Thread: Razors and Rust... Less then a month with a Razor and already few rust spots...

So I purchased a Razor a few weeks back, a Ralf Aust, I have been using it about every other day. Just today I noticed Rust spots and was wondering what I could be doing wrong.. I clean the blade with a microfiber after I shave but this did not stop the rusting. This was a new blade that I received and Just after 3 weeks it has signs of rusting. The biggest rusting spots are where the blade meets the scales. I feel like I have now ruined this razor. It is my first Razor so I did expect a learning curve, but I did not expect to see rust this early on in the process.

Any advice??

Edit: I do live in a very hot and humid city as well... Houston..

A little oil can go a long way for protection, but you say it where the blade meets the scales...
Can we get a picture?
In worst case your scales are celluloid and in the process of breaking them self down, hurting the blade as they go.

I've been through all that and learned my lesson. On this forum I recently saw a photo of a straight razor in which the whole razor, scales and all, are wet. All I could do was cringe.

Now when I shave I NEVER allow water near the scales. This takes some care but can be done. After shaving, I carefully wipe the razor down, using a near-stropping action to protect the edge. Then I put it away where I keep razors in my dresser, certainly not in the shave den. I haven't seen rust in over a year. Prevention goes a long way!

Originally Posted by ace

I've been through all that and learned my lesson. On this forum I recently saw a photo of a straight razor in which the whole razor, scales and all, are wet. All I could do was cringe.

Now when I shave I NEVER allow water near the scales. This takes some care but can be done. After shaving, I carefully wipe the razor down, using a near-stropping action to protect the edge. Then I put it away where I keep razors in my dresser, certainly not in the shave den. I haven't seen rust in over a year. Prevention goes a long way!

+1 to this. This is exactly what I do. On rare occasion I also put a little oil, such as eucalyptus or mineral oil on a piece if napkin and wipe a small amount on the blade and pivot and then wipe it off with a clean piece of napkin. I also fold a piece of napkin in half and wipe the insides if your scales though I too NEVER let my scales or pivot get wet.. For that matter I don't let the tang get wet either! Water is for blade and face only! I also let my blade dry over night open, and in the morning I store it with the rest in my cedar lined p en case with silicon anti moisture things..... No rust.

I keep my razors in a box on a top shelf in my closet far from the reach of my little ones. After shaving, I wipe the blade in a towel, strop it a few times, and then dab some mineral oil with my index finger on the blade surface, I do not touch the edge as the oil moves down on to the fine edge anyway.

I do as Ace and Joe do, keep water away from tang and scales while shaving. When finished wipe the blade and between the scales with toilet paper. Then let it air dry for a few hours before storing it away. The blades get a light coat of mineral oil if I go on holidays. This works for me but we are not in an area of high humidity and the few days of high humidity are taken care of by the air conditioning. Touch wood, no problems with rust.

If I lived in an area of constant high humidity I would consider making a "dry box", as photographers do for their camera gear, to store my razors in.

Bob

Ive been cleaning it after daily use, I do leave the blade in the restroom though, should I maybe leave the blade elsewhere?

I dont know if this was caused by just leaving some water on a careless day, and is there a way to prevent it from rusting? Just take better care of it from now on?

take a dixie cup and fill it with mineral oil put the pivot end in open ad close it a few times so it gets in good the let her soak a bit wipe down and repeat I also stor razors tang down just in case that way plade and jimps are always protected from any water that might be there.

Strange, I thought the Aust razors were stainless. If yours isn't some metal polish and then keep it oiled and that should solve your issues. If it is stainless something is amiss.

Stainless steel razors will rust less quickly, but any blade exposed to water for any period of time will be affected by it.

As for keeping razors in the bathroom, I can't think of a worse place to keep them. Once or twice a day bathrooms become steam rooms. My razors see the bathroom only when I'm shaving with them. The area where the blade is pinned to the scales is its weak point and must be especially protected.