Thread: Straight Razor Care, Oiling

I've kept mine next to the sink for near two decades with no problem. A little oil sometimes and recently started using tuf-glide. My grandfather kept his in the bathroom next to the sink for 60 years with almost no signs of age.

It's good to hear that I will not need to make oiling a daily ritual, although I am sure to order some mineral oil in case I need it. I look forward to my first shave, even though I am sure it will have many of the same troubles that my first safety razor shave had. On the bright side, I can at least make a half decent lather now, unlike when I began shaving with my safety razor.

Thanks for all the input! I'm encouraged by the prompt and friendly responses on this forum.

Carl

Originally Posted by cmorris

It's good to hear that I will not need to make oiling a daily ritual, although I am sure to order some mineral oil in case I need it. I look forward to my first shave, even though I am sure it will have many of the same troubles that my first safety razor shave had. On the bright side, I can at least make a half decent lather now, unlike when I began shaving with my safety razor.

Thanks for all the input! I'm encouraged by the prompt and friendly responses on this forum.

Carl

Use a good quality blade oil. Check Straight Razor Designs or Classic Shaving for some. Also tuf-glide works really well for me and it's not an oily product.

The quality of oil is something I hadn't thought about. What are the significant qualities to look for? I assumed that all oils were made equal, which of course doesn't have to be true.

Carl

Originally Posted by cmorris

The quality of oil is something I hadn't thought about. What are the significant qualities to look for? I assumed that all oils were made equal, which of course doesn't have to be true.

Carl

Camellia oil works great, you can get all over the net and I know SRD carries it. Any traditional blade / knife oil will work fine.

cmorris,

+1 on the TufGlide/TufCloth.

It leaves a dry layer that does not interfere/nefatively affect leather or cloth strops. I live very close to the Sea in a leaky old Victorian house; my carbon steel blades have remained spotless with TufGlide

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

i usually wipe mine dry after i shave, then put a little Vaseline on the blade. i dont store it in my bathroom because of all the moisture that stays in there, especially after a shower therefore i just keep it in my room.

Originally Posted by chris21908

i dont store it in my bathroom because of all the moisture that stays in there, especially after a shower therefore i just keep it in my room.

+1, My razor has wood scales and I don't want it sitting the steam if I can just store it out of the bathroom.

Originally Posted by TheBaron

+1, My razor has wood scales and I don't want it sitting the steam if I can just store it out of the bathroom.

very true, especially if you have wood scales! even if the wood was coated with all weather deck sealer i still wouldn't trust it with moisture!

I read somewhere that rust pits start to form almost immediately if not coated with oil. And, that the rust is not typically visible to the eye. The article was actually a fairly long article and study from I think the 1930s or 1940s which used microscope views. The conclusion was that rust pitting was almost as much an enemy of the quality of the edge as shaving.

Has anyone else heard the same thing?