok, to do the same with my Slim to remove the "stuff" ?

Cheers!
dullhead

 

[lasta]

Soap scum.

Citric acid soak/vinegar would be fine, regularly used to clean bronze. Combine with some warm water and an ultrasonic cleaner would be perfect.

But Slims are getting long in the tooth, expecting perfection is a long shot. How bad is it?

No household cleaning will bring shine back to the nickel plating, some polishing might be in order, slims can handle a light buff without problem.

 

[dullhead]

I made bad experience with acetic acid/vinegar on copper and/or stuff containing stuff - it creates copper rust easily. This experience was
the background to my question. It is by everything else than bad. And exactly this circumstances emphasizes these spots of "stuff" (how is
it called in english?). And it is a little bit of an hygenic issue, too...

 

[rbscebu]

Your "stuff" could be mineral scale build up from water or soap residue build up or a combination of both.

 

[dullhead]

Hi rbscebu,

oh thank you !
The problem with translating german words from a technical area (in this case "razors") into English
rises up, if this words are also in general use. "Chalk" which is the stuff to write on blackboards for
example is chemical-wise the same "stuff" as mineral scale. Translating "Kalk im Wasser" directly
in English becomes "Chalk in water"....and this will definitely lead to not only one eyebrow to raise.
Sometimes I think german and English are the same language, which only use different set of
words. hahahaha!
But I know, I am wrong...
Cheers!

 

[RayClem]

If your water is high in calcium and magnesium ions, when mixed with the saponified fats of shaving soaps, you will form soap scum comprised of calcium and magnesium soaps which are insoluble in water. Thus, they deposit on sinks, pipes and razors.

Because the deposits are calcium and magnesium soaps, you can chose to remove them with a fairly strong alkali. The advantage of this is that it will convert the calcium and magnesium soaps back to sodium soaps which are soluble. I do not know if it is available where you live, but Scrubbing Bubbles has a pH of around 12, so it will remove the scum. The advantage of high pH is that it will not attack metals. Tilex is also high pH, but it contains sodium hypochlorite which is a chlorine bleach that can affect metals.

Acidic products like vinegar or Simple Green attack the scum by converting the soaps back into fatty acids. However, the disadvantage is that metals can be affected.

Thus, I you can find a high pH product similar to Scrubbing Bubbles, I would try that first.

 

[dullhead]

Great info!
Make totally sense to me! There are no "Scrubbing Bubbles" available in germany as far as I know. But with you chemical based information it
will not be a problem to choose something similar - and since I now know, that a high PH will not harm the Razor I can experiment with
any agents, which has a high PH...the worst thing, which may happen: It will not help. The smell of bleaching ingredients and such will
stop me "automagically"

First try would be a hot solution of sodium carbonate in dihydrogeniumoxyd
What do you think?

 

[RayClem]

Sodium carbonate, also known as washing soda, has a high pH when dissolved in water. It might be all you need.

 

[dullhead]

Is the email painting of the numbers on the adjustment ring effected by a hot and concentrated solution of washing soda? Any chance of a bad effect?

 

[ajkel64]

I once used boiling water and Bi-Carb Soda to clean a few razors and it stripped the paint on my Gillette Red Tip. I would be very wary of using anything to caustic or concentrated on my razors. Maybe a few photos of the issues might help us to narrow down a better solution for you.

 

[dullhead]

Hi,
I will try to make photos, if there is more light (local time UTC +1) - my photo equipment is not THAT good
I am curious, whether the heat in combination with different expansion/shrinking factors of the metal and the black
enamel paint has lead to the problem ... or the high PH value (or both).
This video shows how to fix lost paintings on a razor:
How to Paint Numbers on Vintage Gillette Adjustable Safety Razor Tutorial

 

[dullhead]

Here is another video of repainting the numbers on a razor:
Painting the Numbers on an Adjustable Razor - The Yaqi Final Cut

 

[BigJ]

Great information above! Definitely start with the gentlest possible treatments.

 

[dullhead]

WARNING! Solutions of washing soda, acetic acid or citric acid - especially as hot solutions - are harmful for eyes and skins and poisonous
if swallowed. I will take no responsibilities for any direct or indirect result caused by using the information below!
If it will BOOOM! it will BOOOM for you and for you alone! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

What I found so far:
Washing Soda, concentrated solution in water
Removes some sodium/magnesium soap gunk (the "stuff" from above) but not all. The metal does not become more shiny.
Hot water (regardless whether with or without washing soda in it) let the metal expand. The amount is greater as the amount
the black enamel paint of the numbering does expand. Possible result: The black paint of the numbering comes off. Repair: See
the two videos above. Its easy and the result is good...but it is no longer "the original".

