Thread: Sacrificial anode

OK, I turn to you metallurgist wizards for this one.

I have been pondering corrosion issues with high carbon razors, and came across info on sacrificial anodes being used for corrosion prevention on such things as ship hulls and water heater tanks.

Sounds good to me.

So I take a vintage Tuckmar that didn't shave too well, screwed a piece of aluminum to it (didn'thave any zinc or magnesium handy..), and put it in a high humidity environment (i.e.-bucket o' water) to see what would happen...

pic one is the Tuckmar initial state.

Pic two, is the blade in the drink

Pic three is the day after...

Pic four is a close up of rusty side of the razor...not too surprising, eh?

But surprise, surprise...check out the other side! Pic 5

Is the one side rusty, as it was the side with the aluminum screwed to it? That also happened to be the side that was "up" in the bucket--coincedence?

Any other thoughts on possible implementation of sacrificial anodes in straight razor use?

Did you put it back in with the other side up now?

Originally Posted by backpackerx

Did you put it back in with the other side up now?

I suppose that would make sense, however, it is air drying on my desk at the moment...

A couple more hours and this baby will be ready for Ebay! "Gently used vintage razor, slight chip on edge...."


EDIT: it is now back in there with the other side up...

I will also say that after I first put the razor in yesterday, I did see corrosion begining on the tang closest to the aluminum within a fairly short period of time (a couple of hours). About 1/4" from the aluminum it discoloered rapidly.

I can't believe you've gone and ruined that sweet blade!

I'm also interested in seeing if flipping it over does anything. I'm no chemist, but I would have thought the Al should prevent any rust from forming. I'm curious as to why it would only affect one side, and that makes me think it might have something to do with the orietation in the water.

I'm not a chemist either, so don't take this as gospel, but I think they use zinc because it is more reactive than steel. I don't think the same is true of aluminum. Otherwise aluminum cans would disintegrate, especially with all the citric acid in sodas. Maybe?

But again, IANAC.

Originally Posted by jimmyray

I'm not a chemist either, so don't take this as gospel, but I think they use zinc because it is more reactive than steel. I don't think the same is true of aluminum. Otherwise aluminum cans would disintegrate, especially with all the citric acid in sodas. Maybe?

But again, IANAC.

Aluminum is more active than steel as well. That is what they use for anodes in water heaters, etc.

Aluminum cans don't corrode as thay are all aluminum. If they were part steel and part aluminum, it would set up the differential that would make the aluminum corrode if I understand the process correctly.

Now the side that used to be down is up, and it is rusting up quite nicely as well.

Thus it appears as if either:
a)I don't know what the heck I'm doing

b)This process doesn't work for straight razors.

c)all of the above.


P.S.-anybody want to buy a vintage Tuckmar?

So, it rusts on whichever side is up?

That seems strange.

maybe it has something to do with light? (just randomly throwing that out there)

Perhaps this will answer your question: (From Wikipedia)

It is important to understand that for this mode of corrosion protection to function there must be simultaneously present an electron pathway between the anode and the metal to be protected (e.g.,a wire or direct contact) and an ion pathway between the anode and the metal to be protected (e.g., water or moist soil) to form a closed circuit; thus simply bolting a piece of active metal such as zinc to a less- active metal, such as mild steel, in air will not furnish any protection.