Thread: Do I need to oil my straight?

I go a few days between shaves (maybe 4 or 5), and I just don't want anything bad to happen while the razor's relaxing inbetween shaves.

Do I really need to oil the blade after I shave?

I have about thirty sitting in a mug that I use. I dry them really well before putting them away. I haven't oiled any and none have any rust forming on them. I'd be inerested in any comments about tuf-glide as a coating.

How do you dry them? What are some good techniques/tips? Do you rinse your straight before stropping to make the metal more malleable? Do you rinse during your shave?

(Sorry about all the questions, I'm just a new guy who got his first, legit straight in the mail today -- don't wanna mess it up!)

Originally Posted by Gags1892

I go a few days between shaves (maybe 4 or 5), and I just don't want anything bad to happen while the razor's relaxing inbetween shaves.

Do I really need to oil the blade after I shave?

Got an irreplaceable vintage blade?

Then put it in nitrogen storage. All others = no.

I keep my rotation in my bathroom in a mug by the sink. I use Tuf-Glide when I hone a razors. I have not had any problems at all with corrosion. Tuf-Glide is a preservative the bonds to the metal on the molecular level. It is not an oil. I will put a drop of Sterol on the pivot about a once a month or so. Sewing machine oil is an excellent oil to use as it will not harm the scales and it will also work around the pivot.

I dry my razors on a towel when I'm finished with them and I leave them slightly open in the mug to finish drying through the day. Also, I do not let water or lather get into the pivot area. I will wipe the razor frequently as I shave to avoid them getting wet past the blade.

Prevention is much cheaper then restoration.

I dry mine with a quick wipe and a couple of stropping laps on my bath towel then fold it up and put it away.

I strop it right out of the drawer usually while waiting for the water in my shower to heat up.

I do not rinse during the shave I wipe the lather off my razor with my washcloth from the shower I just took. I do that be setting the cloth on the rim of the sink and wiping the razor across it in a stropping motion. I remove lather any time it becomes a bother to me. I tried rinsing, after dinging a razor on the faucet, I don't do that any more.

I wipe with alcohol, let it dry, then wipe with camellia or mineral oil after every shave. My climate is humid most of the year.

towel and tissue.

^^ Same here so far. I run it under hot water to get the lather off, then use a small amount of tissue to wipe it dry and shine it up.

Unless you live in a very humid place, drying the razor well and storing it in a place where the air can move around a little should be fine for the most part. For long term storage, I would oil them.

Jordan