Where to put it?

Hello Gentlemen,

I have been straight shaving for a little while, but recently I started getting worried because I got a new Bismarch 6/8 for Christmas which I absolutly love. The edge is perfect and i don't want to damage it.

I don't have a great deal of counter space, and Im trying to keep my razor really dry. In between passes while I re-lather. I'm worried that I will damage my blade when I put it down.

Sounds a silly question but what do most of you do with your razor between passes? Do you put it down open or do you close it? is it ok to put down open on a hard surface? Do you dry it and close it?

What do you do?

Kevin

I set it down, open, on a folded towel which is also used to wipe lather.

Between passes I just lay it down open on a dry face cloth. When finished shaving I rinse the blade and wipe it down with some wadded up toilet paper and do inside the scales while I am at it. That done I lay it down open on a dry face cloth for several hours before putting it away. Considering your location you might want to lightly oil the blade before putting it away. It is not a good idea to store a straight in the bathroom either.

Bob

Once I start shaving I never put the razor down until I'm finished. Once I load the brush I never have to reload it so to re-lather my face I just hold the razor in one hand and re-lather with the other.

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Originally Posted by Jaife

I set it down, open, on a folded towel which is also used to wipe lather.

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+1 on open on a folded towel!

I do the folded towel thing as well but mine is definitely a wet towel... I found initially when playing with my set-up for shaving that a dry towel on top of a counter is really slick and, IMO, able to cause a fall more easily than a wet towel which is really difficult to scoot off the counter so that is what I've stuck with... One wet towel folded on my right to wipe lather or rest the razor and another towel on my left which I use to dry my hands, face, etc.

I also cut the corner off of a Tuf-Cloth that I keep adding drops of Tuf-Glide onto and after I've rinsed the razor and dried it I wipe it all down with the Tuf-Cloth then hang the razor open over the combo razor/brush stand I have and I leave the razor open like that for many hours or overnight and then I do a quick inspection prior to closing it and placing it in the holder tang down.

I place mine down (open) on a wet face cloth folded on the sink which I wipe the razor on. Normally I only need to do this if I'm doing more than one pass (i.e. while I re-apply lather). After shaving I strop 10/10 linen/leather then wipe the razor gently on a dry bath towel. I then place it in its case (I have two leather three-razor cases), finish cleaning up, then take the case into the kitchen where i make my morning coffee. After preparing the coffee I take the razor out and wipe the blade with a facial tissue to which I've applied Eucalyptus oil. The oil is very very light and also acts as an antiseptic. I also clean between the scales with the tissue. I then put it back in its case and place it on the desk in my bedroom.

I'm in the folded towel beside the sink camp. I used to put it on the towel that I was wiping the blade on but that all hit the floor one day so I switched it up before I hit disaster.

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Originally Posted by BobH

It is not a good idea to store a straight in the bathroom either.

Bob

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Thanks Bob, I wonder how many of us store our razors outside the Bathroom? I have just ordered a leather roll which holds 7 razors from Invisible Edge Products The roll has a hole for hanging. I was going to attach the roll to the back of the bathroom door with my strop, maybe a revision is in order.

I have been oiling my blades before putting them away due to the humidity here. I have been using 3 in one oil which I smear over the blade with tissue paper at the moment.

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

After preparing the coffee I take the razor out and wipe the blade with a facial tissue to which I've applied Eucalyptus oil. The oil is very very light and also acts as an antiseptic. I also clean between the scales with the tissue. I then put it back in its case and place it on the desk in my bedroom.

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I do like the idea of Eucalyptus oil and storing outside of the bath room idea. Thanks

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Once I start shaving I never put the razor down until I'm finished. Once I load the brush I never have to reload it so to re-lather my face I just hold the razor in one hand and re-lather with the other.

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I have tried this but I find that if i don't remove the old lather before replying the new I get more irritation and my subsequent lathers don't seem so slick especially the third pass. I do like a multiple cold water splashes between passes.

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Originally Posted by kevinred

I do like the idea of Eucalyptus oil and storing outside of the bath room idea. Thanks

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No probs. I've been using the same stuff for two and a half years now, ever since I started and never had any problems with rust or spotting. I use this:

Attachment 151415

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

No probs. I've been using the same stuff for two and a half years now, ever since I started and never had any problems with rust or spotting.

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Living in Australia, I was thinking Eucalyptus oil must be fairly common, so I popped into the local grocery store and sure enough I found a bottle.

I can't wait to start using the Eucalyptus as the 3 in one oil I have been using is not great smelling and the smell lingers while I shave. I love the smell of machine oil on cars and bikes but not on my face.

Tanks for the tip, much appreciated :)

No probs Kevin, glad to be of some help :-)

Hi Kevin,
I store my strop in my wardrobe, and my razors either on homemade wire stands or a.box.I lined with foam. I oil the 2 razors I rarely use but my daily razor only gets oiled if it is getting packed away for any length of time or if it will be exposed to damp conditions such as a washbag when traveling, though in that circumstance it also goes in a toothbrush tube with silica sachets.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Hi Kevin,
I store my strop in my wardrobe, and my razors either on homemade wire stands or a.box.I lined with foam. I oil the 2 razors I rarely use but my daily razor only gets oiled if it is getting packed away for any length of time or if it will be exposed to damp conditions such as a washbag when traveling, though in that circumstance it also goes in a toothbrush tube with silica sachets.

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Thats interesting, is it humid in Perth?

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Originally Posted by kevinred

Thats interesting, is it humid in Perth?

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A bit, but moreso in Karratha where I spend 2/3 of my time.

If the blade itself is in good condition and not warped, if you are laying the blade down open on a flat surface, and if you handle the blade the same way you would handle a beautiful woman, the edge will be "suspended" and rest comfortably in the air whilst the spine and scales lay on the flat surface (e.g., the sink).

And as for the humidity where you live, you could make a little desiccator with some coffee filters and silica gel or save the little silica gel packets in packaged products. Crystal cat litter isn't too bad of a desiccant as it consists mostly of silica gel (I think, correct me if I am wrong), if you have cats and already have cat litter.

If you live in a high humidity climate a homemade dry box, like the kind people make for their camera gear, might be an idea.

Bob

Attachment 151448When my razor is completely dry (usually after I let it sit open in my Bedroom for 8-10 hours), I store it with my others in a case from Alembic Alembic Products which I got a month or so ago. It has an integral space for a desiccant pack, so it keeps them all really dry.