Thread: Long term scale protection

I have a noob question of how to protect scales for long term storage (excess of several months).

Should I put oil on them? What? Any particulars with celluloid, wood, bone, etc?

Any handling methods you guys use that work great?

I have a few vintage razors that I just purchased and I think I am going to save them as collectors pieces versus shaving with them. But knowing me, I'll break them out here and there for a special shave.

Thanks in advance!
Cheers!
georgiadawg

I don't know much about celluloid, bone or horn. I do know that over time celluloid with degrade and eventually begin to eat away at your razor. I imagine bone is rather stable, but I hear horn can warp over time. Wood seems pretty straight forward and wouldn't need much care...perhaps the occasionally protective oil/wax coating.

It depends on the material. