i recently received my first straight razor. today was the third time i used it. i noticed a couple black spots and some reddish spots near the gold writing. can someone please tell me what it is, how i can prevent it, and how i can clean it.
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i recently received my first straight razor. today was the third time i used it. i noticed a couple black spots and some reddish spots near the gold writing. can someone please tell me what it is, how i can prevent it, and how i can clean it.
The biggest culprit for staining and for rust spots is getting water in the handle of your razor or in not drying off the blade thoroughly. The best recommendation I can make is that when you rinse off the blade, try only to get water on the blade itself. When you get water on or in the handle, it is really hard to dry it out properly and can up with stain lines, little spots like yours or worse and rust into the hinge pin. I also leave my razor open on the sink to air dry after I think it's dry while I'm dressing and then put it away after.
On the little spot you are showing, perhaps hand rubbing a little Maas or Flitz on a hand towel or rag might clean it up.
Have fun,
Lynn
Lynn,
thank you so for your response. do you know where i can purchase Mass or Flitz? do you recommend using rubbing alcohol on the straight razor after the shave? and one last question kind of off topic, when i strop should the spine also be rubbing against the leather?
Robert
Maas is available at ACE hardware stores in my area (but not Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, or Target). Some people have found it at Walmart in their area (near the cleaning supplies).
A light coating of mineral oil after the shave will prevent rust (not alchohol). Wipe it off before stropping the next morning. (ps: Carbon blades often get tiny little darker dots in higher humidity areas. They are called "patina" and don't hurt anything.)
The spine MUST stay against the strop when you are stropping, or you'll dull the edge.
Thank you John, what do you recommend dry the razor off with?
I normally just use a dry hand towel to dry the blade and let it air dry while I dress. This should be sufficient without putting any agent on the razor to help in the drying process.
Have fun,
Lynn
I just posted this same reply to another post so I just copied my method below. +1 to Lynn's advice. Judging by the location of the water spot right next to the spine on the back of the blade, a water droplet left on the inside of the scale is most likely the culprit since that is right where the blade contacts the scale in the closed position.
Here's the method I use when I finish shaving to put the razor up until the next morning.
1. Make sure all shaving soap is thoroughly rinsed off the blade. Use the hottest water possible and keep rinsing the blade until it becomes hot.
With a dry cloth or tissue, thoroughly wipe the blade from end to end. The heated blade will keep dissipating moisture from the metal.
2. Using the corner of your towel or a folded tissue, thoroughly wipe the scale inside and out from end to end. I also blow a few times on the inside of the scale right where the tang is hinged to the scale to make sure there aren't any droplets that I failed to get with my towel.
3. Strop about 20 linen & 20 leather. The friction of stropping helps dry out even more moisture.
4. Make sure to keep the razor somewhere it won't get water splashed on it. ie....keeping it on the edge of the sink. If someone else besides you washes thier hands, they most likely won't take care not to splash water on it. I always keep mine in the medicine cabinet.
I hope this will help. I've been using this method ever since I got stains on my first razor and have never had another problem since.
Good luck and happy shaving!