Thread: Razor Care

Question, what type of oil do you guys use on the blade when you store your razor? Im just trying to make sure I do things correctly from the jump. Thanks guys for all of your assistance...

khe,

I don't oil my blades unless I am going to put them away for a long time and then I use a firearms rust preventive oil - and that's because I have it around. I think almost any petroleum based oil would work and something as widely available as 3in1 would work just fine. Many of the razor gurus like camellia oil as this is the stuff that the Japanese sword and tool users put on their blades. The only thing I have against this type of oil is that it is a vegetable oil and will, over time, polymerize and get gummy which will make it problematic to easily get it off a blade stored for a long period of time. If you caress your blades often: that is take them out, wipe them off, and re-oil them frequently this is not a problem, but it could be if left for extended periods without these ministrations.

Clove oil is another "short" term rust preventive, but also will harden with exposure to air over time. But it does smell good.

Remember that ALL moisture must be removed from the blade before oiling with whatever product you choose. Any water trapped under the protective film will do mischief.

I oil mine each and every time I use it and I live in an arid region of the country. $0.001 of oil is cheap insurance on a $140 razor.

So long as they're stored in a dry place - e.g. a dresser draw, etc. - that is NOT in the bathroom (unless no one else will be showering or creating steam in it while the blades are stored) - a razor should be fine for quite a few weeks stored dry (e.g. w/o being oiled).

As for oil, techinically ANY oil would work - from motor oil to canola oil. All oils are moisture barriers. However, you don't want one that's hard to clean up or that can go rancid (e.g. cooking oils). Mineral oil should be fine, easy to find, and relatively cheap. And remember, all you need is a thin coat. Just make sure not to miss any spots.

I use my butcher block oil (because I have it handy); it's just mineral oil and it works great.

i use a camellia oil mixture..i got a 3oz flip top bottle from walmart(pharmacy section) and i put in about 1oz of camellia oil and fill the rest with isopropyl alcohol. shake this well and apply to the blade. when the alcohol evaporates it leaves a thin coat of oil on the blade. be sure to wipe clean before stropping and using to shave