I decided to finally write this little article to share information about a simple tool which can prove most extremely helpful for cleaning and de-rusting old razors.
I am referring to the glass fiber eraser. This was originally conceived of as a tool for erasing letters from typewritten pages. It is a collection of glass fibers in a holder which would be used to abrade away the upper surface of the paper on which the typewriter ink lay. The glass fibers are held together by a brass ferrule which fits into a holder within the eraser, being driven forward as required through the brass eraser nose by a screw mechanism.
I was lucky enough to find these two and the box of refills for a song at the flea market, but these erasers can still be purchased new if you bother to search around for them.
The glass fiber eraser is ideal as a first implement for the removal of corrosion or rust from an old straight razor. It has the following advantages:
The first concern is the major one: namely that the eraser will be shedding little glass fibers as it is doing its work. These broken-off glass fibers are not life-threatening or anything, but can cause some discomfort if you get them imbedded in your fingers and you definitely don't want these spread around your work area. I advise laying down a clean sheet of paper to catch the mixture of old rust, corrosion, dirt and glass fibers and then carefully empty that into some proper waste container after which you should also fold up and dispose of that sheet of paper.
The second concern is that one have appropriate refills on hand. Although these are tough little items, a razor with heavy accumulations of rust and corrosion might see you going through almost a third to one-half of one of the refills, so it pays to have extras at the ready.
Good luck and happy restoring!
- Ignatz
I am referring to the glass fiber eraser. This was originally conceived of as a tool for erasing letters from typewritten pages. It is a collection of glass fibers in a holder which would be used to abrade away the upper surface of the paper on which the typewriter ink lay. The glass fibers are held together by a brass ferrule which fits into a holder within the eraser, being driven forward as required through the brass eraser nose by a screw mechanism.
I was lucky enough to find these two and the box of refills for a song at the flea market, but these erasers can still be purchased new if you bother to search around for them.
The glass fiber eraser is ideal as a first implement for the removal of corrosion or rust from an old straight razor. It has the following advantages:
- The glass fibers of this eraser will reach down into little crevices and indentations that other cleaning devices just pass right over. This means it can easily remove accumulated rust, dirt and corrosion from down inside a stamped maker's mark, the jimp lines, in the corner of ground support shoulders ,from within little rust or corrosion pits on a blade, or even (with the fibers extended a bit further) from the spine of the blade along the tang where it passes down between the scales.
- The glass fibers have the strength to clean out that which ordinary brush bristles (either natural or plastic) just pass over. Also, unlike wire brushes (either brass, iron or stainless steel) the glass fiber eraser will leave no other material deposits on the razor.
- The glass fibers are a wee bit softer than a good grade of steel, meaning that they do not leave any scratches at all, serving only to attack the unwanted corrosion and rust. Of course, very old razors may have a somewhat softer steel in their blade and so you do want to exercise some caution. In any case, this has never been a problem for me.
- Glass fibers are inert and leave no chemical deposits of any kind on your razor.
The first concern is the major one: namely that the eraser will be shedding little glass fibers as it is doing its work. These broken-off glass fibers are not life-threatening or anything, but can cause some discomfort if you get them imbedded in your fingers and you definitely don't want these spread around your work area. I advise laying down a clean sheet of paper to catch the mixture of old rust, corrosion, dirt and glass fibers and then carefully empty that into some proper waste container after which you should also fold up and dispose of that sheet of paper.
The second concern is that one have appropriate refills on hand. Although these are tough little items, a razor with heavy accumulations of rust and corrosion might see you going through almost a third to one-half of one of the refills, so it pays to have extras at the ready.
Good luck and happy restoring!
- Ignatz
