Printable View
I was wondering the best way to clean and then store your razor after a shave. Right now I am just dabbing it dry with a towel (although I can't really dry the nooks and crannies of the razor), and then wrapping it in cloth and keeping it at the back of my bathroom drawer.
Should I be worried about water damaging the blade, or are they pretty sturdy in that regard? It is a stainless steel blade.
Thanks
I do the same with my blades but I also strop to remove any microscopic oxidation. I also live in a climate that has 35% humidity so that is in my favor also. If I know I am not going to use a blade for a while I smear a little neosporin on it. There is nothing special about neosporin other than it being a vaseline base and is in my medicine chest.
I give mine a rinsing after the shave (just the blade, I dont get the pivot or scales wet), then dry it off on tissue. Next I strop it to make sure theres no microgunk on the edge and ensure the edge is totally dry, then I give the whole razor a good rub down with a dry flannel I have for this purpose, making sure I get in between the scales as well, before I store it in its box in my wardrobe.
One of the common causes of rust is getting the pivot wet, or allowing a few drops of water to remain in between the scales after the shave. As soon as you close the razor, the blade comes into contact with this water and it'll rust (or at least mark) the blade before your next shave.
I have a couple of packets of silica gel on the shelf in the wardrobe as well, just to keep things as dry as possible..!
Me? Neurotic? Never...! :D
I have a small bottle of oil and i rub a couple of drops into the blade after use.
Rinse, wipe with tissue, strop, then into a small shoebox with its friends and 20+ little desiccant packs.
I do what Stubear does and additionally I wipe mine with a silicone gun cloth impregnated with a rust preventative. Maybe overkill but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :) I also store my razor in a drawer away from any moisture.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigIan
I have an eyedropper bottle full of olive oil at the sink. I usually add a couple of drops to my shave cream. After drying the razor, I add a drop to the hinge and work it then rub in a drop or 2 along the blade.
After shaving I run blade only under very hot water to heat the blade then strop with towel and run tissue between scales in case there is some moisture there. I leave it lay open on my dresser for a few hours then into case and into my sock drawer. I also try to add a drop of oil to the pivot pin and a thin coat to the blade once a month. Been using this procedure for a year and so far no rust.
My routine:
Wipe the blade dry, (more of a blothing if the blade/tang have gold as I don't want to wear that away).
Strop on fabric about 20-strokes
I use a blow dryer to alleviate my concerns about any mositure in the scales/pivot.
A bit of oil, leave it out/open for a while before putting in it's box.
Maybe over-kill, but, better than not and finding stain..or accumulation in the pivot...My take anyway.
ok thanks all for the advice
+1 Jimmy, My razors out in rotation get wiped down with a Silicone Gun Cloth. When I'm done shaving, the razor sits out to dry while I get ready.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
This step is important if it's sitting out in rotation or getting put up in a box, It must be completely dry. If you really want to be anal about it, You can use that canned air to blow out the pivot area. The same stuff you use for computers...A compressor will work too....Just hold on to that razor....!
Once dry, it's wiped down with the silicone cloth and sits out on a ceramic tile in my bathroom. I've never had any problems. Razors that are stored are wiped down with Camelia oil. I only use the Camelia oil for long term storage. To use it everyday, and wipe it off seems a waste to me. The gun cloth provides protection and is much more cost effective....
If you have a bunch of razors to rotate through, then I think the advise so far makes sense. I just have 1, and use it every day - so rust doesn't get long to form.
After shaving, I rinse the razor in hot water (since then the lather "film" comes off faster), and wipe the water off the blade by pinching it between a fold of a towel and pulling the blade lengthwise. I'm careful not to pinch the edge, so it doesn't get bent or dulled. Then I strop it 15 times on leather to make sure the edge is truly clean and dry, and set the razor tang down in a dry cup. If I got water in the handle when rinsing the lather off, I swab the inside with a couple of squares of toilet paper folded 2-3 times to make it thick enough to wipe the moisture off the inside.
I live in a humid area, and use a non-stainless razor - and still don't have any rust or water spots. Personally, I'm more worried about staining from the chemical reactions in the lather residue than rust from moisture.