Thread: Hello, everyone.

Hi there. I'm a student who got dissatisfied with disposable razors; I then got interested in straight razors, so I got one and am currently learning how to shave with it. So far it's been pretty exciting, and this site has been helpful so far.

I do have one question, though. Several beginners' pages have recommended using mineral oil to keep the blades from rusting, so I got some, but I couldn't find any advice on how to use it. For instance, how much should be used? When should it be used? How should it be applied to the blade? Does it ever need to be cleaned off the blade? It seemed to not be that big of a deal, but I just want to be careful with my razor.

Thanks for the help.

Hey Zilch,

Welcome to the club!

Personally I don't oil my blades. I keep them in a dry environment (read: out of the bathroom), in a nice box with a pack of silica gel in it. I do use oil when I ship blades after honing.

Here's how I do it: Put 1 single drop of oil on your finger, and then run your finger tip from the spine to the edge on both sides of the blade. Be careful please. If you're going to use oil, it will need to be wiped off before every shave, and then re-applied after every shave. A bit of a pain, I think!

good luck

Salutations,

Welcome to straight shaving! I personally do like Maxi and store the razors in a dry area without oiling the blades. The purpose of the oil on the blade is to prevent rust, so wipe the blade dry before applying oil. I have heard of accidents where water was trapped under the oil and left a mark. As Maxi said, you can use your finger using a small amount. I would recommend a wipe cloth that you will dedicate to oiling your razor. Safety first and all that rot...

Hope this helps,
JackofDiamonds

G'day Zilch,
I use rice bran oil (I just happened to have some in the pantry) which I put on a make-up removing pad (just a couple of drops) which I fold over the SPINE and put a light coating over the blade.
I find that just running the blade under the hot water as I fill the sink and then wiping it on a microfibre cloth cleans it up nicely for stropping.
It does dry out a bit after a few weeks but still cleans up OK
For mineral oil I would use a make-up removal pad and a little metho (that's what I use in the workshop)
Hope this helps

Hey there Zilch! Welcome to SRP!