Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Edge corrosion?

  1. #1
    Senior Member PaulKidd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Sonoma County, California
    Posts
    796
    Thanked: 236

    Default Edge corrosion?

    I have a razor (carbon steel blade) which has been
    giving me good shaves for years, but which suddenly
    "went bad": pulling, tugging, wouldn't cut, etc. So I
    gave it a few laps on a Swaty and had a look at the edge
    with a magnifying glass.

    There appear to be several very tiny pits near...but not
    on...the edge.

    I tried to shave with it again, and the edge worked fine,
    but only for about 1/4 of the shave...then it went south
    again.

    So I touched it up again, etc. Same thing happened.
    I'm suspecting that those tiny pits are a sign of edge
    corrosion, and that the blade just won't hold an edge
    anymore.

    My questions are: do the pits indicate a "deeper"
    problem? Does the apparent corrosion extend beyond
    what is visible?

    And how far back would I have to hone the edge to
    cure this problem? How far back is the "good steel"
    likely to be?

    Sorry, I can't send any pictures, but I sure would
    appreciate some help here.

    Thanks,
    Paul
    "If you come up to it, and you just can't do it, then that's jolly well where you are."
    Lord Buckley

  2. #2
    Comfortably Numb Del1r1um's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    2,095
    Thanked: 668

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by PaulKidd View Post
    I have a razor (carbon steel blade) which has been
    giving me good shaves for years, but which suddenly
    "went bad": pulling, tugging, wouldn't cut, etc. So I
    gave it a few laps on a Swaty and had a look at the edge
    with a magnifying glass.

    There appear to be several very tiny pits near...but not
    on...the edge.

    I tried to shave with it again, and the edge worked fine,
    but only for about 1/4 of the shave...then it went south
    again.

    So I touched it up again, etc. Same thing happened.
    I'm suspecting that those tiny pits are a sign of edge
    corrosion, and that the blade just won't hold an edge
    anymore.

    My questions are: do the pits indicate a "deeper"
    problem? Does the apparent corrosion extend beyond
    what is visible?

    And how far back would I have to hone the edge to
    cure this problem? How far back is the "good steel"
    likely to be?

    Sorry, I can't send any pictures, but I sure would
    appreciate some help here.

    Thanks,
    Paul
    The pits probably get closer to the edge than you think, and your edge may be crumbling. You will need to get through all of the pits down to clean steel or you'll probably keep having issues. Here is a link, I hope it helps some.

    *shameless I know )* Honing: Troubleshooting Guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki click on the picture with pits and it will go full size.
    Last edited by Del1r1um; 10-01-2010 at 09:32 PM.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Del1r1um For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-01-2010)

  4. #3
    illegitimum non carborundum Utopian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Rochester, MN
    Posts
    11,544
    Thanked: 3795
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    You can think of those pits as small bubbles in the steel. When they are deep in the bevel and are buried, they don't affect the edge. As honing reaches them, that bubble is open to the edge and results in a small chip in the edge. That chip can grow along the edge and it certainly can lead to an uncomfortable shave.

    As already stated, all you can do is hone through the bad region. Keep going with setting a new bevel until you reach good steel.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Utopian For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-01-2010)

  6. #4
    zib
    zib is offline
    Hell Razor zib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    5,348
    Thanked: 1217
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    A jeweler's loupe may be helpful with your edge, or bevel. Hopefully, you can hone out the problem as previously mentioned. Break out your 1k, or bevel setter, reset the bevel, and finish the edge. Check periodically with the loupe, and see how the bevel looks, make sure it's clean...You may want to use tape if your going to be doing some extensive work..but that's up to you...
    We have assumed control !

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to zib For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-01-2010)

  8. #5
    The Great & Powerful Oz onimaru55's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Bodalla, NSW
    Posts
    15,595
    Thanked: 3747

    Default

    And after you get the edge sorted out keep that blade oiled after use. Your climate may well be a contributing factor necessitating extra care with carbon steel.
    “The white gleam of swords, not the black ink of books, clears doubts and uncertainties and bleak outlooks.”

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to onimaru55 For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-02-2010)

  10. #6
    Senior Member PaulKidd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Sonoma County, California
    Posts
    796
    Thanked: 236

    Default This one's for the pros

    I'm getting nowhere with this one. I have neither the
    equipment nor the experience to deal with this.

    Whatever I'm doing is not solving the problem, so this
    razor is going to Glen for evaluation and (hopefully)
    repair.

    Thanks for all the advise! This one is my old faithful,
    so I don't want to destroy it for lack of...you name it.

    Malo aupito,
    Paul
    "If you come up to it, and you just can't do it, then that's jolly well where you are."
    Lord Buckley

  11. #7
    Modern Day Peasant Nightblade's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Denver Rocky Mtn. High Rent,Colorado
    Posts
    8,704
    Thanked: 1160

    Default

    Hey Paul,Hope you get this poor blade back to health soon eh? It'll be okay I'm sure. How's life on Tonga ?? Good luck m'friend.

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Nightblade For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-02-2010)

  13. #8
    May your bone always be well buried MickR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Brisbane/Redcliffe, Australia
    Posts
    6,380
    Thanked: 983

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Nightblade View Post
    Hey Paul,Hope you get this poor blade back to health soon eh? It'll be okay I'm sure. How's life on Tonga ?? Good luck m'friend.

    +1


    Mick

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to MickR For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-02-2010)

  15. #9
    Senior Member PaulKidd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Sonoma County, California
    Posts
    796
    Thanked: 236

    Default Thanks Nightblade and MickR

    Thanks for that, friends. I don't have a full set of razor
    hones. What I have is mostly for sharpening knives and
    fish hooks.

    Fortunately, I got another razor a week or so ago...and
    a nice one too...so at least I won't have to revert to
    rubbish razors for my morning shave!

    Mick, BTW....my new razor (Friodur Inox 7/8) has been
    getting the roo treatment, exclusively, since I got it.
    No worries whatsoever, mate!

    Paul
    "If you come up to it, and you just can't do it, then that's jolly well where you are."
    Lord Buckley

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to PaulKidd For This Useful Post:

    MickR (10-02-2010)

  17. #10
    May your bone always be well buried MickR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Brisbane/Redcliffe, Australia
    Posts
    6,380
    Thanked: 983

    Default

    Glad to hear that Paul. You should get some hones too, since you've chosen to live miles away from the rest of us. I thought you would have been totally self sufficient in that regard by now...


    Mick

  18. The Following User Says Thank You to MickR For This Useful Post:

    PaulKidd (10-02-2010)

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •