Thread: Maintenance question

I was wondering... does one have to put oil on a blade every time you use it if it's a carbon steel blade? Or is a good wipe down sufficient?

You will find that most people only oil their razors if they are putting them away for "storage" for a period of time. It is best to just rinse your razor , dry it well and let leave it out and open for a bit after use before putting it away. You should encounter no problems this way.

I always put oil on my blades when I'm done shaving. It's cheap insurance.

I just wipe mine off well. If I start to get some water spots on the blade, I will take a Q-tip and rub them out with some Maas polish.

For the ones I don't use regularly, I put a coat of oil on them though.

Imho, I agree with coachmike. I watched Lynns dvd, and he adresses it. He says what Mike said, it's only needed for longer periods of storage. I stored my razor this past summer, and I didn't use oil on the blade, and it's a high carbon straight {Dovo Bergischer Lowe}. In early October, when I went to use it, thankfully there was no rust. I was worried about it too! That is just my experience. But, if it takes worry, just do what my friend red96ta does, and use it. Just make sure, if you do use it, that you wipe the oil off very well. I found it to irritate my skin, and I don't have sensitive skin. Imho, what I use to clean, disinfect, and dehydrate water, is Barbicide wipes. They work well for me. They also make my razor shine very. STRAIGHT RAZOR 13.

I always oil mine after every shave. The more humid areas might make it more useful. I don't see any disadvantage to using the oil as long as it's a "skin-friendly" type.

Some of mine have sat months un-oiled in a box in my dresser and have no rust. I have some of those silicon dessicant packs; maybe that helps. I bought one of those Camelia oil bottles from SRD, but it's enough for a lifetime.

On a side note, straightrazor13, I only use clove oil to oil my blades. Never had a problem with the stuff. On top of that, clove oil is an analgesic and tends to temporarily deaden nerve endings. Heck it's what dentists use inside your fillings to calm the nerve down after being drilled.

Clove Oil 4 - 4 oz - Essential Oils

four ounces of clove oil last an eternity...

I have used peppermint oil on my multi-blade cartridge razors for a decade or more. It isn't cheap, but it does have antiseptic properties and smells nice. It helped keep my cartridge razors sharper longer. Now I wipe my straight razor down a few times per week.

Thanks so much for all the replies. I think I may want to oil it just to be on the safe side. That is, once I get mine.