Rookies first polished razor w/ pics

Alrighty gentlemen,

I have been shaving for about 1.5-2 months now. I feel like I take pretty good care of my razor. Rinse it with water after the shave, wipe it dry, sterilize with rubbing alcohol, leave out open to dry for 2-4 hours, strop, box it, and put it in a drawer in my bedroom. However, I started to notice a little corrosion after probably the 3rd shave or so. I didn't know if it had happened since my purchase or if it had always been there so I started to freak out a little. I let it go for a while but after a few more spots of corrosion started to show up I didn't want to run the risk of my brand new toy rusting out. So I nabbed some Mothers polish from our shop at the house, it is actually a non-abrasive aluminum polish, I used this because it is what we happened to have in the shop. I know polishes can be expensive and didn't feel the need to go buy brand new stuff specifically for my razor before giving what I had a shot. I had this because we (Dad and myself) have a barn primarily used for machining (that's Dad's department, not mine), but we also do woodworking, car stuff, and just about everything in there. The way I said that makes it sound like it's our source of income, it's not, it's just a typical man-cave where we do our hobbies and a few side jobs at.

Anyway, sorry for rambling about that. I gave polishing my Dovo 6/8" half-hollow a shot, and I think the results turned out quite nice. There was some corrosion on both sides of the blade near the edge and 2 spots on the spine. I put the "before" pictures before the "after" photos and arranged them so that each image following the "before" is the same side "after". I set it on my desk when I was done and couldn't resist taking a picture because it was sitting there looking so pretty!

For the actual polishing itself, I just used a piece of leather that we use to polish other stuff. We have the buffing/polishing wheels, but I thought that was a little extreme since my razor didn't have a mirror finish on it to begin with. I just dabbed a little on the leather and got to work, wiped clean with a clean cotton rag, dabbed more on the leather, wiped clean, and repeated for both sides and the spine until I was happy. It turns a nasty gray/black color after a little while, when it reached that stage is when I would wipe it off and reapply. I went in small circles going clockwise for a little bit then counter clockwise. Below are the pictures, I hope the pictures are large enough to see the corrosion.

I hope this post helps somebody somewhere who isn't sure about polishing their razor. It's not rocket science, but I would imagine that it gets a lot harder when using buffing/polishing wheels and trying to get that mirror-like finish on a blade. I wasn't concerned with trying to get a mirrored finish on it either because like I said earlier, this specific razor didn't come with that kind of finish. It was also my first attempt at polishing a razor so my goal was to just get rid of the corrosion and prevent future rust, I think I have achieved it well for my first time. I might try to bring a mirror finish back to life if it starts to fade in the future on other razors that I will acquire. Needless to say, I reached my goal for this polish and am happy. Sorry for the long post, I hope everyone enjoys the read!

Happy shaving!

Attachment 102391<BEFORE....AFTER>Attachment 102392
Attachment 102393<BEFORE....AFTER>Attachment 102394
Attachment 102395<BEFORE....AFTER>Attachment 102396
Attachment 102397 DAAAAAAMN!!!

Cheers,
Zac

Very nicely done. I'm interested to know what type of leather you are referring to.

Thanks.

It was actually a piece from an old leather glove. Nothing fancy, just a multipurpose shop/garden glove. I don't know how to describe them, they are leather on both sides, come in S/M/L, no adjustment straps or straps at the wrist for a tight fit. I cut a little square about 2.5" x 2.5" put my index finger on one side and hold the remaining leather around it (almost like half-wrapping my finger). I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but that is what I did. Hope that made sense.

Great Idea, leather is great for loading up with polishing media,My tormek has a leather wheel for final polishing with pastes.

I was planning on using Q-tips or something but Dad said I should use leather. He said that's what they do at work and I'd guess machine shops polish quite a bit. So I did what he said and it worked out great! After he said to use the leather I could see that it would hold polish better than other methods of application. However, I didn't use a wheel, I just had a small square cut out that I rubbed on in circular motions. Worked out great! I never thought I'd be polishing a razor so soon, but after doing to and seeing how much shine it brings back, I might do it more regularly!

Hi Zac,

Nice work! You can put some wax on the blade to keep it shiny and prevent further corrosion. Renaissance Wax is what a lot of us use. I like it most because it makes the blade rinse clean so much more easily. You can put it on the scales, too.

Best wishes

Where could I find Renaissance Wax?

Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MuskieMan33

It was actually a piece from an old leather glove. Nothing fancy, just a multipurpose shop/garden glove. I don't know how to describe them, they are leather on both sides, come in S/M/L, no adjustment straps or straps at the wrist for a tight fit. I cut a little square about 2.5" x 2.5" put my index finger on one side and hold the remaining leather around it (almost like half-wrapping my finger). I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but that is what I did. Hope that made sense.

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Was it a glove like this?

Attachment 102503

Pepe, yes, it was a glove very similar to that. I guess that's what they do at the place my Dad works at. It worked out fine for me! Granted there wasn't a ton of corrosion.

Rough, I will have to get my hands on some Renaissance Wax. As for the scales, would it damage wooden scales? The plastic ones that came on my Dovo broke at the pivot pin, I noticed this today after my shave :( . So I will be rescaling my pride and joy sooner than I thought I ever would! I put a minor fix of some plastic adhesive (basically model glue or JB Weld). Ran up to the shop today when I noticed it and grabbed a piece of maple and walnut, I've got a pretty good idea of what I'll be doing as far as the design goes. It will be primarily walnut with a small maple accent in it. I was thinking maybe like an "X" pattern in the wood, something like the following.. Where the yellow is the maple and the brown is the walnut.
Attachment 102504

Guys,

I got my Renaissance Wax at Restorer Supplies, www.RestorerSupplies.com. It's fine on wood, but I don't know if I'd count on it as the only finish you use. Check out the Workshop threads for all sorts of discussion on finishing scales.

