Thread: Proper After Shave Maintenance

Josh, just go to any pharmacy and you'll be able to get like 12oz of generic Mineral Oil for $2-3. It doesn't go rancid, it preserves the metal, you can use it on sharpening stones, hedge trimmer blades, hair clippers and it keeps you regular

i'm glad someone brought this up, because i've been meaning to ask something.


until recently, i've had three razors in my possession: a brand new dovo, a torrey, and a junk razor called zimmerman from IL. here's what bugs the hell out of me:
the junkrazor and the torrey (both pretty old by the look of them) will not rust, but the dovo contiually develops rust. i use maas on it, let it dry completely, then wipe it down with mineral oil, and when i look at it the next day or the day after (i use that one every day), it has little rust spots.

the torrey, on the other hand, i've only used about four times in two months, never polished or put mineral oil on it, and it has never had a rust spot.

i never used the junk razor, but had it out several times just fooling around with it, and it never had any spots either. both of the older razors have some black stuff or spots here and there, but they don't change.

i'm pretty sure they're all plain old carbon steel, though i admit i don't know how high the carbon content is and how it might vary. it seems to be more related to the age. has anyone here noticed new razors rusting more easily?

what the hell?

Someone mentioned the posibility of celluloid scales on some razors deteriorating and evaporating some corrosive stuff.. Clean up the DOVO and keep it in a separate room than the other two razors. If it doesn't develop any rust, then you know the culprit and one or both of the others may need to be re-scaled. Their steel just may be less succeptible to celluloid fumes.

the scales on the torrey might just be plastic. how can i tell?

and the junk razor stays in its coffin, away from the other two. i'm pretty sure that one is celluloid. i keep both of the razors out, now, but for a while i kept all three of them in their coffins (love that term). would the fumes move outside one coffin and into another?

I can't say for sure, but if you keep it in a separate room, chances are the fumes won't have any effect on it and you'll be fine. Just do this as an experiment. Good luck!

You can smell the deteriroating celluloid easily. It has an acrid scent, and you won't have to guess at it. You may, however, have to get it close to your nose if they are just starting to break down.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Josh, just go to any pharmacy and you'll be able to get like 12oz of generic Mineral Oil for $2-3. It doesn't go rancid, it preserves the metal, you can use it on sharpening stones, hedge trimmer blades, hair clippers and it keeps you regular

Sounds like the wonder cure for all my ailments!!!

The crazy part is that all of my claims are true. I've used it on oilstones, hair clippers, to keep carbon steel edges from corroding and my hedge trimmer without any problems. It's also good to prevent diaper rash (baby oil is just scented mineral oil) and it really is used as a laxative (softens up the stool). The bottom line is that it will protect your blades as well as anything and is dirt-cheap.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

The crazy part is that all of my claims are true. I've used it on oilstones, hair clippers, to keep carbon steel edges from corroding and my hedge trimmer without any problems. It's also good to prevent diaper rash (baby oil is just scented mineral oil) and it really is used as a laxative (softens up the stool). The bottom line is that it will protect your blades as well as anything and is dirt-cheap.

My mom picked me up a bottle today from a drug store...she said it was the only one they had and it was so big it will last me until Im 105....I havent seen it yet lol Im scared

Yeah, it's gonna last you a while. You have no idea how many times I soaked the norton oilstone with it until it couldn't take any more and I still have about 95% of the bottle left. This also includes 2 lubrications of my trimmer, all of the hinges in the house, 3 lubrications of the clipper and 3 blades in storage. However, all of these combined do not measure up to one soaking of the oilstone.