Acidic stuff (Citric or acetic acid or more advance organic or anorganic acids)
These are more aggressive and may have an impact on metals - especially on copper (the bronze of the Gillette Slim contains a greater amount of copper).
BUT!
I had really good results with this method:
Buy "ako Hochglanz-Politur für alle blanken Metalle". This stuff contains only very fine abrasive materials - the rest are chemicals to remove
"stuff" (definition above) and metal oxyds.
Put a tiny amount on a cotton swab and polish the area in question with a greater amount of pressure. Keep attention on mechanical and moving
parts to not to bend or dislocate them.
After that the metal is somehow "foggy" WHICH IS QUITE NORMAL AND PART OF THE PROCESS (no screaming, only emphasizing )
Take another cotton swab and do the same procedure but without using ako Hochglanz-Poilitur.
And: Tada! You no longer need a mirror for shaveing!

This will NOT work, if the plating of your razor is already only an one atom thick layer of nickel....
And: A greater amount of "stuff" should be removed mechanical (tooth pick) beforehand.

A cloth made of micro fibre does wonders as a last step.

And: Before using the razor again be sure you have removed all remaining chemicals and ako Hochglanz-Politur from
your razor!

Last thing:
How to test, whether a metal polish may be ok for used with you Razor:
A good indication, that the polish is useful, is if it says "....for all shiny metals". If it would contain aggressive and coarse
polishing ingredients it would not be recommended for "shiny metals". Same goes for "for chrome". To check take a
piece of 100% transparent perspex without any optical damage.
Put some polish on it and "polish" the perspex as if you would polish your razor.
If it is still 100% transparent and undamaged afterwards the polish may be OK for your razor.
Reason: Perspex is much softer than the nickel plating and will be damaged much more easily.
But as said:
If it will BOOOM! it will BOOOM for you and for you alone! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

 

[Esox]

@dullhead

You may find the below thread useful.

Opinions Wanted on Restoration - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/opinions-wanted-on-restoration.525927/

Bar Keepers Friend creates Oxalic Acid when water is added. Wear gloves if you have any tiny cuts on your hands. Do not use it on gold.

In my experience it doesnt touch Nickel. A post war Gillette Tech below before and after a 5 second scrub with my thumb and Bar Keepers Friend.

Before.

After.

Rinse thoroughly after using it.

 

[dullhead]

Hi Esox, hi all,

thanks for all your help ! Oxalic acid is poisonous: Oxalic acid see under "Toxicity"...the lethal dose of 600mg/kg is quite high compared
to others. But why to take the risk.

I think this morning I found the magic stuff to get rid of that "stuff" on my razor - the unsoluble magnesium/calcium soaps:
It's called "Frosch Neutral Reiniger" (manufacturer Erdal Rex) (plain translation: "Frog Neutral cleaner" by Erdal Rex)...and no:
It is not meant to be used to clean frogs. The frog is the mascot of Erdal Rex.
This cleaner is made to be environmental friendly and is produced from vegetable sources/materials and is friendly to your skin.
But I am sure, there are other "neutral cleaners" out there where you live, which are made of equivalent ingredients.
The cleaner is a thick green "something", which normally intended to be diluted in water.
I used it pure and a an old toothbrush to clean my G4 Gillette Slim (which is older than me...)
Take a look at the attached pictures for the result...(sorry for the water stain on the paper...a rest of water was hidden in the handle...)

 

[AlphaFrank75]

Your razor looks like new again. Great job.

 

[dullhead]

Thank you, AlphaFrank75 !
...but the credits go to the Frosch Neutral Reiniger...

 

[Big_T]

Looks like it did a good job! Did you leave it in to soak? Or did you just brush it on?

 

[dullhead]

Looks like it did a good job! Did you leave it in to soak? Or did you just brush it on?

Thank you, Big_T !

I used the gel like Frosch Neutral Reiniger as it comes right out of its bottle, put it directly onto the razor and brushed it first with a tooth brush and
for the more difficult parts like the hinges, edges and what not I used cotton swaps. The last step was to soak an edge of an micro fiber cloth in
that clean, pushed that one from the handle side throw the hole, through which normally the shaving soap escapes and grapped the cloths end from
the upper side (doors opened). This way I was able to wipe the four studs clean, which defined the size of the blade gap.
And hopefully I did not screwed up all these words...if something is not clear or not understandable - please ask!