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So i just got my first razor had my first shave yesterday and now want to take good care of it. I've read the wiki but can't find some good information about oiling my razor. My questions are the following.
1. Do i really need to oil my razor?
2. If I do how often and the consequences of not oiling ?
3. Which oil to get and the differences between the variations.
If you live in humid environment then you should oil the razor IMHO.
I personally oil my razors no matter the humidity.
If the razor is not oiled and left in humid environment it will develop micro corrosion which will degrade the edge fast. If the razor is left for longer periods of time it can develop rust spots.
For oiling you can use mineral oil, baby oil, ballistol, camelia oil.
Thanks for the quick reply, i live in NY, when summer comes its humidity central so i'll start oiling.
I live in Los Angeles, so I don't have a huge humidity problem. Even so, I apply a light coat of mineral oil w/ a Q-tip to all exposed steel after I give the blade a good post shave rinse and stropping
im from pa and the humidity is close to ny but i hardly ever oil it, i usuly just strop it afterwards and wipe it dry then put it in its case untill the next time my few whiskers and peachfuzz need cut.
Personally I don't oil any of my razors...I just make sure they're good and dry before I put them away. I haven't had a problem yet...but that just me :)
drying your razor is one of your best protections agenst rust spots. its best to wipe your razor dry as soon as ur done with it, I persionally give it 10 or so laps on the leather strop to make sure its good and dry.
xalted13,
As has been said, it depends on circumstance.
For me, I use:
1) Day to day protection for razors in rotation - Sentry Solutions TufGlide (a dry film protectant).
2) For storage of up to a few months - Ballistol.
3) For longer term storage - RIG grease.
I live in an old, cold Victorian house and prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to protecting my blades from corrosion !
Have fun !
Best regards
Russ
would machine oil work ? my mail concern with most oils that i know is at the pivot I don't want it greased up so much that it flips open at the slightest movement.
All the suggestions given so far are good. Especially a good drying immediately after use. I rinse my razor after use in really hot water- heating the steel pretty hot. This helps to evaporate any little bit left from a moist towel, or whatever.
Machine oil stinks, and I'm sure the residue of any of the other choices would be less harmful to you in a cut.
My 2 cents
Ed
quicknicker
+1 on the above. Maybe not after every shave, but often. I just use the pre-shave oil (it's handy!), also applied with a Q-Tip.Quote:
Originally Posted by LAsoxfan
Congrats on your first & here's my 2ç :)
Do i really need to oil my razor?
1. No ~ but the day you see rust on your blade you will then think oiling is in fact a necessity. Any razor 'can' rust, even a stainless one.
If I do how often and the consequences of not oiling ?
2. If you do, after every shave is about right. the consequences of not oiling depends on the steel. Some just rust faster than others & you won't even see it on the edge unless you use magnification.
Which oil to get and the differences between the variations.
3. Only use oil known to protect steel . Something that can be sprayed into a wet pivot is a good idea & something that is food safe & non toxic will have no side effects on your skin or strop should it come into contact.
I have a large surplus of CLP, i usually use it on my guns. Just wondering if anyone else has experience using it on razors?
I was wondering that myself, mostly for razors that may be stored for a while. I'm pretty certain I wouldn't want to use it on a razor in daily useQuote:
Originally Posted by joshb1000
Well the main reasoning behind it is simply that is is an oil intended for use on steel, acts as a lubricant and protectant, and it doesnt get gummy. I've hear people mention gun oil, but i may be mistaken.Quote:
Originally Posted by LAsoxfan
I use it everyday. I have a rag sprayed with it I keep on the shelf along with my razors. i have the razors warm and dry them with a towel, then I wipe them with the rag before closing. I don't have an exhaust fan in a cool basement bathroom so it gets pretty cloudy after a hot shower and I haven't had any issues with rust in about 6 months. The first thing that I do when I get a new razor home is spray and wipe it down whatever shape it is in. I have noticed no negatives in the short term with scales or anything. I can't comment on museum quality Ivory. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by joshb1000
Tim
I really appreciate the tip. Do you notice the smell stays with the razor? Its not a bad smell but doesnt go well with lather. I'm not too worried about rust but every little bit helps so thank you for all your support.Quote:
Originally Posted by 32t
I would like to add the point that humidity, although a primary factor to consider, is not the only reason to oil a razor. The very edge that you just spent time and effort honing is starting to oxidize the minute you stop honing. The thinner the metal at the tip of the edge the faster it will oxidize. The only way that I know to stop it from happening is to use oil of some type. Another point to be made is that why wait for that black spot to appear? I have been using one of my razors for about 3 years now and it is in perfect shape. I oil the blade after every shave after drying it.
Take Care,
Richard
Great tip Rich, thanks for the heads up...now if you'll excuse me i have a couple razors to oil!
I live in SC. I didn't oil my first few straights -- big mistake.