Best wishes

Thanks for the info on the leather. I'm going to have to try that.

No problem.
Also, Rough, I was just worried about the wax staining the scales or leaving discoloration where it was. I have an idea of what I'm going to do to finish the scales. On another note, I might just stick with one strip of maple to break up the walnut. I'm having second thoughts about doing the second strip, however, I still haven't decided.

Get the smallest container of ren-wax you can buy,I bought a 200Ml container 4 yrs ago,I use it almost daily for alot of stuff,It's still over half full:)

The Renwax would probably darken the wood if the wood was otherwise unfinished. I don't think I'd recommend wax as a solo finish. I made some walnut scales and for finish, impregnated them with paraffin. Quick, easy, no dry time... not a very dramatic appearance, either, even with the Renwax over it. But it's waterproof, and that was my primary goal.

Yeah, 200 ml is a lot, even if the can looks small. That supplier does free shipping with the 200-ml tin, though... compare it to the smaller one plus shipping and decide what works best. Back when I comparison-shopped for Renwax, that supplier had the best price, as well.

Best wishes

MuskieMan,

Was the polish you used a polish for aluminum wheels?

Thanks.

Well I will definitely look into some ren wax in the future!

Pepe, it isn't specifically for wheels, the container says "Mothers: Mag & Aluminum polish (Perfect for all metals, shines and protects)"
I'm sure it would work on some wheels, but it is a relatively small container (5 oz.) and doesn't say anything about wheels on the container. It does, however, note that it is not recommended for gold plating, chrome, anodized, painted, or coated metals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MuskieMan33

Well I will definitely look into some ren wax in the future!

Pepe, it isn't specifically for wheels, the container says "Mothers: Mag & Aluminum polish (Perfect for all metals, shines and protects)"
I'm sure it would work on some wheels, but it is a relatively small container (5 oz.) and doesn't say anything about wheels on the container. It does, however, note that it is not recommended for gold plating, chrome, anodized, painted, or coated metals.

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I found the stuff you're talking about at Walmart.

Thanks for the help.

So I polished up my razor last week and got it looking reak nice. However, now I'm running into a problem where blemishes (the beginning of rust) appear after every time I shave. So just a few questions for my fellow shavers out there:

Has anybody had this problem? If so, what may I be doing wrong? After every shave, I wipe down the blade and dry it thoroughly with a piece of bathroom tissue, then I strop it and let it air out for at least an hour. Finally, I place it back in it's container and put it away in a drawer.

Being new, I shave very slowly. Is it possible that I need to clean and dry my razor mid-shave to prevent this problem?

Lastly, will polishing my blade after every shave harm it over time?


Other than this problem, I am progressing pretty well with just over two weeks of experience. I am getting better at lathering and I can manage to do a WTG and ATG shave with only a few nicks on my face.

Thanks for the help!

Hello Pepe,

Try rinsing your blade with the hottest water you can get from your tap--that'll heat the blade and make it easier to dry off. Are you putting it away in a bathroom drawer? That may still be a humid spot for it; try storing it outside your bathroom. It's common to coat the blade with a thin oil, like gun oil or sewing machine oil, before storing it.

If you're not being pretty careful polishing your blade, you may degrade the edge just from all the handling. Also, if there's any gold wash on the blade the polish will certainly remove it. A coat of wax would probably help waterproof the metal; many of us use Renaissance Wax. I'll just copy and paste what I wrote in another post:

The best source I've found for Renaissance Wax is www.RestorerSupplies.com in Naples, Florida. Not only did they have the best price, the shipping was free (at least back when I got mine).

RenWax is great also for making your blade rinse easier. I love that about it.

Congrats on your improving shaves, and good luck with your blade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roughkype

Hello Pepe,

Try rinsing your blade with the hottest water you can get from your tap--that'll heat the blade and make it easier to dry off. Are you putting it away in a bathroom drawer? That may still be a humid spot for it; try storing it outside your bathroom. It's common to coat the blade with a thin oil, like gun oil or sewing machine oil, before storing it.

If you're not being pretty careful polishing your blade, you may degrade the edge just from all the handling. Also, if there's any gold wash on the blade the polish will certainly remove it. A coat of wax would probably help waterproof the metal; many of us use Renaissance Wax. I'll just copy and paste what I wrote in another post:

The best source I've found for Renaissance Wax is www.RestorerSupplies.com in Naples, Florida. Not only did they have the best price, the shipping was free (at least back when I got mine).

RenWax is great also for making your blade rinse easier. I love that about it.

Congrats on your improving shaves, and good luck with your blade.

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Thanks for the reply.

I ordered some of that wax last week. Just waiting on it to arrive.

Never heard of the leather for polishing. I am impressed and gonna try it now. Time to go grab some mothers.

Very nice.....

After alcohol always apply a thin coat of oil.
Solvents that remove oil or patina risk accelerated rust.
Alcohol will remove a protective coating of wax or oil
so plan to restore it.

Keep a bit of oiled cloth in a closed tin and wipe
the surface. Gun shops have special purpose
rags with silicon "stuff" to the same end. Common
pharmacy grade mineral oil is a good choice. Special
attention to the pivot can keep it clean.