Thread: Rust On Blade?

I've had a string of bad luck with my introduction to straight razor shaving. But i think this could be the worst.

I posted previously about my first shave. But after i was done i wiped the blade and put it in it's case. i guess because the handle is wood it held moisture.

So there's now what it appears to be rust on the handle, and a couple spots on the blade.

Is there something i should do to treat the blade immediately? Is this serious?

It appears to be rust colored stains, and superficial.

It's a Dovo Juniper wood Brucke with a carbon steel blade:

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Just use a little oil and a soft cloth, but be careful not to get too close to the edge. That should remove it but may leave some staining.

Is there anyway to do it without staining it?

And how do i prevent this from happening again? I google searched and read that carbon steel blades have a propensity to do that, and that rubbing alcohol after a shave will help??

Originally Posted by j03

And how do i prevent this from happening again? I google searched and read that carbon steel blades have a propensity to do that, and that rubbing alcohol after a shave will help??

search this forum, not google
the wiki is your friend

Reverse the chronological order and you've got it.

Answer:

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Dry your razor thoroughly, always avoiding the edge. Then apply a thin coat of oil.

Question:

Originally Posted by j03

What are the best ways to treat my blade after i shave so that it doesn't rust again?

Originally Posted by gugi

Reverse the chronological order and you've got it.

Answer:

Question:

"ways" it's plural because i wanted multiple ways to work with. He posted one way. i guess that was too much to reason for someone of your obvious capabilities though.

LOL, and I thought you made a grammatical mistake....

"Best way" - singular, unless you believe there are several different ways that are equal in any possible aspect, not only the end result, but the effort involved, etc. Suppose you believe that. I would point out that anything but the end result is extremely subjective, therefore the adjective 'best' is to say the least inappropriate, i.e. what is best for me is probably not the best for you. I would have omitted 'best' altogether.
For example, if I close the razor while leaving it to dry I will have rust in no time, yet it seems to work rather well for that stainless micarta in the picture above, at least for now.

In any case the common sense and science say steel rusts in the presense of moisture. I can refer to you to a few hundred scientific papers on how the process happens, but seeing how much work you are willing to do yourself, I doubt you will bother to even read the titles of them.
So, the common sense answer it - don't leave the steel in contact with moisture any longer than absolutely necessary to shave. I'm sure that you are smart enough to come up with several ways to do this, like wiping it with a water absorbing medium, using a hair dryer, heat gun, toaster, furnace, luminescent light... You can even update us with what is the 'best' way for you.

What are the best ways to treat my blade after i shave so that it doesn't rust again?

Originally Posted by j03

What are the best ways to treat my blade after i shave so that it doesn't rust again?

Don't put it in the case after use. If it's the same as mine (the blue tin presentation case with foam inside) it's a perfect device for retaining moisture and causing rust. Also avoid keeping it in the bathroom where it is likely to be humid.

After use I just leave mine on a desk in my bedroom. I put it under a fluorescent desk lamp which doesn't noticably heat it up, but I figure even a tiny bit of heat is enough to encourage drying.

I wrapped a velcro strip around my razor to keep it closed. Not tightly, but snug enough so that when I slip it on it acts as a good safety device. A rubber band could do the same thing but you want to avoid forcing the blade into the scales or marking them.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

Don't put it in the case after use. If it's the same as mine (the blue tin presentation case with foam inside) it's a perfect device for retaining moisture and causing rust. Also avoid keeping it in the bathroom where it is likely to be humid.

After use I just leave mine on a desk in my bedroom. I put it under a fluorescent desk lamp which doesn't noticably heat it up, but I figure even a tiny bit of heat is enough to encourage drying.

I wrapped a velcro strip around my razor to keep it closed. Not tightly, but snug enough so that when I slip it on it acts as a good safety device. A rubber band could do the same thing but you want to avoid forcing the blade into the scales or marking them.

Yeah I got a similar one, but a wood handle. Same case and foam though. i immediately put it in after drying it, so that's what probably caused it. It was my first shave, so i guess it was a learning experience.

Thanks for the helpful advice though. It made it worth having to read through the pointless commentary to get to it.

Originally Posted by j03

"ways" it's plural because i wanted multiple ways to work with. He posted one way. i guess that was too much to reason for someone of your obvious capabilities though.

Originally Posted by j03

yeah i did. That was one way. I posted it publicly because I want first hand opinions, and empirical advice.

If you didn't like their responses, why not just ignore rather than posting rude replies?