Thread: Introduction and first question

Hey there, all!

My name's Richard, I'm a second-year student of applied mathematics and physics at the University of Houston, and I've been using a Gold Dollar full hollow for a few months now (I know it's not the best, but it works great after spending some time on a 12k grit stone). One of these days, I'll upgrade to something worth noting in the LW&T, but this one works for now (I'm a poor college student - haha).

I have been curious, but is there anyone here who has used neem oil? It's AMAZING as a fungicide/anti-microbial/anti-bacterial/anti-parasitic (read about it; it's awesome stuff), and I am going to start experimenting with making my own soaps and after-shave, and I plan to use it there too.

The question is: does anyone know how well it inhibits rusting as well? Since I've been using neem oil as a pre-shave lubricant, my blade gets a little treating during shaving; but, I also rub in a light coat after shaving every few days. Also, I haven't seen any rust/spotting yet, and I'm not sure how long that normally would take to develop on my blade.

Anyway, I'm glad to be a new member here, and I look forward to learning from the masters!

R. K.

Edit: I couldn't delete this post, and I don't want to double-post in the introduction thread that I just noticed (no idea how I missed it before). Sorry about that.

Hi, Richard, and welcome to SRP.

Since you are in Houston, PM Sharptonn with your questions. He is a local mentor and if he doesn't have an answer, who knows will. He might read your post and reply before you can PM him, but do so anyway and get a meeting with him and be prepared to be awed by his collection and knowledge (and he can fix your car at the same time).

Welcome Richard. As another Richard (Razorfeld) proclaims, I am also in H-Town. Neem? I spray that on my shubberies!
Might be better options. We had a meet last Sunday, so you just missed that! A honing/ shaving clinic shall be forthcoming soon. Watch the link in my sig for plans on that! (need to change my sig now that the meet is done!)

Welcome, from down the highway. Good to see another Texan.

Hi Richard,

Since Neem is a plant oil, it's probably going to do what all vegetable oils eventually do, and that's polymerize. Like linseed oil, the base for paints and many other finishes. Best to stay in the mineral world for oil on your blade. I favor gun oil because it spreads out over the metal, rather than beading up like mineral oil (baby oil) tends to do.

And, like the others have said, Welcome!

On a side note: this morning I shampooed and conditioned my brush for the first time (I didn't think to do it when I first got it - just rinsed it really thoroughly), and holy smokes does it lather up AWESOME now. Plus, the bristles were fairly coarse - not uncomfortable - before, but now it's like brushing my face with Angel hair. It's not an expensive brush - $12 on Amazon and the only thing printed on the side of the wooden handle is, "Escali."

Something I thought of today during my shave: when I rub in a little neem or olive oil before lathering up, it feels like the blade it sloughing through mud and pulling harder on the skin. There's no hair pulling, and the blade cuts nice and clean, but there's just a lot more resistance to the edge sliding.

Any suggestions?