Now I dry the blade, using a cloth towel on it and then a paper towel between the scales and around the pivot. Then I strop X 10 on linen. Then I use RemOil (gun oil) in an aerosol can, squirting directly on the pivot fr both sides, then along the blade and tang and wipe with my fingers.
I've used the same can of oil for about a year now -- feels as full as when i first bought it ( for a couple of dollars).
I haven't had a problem with the pivot going "loose" on me -- others have warned about this, though. No rust since using this strategy, and sometimes it may be a year or more before I revisit a particular razor.
Oh -- one more thing. I always wash the blade with hand soap post-shave before drying it. Shaving soap, in my experience, leads to the dreaded black spots and stains even with rinsing, and I want it off the steel.
I just went and smelled my razors.:roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by joshb1000
I hadn't even given it a thought until you brought it up. they have a slight odor but I am not soaking my daily ones just a light wipe with an oily cloth. I very seldom use anything scented to think about conflicting with it. I like the rule at my work against wearing any sort of perfume.
Tim
I live in Florida, the humidity capitol of the world...(and lightning...)
For razors that I have in storage, I use Camelia oil, it works well.
For razors out in rotation, I wipe them down, once dried, with a Silicone treated cloth. The kind you would use on guns, etc...
Personally, I was recomended Camelia oil for my blade, since its a carbon steel Boker. You can order it from many shaving suppliers, depending on where you live. I ordered mine from Shaving Style - Japanese Camellia Oil
But didnt get a chance to use it, getting ready for my first shave this Saturday.:y
So I have some camellia oil now, and I applied it to all my out-of-use blades last night. Placed a drop on each side of the blade and rubbed it around with a fingertip. Also treated the tang & monkeytail.
Is there a better way to apply? I'm not certain I got complete coverage, as it appears that the oil "balled up" kind of like water droplets on a freshly waxed car in places....
I t sounds to me as if you have a very nice finish on your razor, I would just wipe the excess off.
FWIW --
I just saw a bunch of Japanese swords, made in 1200-1400. They were shiny bright.
The Japanese use "choji oil" on the blades. I think the closest modern equivalent is mineral oil with some oil of cloves added. And I think you can still buy "choji oil".
I use Corrosion-Block myself. But anything that keeps air and water off the blade will work -- Mobil 1 engine oil, mineral oil, baby oil, CLP, whatever.
If you're using the razor regularly, you'll be renewing the protection often, so it doesn't much matter what you put on the blade. If you search previous threads, you'll find lots of opinions, and very little data. People find something that works, and keep using it.
Charles
PS -- I don't have any razors with valuable scales; there may be special concerns with those.
As above,I have been told by collectors of fine japanese blades to use mineral oil.
Is said that the only reason an aromatic was added (such as clove oil) was to differentiate the oil used on blades, from the household cooking oil.
Don't worry that is just excess oil. You could remove that with a tissue & still have complete coverage. An adequate coat of oil is almost invisible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wortmanb
Usually, oil just spreads out when you put it onto clean steel.
I wonder why it balled up . . . Could the blade be coated with something? Have you tried cleaning it with alcohol, and then oiling?
Charles
On highly polished steel surface,lack of surface tension will cause oil to bead.Quote:
Originally Posted by cpcohen1945
+1 to that!!! I use a mix of alcohol and mineral oil to protect the blade. I learned here to mix approximately 1/2 inch of mineral oil to a fill of IA in an olive jar. Shaken, not stirred, and left to settle out for a day or so. Works perfectly here in Florida for me. The alcohol will take any H20 from the blade and also act as a carrier to evenly spread the mineral oil. But for any long term storage, I totally recommend RIG grease. My Competion Shooting Marines use that on their rifles and pistols. :gl:Quote:
Originally Posted by pixelfixed
I've been using 3 in 1 household oil. My blades haven't rusted, but is this oil a bad choice? Honestly, I can't find any other oil locally, and I don't wanna' use 15w/40!Quote:
Originally Posted by mainaman
FWIW --
I've had stuff coated with 3-in-1, that rusted. 3-in-1 is a _penetrating_ oil -- lots of solvents, not much "oiliness", or protective power. I also don't like its smell.
I think that 15W-40 might actually be better. Put a drop on a tissue, and rub it over the blade.
"Mineral oil" and 'baby oil' -- both available cheaply in any drugstore -- are well-proven.
Charles
Thanks Charles. You're definitely right about the smell. I never thought of baby oil neither.
Can one use gunoil such as break free?
If the thread is jumping in to long term storage of razors, I would suggest Renaissance Wax. It is invisible, seals the blade away from the environment, and requires no cleanup before shaving again. I do put a little Ballistol in the pivot along with this.
Just thinking about the razors I have treated this way makes me want to change my rotation.
Ed
quicknicker
I've used it with some success, but every time I shave with a blade coated with it I want to go shooting instead of completing the shave. I'm now gravitating over to mineral oil.Quote:
Originally Posted by furir