Thread: Blade oiling... ?

I found some stains after a week of daily use on the spine of my first razor, an entry level 5/8 TI, despite methodically washing the blade with the hottest water from the tap, drying with ultra absorbent kitchen paper towel and leaving it out to air in the bedroom. I was also doing 10 strokes on linen and 20 on leather after each shave. I then decided to use some oil. First tried Camelia oil but soon found that if I left it for a wee bit longer than usual, it would start to congeal and was a pain to wipe off. I've since been using Ballistol spray with excellent results and it even has a nice nozzle to target the pivot pin. Stinks like nobody's business though. Richard (riooso), I would be interested on your review of your oil applicator (ease of use, and how do you get the oil to the razor's edge without risking snagging the applicator on it). Saw it at Rasurpur and questioned whether, at €17, it was a worthwhile investment

Originally Posted by riooso

I use a mixture of Ballistol and Corrosion X and I apply it using the following applicator that I got at Japan woodworkers. I originally had a problem with one of my razors but none since I started oiling the blades every time I finish a shave. The process has served me well for a long while now.







Later,
Richard

Man, this site is great. I asked one question and got a barrel full of great information. So glad I signed up.

Originally Posted by turando72

I found some stains after a week of daily use on the spine of my first razor, an entry level 5/8 TI, despite methodically washing the blade with the hottest water from the tap, drying with ultra absorbent kitchen paper towel and leaving it out to air in the bedroom.

Those stains could be caused by soap residue or by minerals in the water. Alcohol helps mitigate both (the first better than the second). You may wanna try it as an experiment.

Thank you FIReSTaRT, you make a good point. I live in an area with super hard water and it's always a pain to clean up after the shave. I'll definitely try the alcohol trick. Any particular alcohol to use?

Ash

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Those stains could be caused by soap residue or by minerals in the water. Alcohol helps mitigate both (the first better than the second). You may wanna try it as an experiment.

Originally Posted by turando72

Thank you FIReSTaRT, you make a good point. I live in an area with super hard water and it's always a pain to clean up after the shave. I'll definitely try the alcohol trick. Any particular alcohol to use?

Ash

I just use regular 70% rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy. A couple of squirts from the spray bottle on each side, wipe down with a paper tissue. Hard water also doesn't rinse out the soap residue that well, so the alcohol should definitely help you remove it. If oil was helping remove the stains from your spine, chances are that it was by lifting soap scum.

I always use Eucalyptus oil.

It depends on the blade. For example, Hart Steel recommends oiling their blades after each use. Either way, I think that proper tool maintenance is always best, so I recommend using oil.

I would use Balistol, but I wanted something less expensive and more food-grade. I now use mineral oil. You can get it at your local pharmacy as Baby Oil (i.e., light mineral oil with fragrance) or laxative (i.e., heavy Mineral Oil, USP). The laxative type is food grade oil, so it is safer than baby oil. Plus, there are many uses for mineral oil around the house; look it up.

SRP has a "Shopping List for Beginners" and recommends mineral oil too:
Shopping list for beginners - Straight Razor Place Wiki

You could go the more natural route, since mineral oil is petroleum based, and try camelia, almond, flax seed, or vegetable based oils. But, these oils may dry and leave gummy residue if left on the blade over a long time (i.e., storage).

I just apply a thin film on the blade. I see no need to apply oil on scales.

I rinse and dry the razor after use and apply baby oil with a q-tip. Never had any problems with rust spots or anything.