Thread: rust?

I just started shaving with a str8 and i was wondering how i can keep my razor from getting rust on it.. I shaved for the first time about a week ago and had to wait for a strop. There was no rust or anything on my razor when i shaved today about 15 hours ago.. i set my razor out on the sink open on its side kinda so if there is any water left it will drain out.. but when i just looked at it now there was some rust where the pins are on the scales. what can i do to keep this from happening..

1.Polish off the rust 2.Apply your Missus clear nail polish on and around the pins,will keep off rust for a good time.

Dry it well and add a drop of oil if necessary. I live 400 metres from the ocean and salt air. All I do is wipe the blade/scales/nooks and crannies down with toilet paper and put the razor back in the medicine cabinet above the bathroom sink. Razors not in use or rotation are oiled and stored away in a bedroom wardrobe.


Mick

Stay away from the nail polish @ the pivot pin, dry as mentioned above, you can even take a hair dryer to it, but oil it once done with it. You can also clean up things with q-tips. You can flatten them with a hammer or spoon so that they can get into the scales for cleaning & polishing with your favorite metal polish like flitz, maas, semi-chrome, etc. Most all of us try to keep the pivot area dry even when shaving because a wet tang can be a slippery tang...something I personally DO NOT want.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

.. . . , dry as mentioned above, you can even take a hair dryer to it, but oil it once done with it.

Amen. A light coating of oil (baby oil, "mineral oil" from the pharmacy, "corrosion block" from the hardware store, "gun oil", . . . ) makes the blade much more resistant to rust.

Charles

I would think as long as the blade isn't exposed to extremes of temperature or damp after drying completely, the blade should stay rust free.
I also use a hairdrier, I dry the blade on a face towel, then blow with the drier and finish with tissue or kitchen paper

Here is some advice that was given to me by Mr. Lynn Abrams(founder of this site) as I had a similar problem when I started out. Take some plain unwaxed dental floss and put some Camellia oil on it and run it through the pivot area where the scales and blade join. Also get yourself a nice piece of chamois cloth and keep it hanging next to your shaving area.when you are done shaving or anytime you need to set your blade down,give it a wipe with the chamois(this I believe is mentioned in the 1905 shaving manual that's floating around this site.After shaving and stropping just put a drop of Camellia oil on the blade and use a cotton ball to wipe the entire blade leaving a light film of oil.Then you're done. Camellia oil can be obtained through SRD and is good stuff and honemeister used and approved if you will.One bottle will probably last you a lifetime. Stay away from nail polish or anything of that sort and READ THE WIKI. Good luck and hope this helps you. Happy Holidays . P.S. Microfiber towels are also friendlier than normal bath towels,in fact they are awesome.

Thank you very much I am going to try that. What about the salt packs that come in new stuff. I was thinking about putting a few of those in with my razor.

a lot of us self included use dessicant packs to keep moisture out. I keep a packet in my shave cabinet.

Carbon steel has a real close relationship with rust. it really doesn't take much to start it. Keeping the razor in as dry an environment s possible is the best advice and if that is not possible a coating of oil will do the trick.