Thread: Oiling my only razor?

So, I have read multiple threads on here, but I am not quite sure who/what to side with. Maybe there is not a right or wrong answer on this one..

I live in Missouri, so we do get rather humid here in the summers, but of course my razor stays in the house away from major humidity outside, and I do not store it in the bathroom where I shower.

Is there a need for me to oil my razor if it is the only razor that I use every couple of days? Shaving pattern looks like this:Shave, no shave, Shave, no shave. Every other day, basically.

If I should oil, what should I use (and I am sure that this is personal preference..)?

i would say its up to you.....I personally oil my razors but i have a god number of them so the rotation may take a wile to get back to one! when i do oil them i use Chamomile oil....but like you said its a YMMV thing and if you are making sure they are TOTALLY dry before closing them and putting them away you should be fine.

It is a ratio of time without oil to time with. Being your only razor it is lots of work to kep it oiled and it goes without every could days when you plan to use it anyways. Diminishing returns I would say. If you enjoy the process then sure it will help otherwise just make sure it is dry and hit it with some polish every now and then when it looks tired. An easy oil I have found is Clippercide spray which barbers use to spray on scissors and stuff between uses, includes bacteriocide and light cleaners and oils in it. Just a quick shot on each side and done. No need to wipe it on after you spray it or off before the next use. Very convenient.

I don't oil mine, I have 11 in my rotation and shave every 2-3 days. So it may take 3-4 weeks for me to get back to a razor. I rinse with HOT water,dry, the a few laps on the strop after every use.

Given your high humidity, I would think it best to oil your razors after use. I'm fortunate enough to live in a fairly dry climate where this isn't nearly as critical. I picked up Japanese blade oil from SRD to be safe tho....now to use it more often.

I keep a microfibre cloth in my shaving shelf saturated with mineral oil. One or two swipes before putting it into the stand work for me.

Oil or not oil? What will it hurt?

Gonna go with the oilers on this one. I have 20 or so razors in my rotation but that's not the point. I consider it part of the ritual, part of this whole wet shaving gig. And I live in a dry area where it's probably not necessary. But a little goes a long way. I shake the bottle, open the cap and dab my finger on the inside (of the cap), and that is plenty to oil one razor. I just spread it around, tang and all, and I try to get as close to the pivot pin as I can. If I am worried about the pin I will put some on a Q-tip and get in there better. No offense to you that don't oil, we all appreciate the old ways and taking the extra time to get a good shave, but I find it a little funny that some will still site the extra time it takes as a reason not to do it. Takes about 37 seconds on a slow day. Mineral oil is what I use, cheap and won't hurt the steel or your face (or your strop for that matter, we're talking about a very small amount).
.02

would be nice a light machine oil but in a mini pump spray that doesn't fan out too much. lots of clippercide comes out to the amount that actually is needed or hits the blade.

Alex, I live in the KC area and I do not oil my blades unless I am putting one up for a while. If you have central air and heat there should be little problem.Another thing I do is that I NEVER rinse a blade under the faucet. I will use a dry towel to wipe off lather. No water means no rust and keeping the blade away from the faucet means no dings to hone out. Good luck and enjoy SRP.

A dropper bottle is all you need. A couple drops on the blade then smear it around with your finger on both sides; you're done.

Originally Posted by groovyd

would be nice a light machine oil but in a mini pump spray that doesn't fan out too much. lots of clippercide comes out to the amount that actually is needed or hits the blade.