Thread: Small spots developing on my razors...

Originally Posted by fccexpert

What color are the spots? If they are brown or reddish brown, they are rust and probably indicate that you are leaving water on the blade. If they are grey (or black), they are another form of iron oxide than rust. Carbon steel tends to do this over time even when dried properly. This layer is actually protective, but some find it a unsightly. It can be removed by polishing. If you want to prevent it, you need to put a film of oil on the blade before putting it away. High grade mineral oil (food grade white oil is a good choice) works as well as any and is much cheaper than some others. What ever oil you use, you need to wipe it off before you strop for the next shave.

My dovo is tiny little brown spots, and i noticed that on the top pin there is quite a bit of built up rust. This is a brand new blade so its kindof a bummer honestly. Not sure how i can even reach it to clean it. My original WMelliot&CO blade has a lot of blackish spots on it. Normally i would just wipe the blade off, put it in its box and then store it in the medicine cabinet. I guess ill have to start leaving them open.

Silly question...can i use cooking oil (soybean)? Thanks for the help...now i need to figure out how to get these spots off!!

Originally Posted by shorynot

Silly question...can i use cooking oil (soybean)? Thanks for the help...now i need to figure out how to get these spots off!!

Sure, anyoil will work. Most vegetable oils do, however, contain some acids (fatty acids).

I guess ill start doing that then. Shoulda done some research on how people store their razors before buying my dovo. The rust is out of control up at the top pin.

Originally Posted by shorynot

I guess ill start doing that then. Shoulda done some research on how people store their razors before buying my dovo. The rust is out of control up at the top pin.

A toothbrush with Maas on it to start with on the parts above and below the pin. Then try dental floss with some Maas to get the rust that is covered by the scales. If that and subsequent oiling don't keep it down, you may have to remove the pivot pin and sand/polish, then replace the pin. If you're handy with tools, ask for how-to details in the Restoration Forum here. Or, you could send it to one of the many who do restoration work.

Originally Posted by fritz

Your current rust spots can be removed using a metal polish like Maas. If you have a gold wash on the blade, Maas will remove that also! So, use a Q-tip to apply the polish only on the rust spots.

Probably, the problem is that you dry the blade, then close it into the scales that are still wet on the inside. I use a spray bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol to spray the blade and inside the scales, then set aside open to dry. (You may want to check that the alcohol does not harm the scales or painted-on decoration. Most plastic and celluloid scales are OK with this; some finishes on wooden scales may not be.)

Many oils will do the trick. Plain mineral oil works fine. Johnson's Baby Oil is pure mineral oil with a tiny bit of fragrance added. It's cheap and available everywhere. Be sure to wipe the oil off before stropping.

Isopropyl will "melt" celluloid if left in contact for any length of time. And many Dovos have celluloid scales -- Bismarck, Best, and others. I know from personal experience...

Originally Posted by pcb01

Isopropyl will "melt" celluloid if left in contact for any length of time. And many Dovos have celluloid scales -- Bismarck, Best, and others. I know from personal experience...

Thanks for the info, I didn't know that. I must not have any that are celluloid, even my only Dovo (Renaissance) is plastic. Most of my vintage razors have been rescaled, too.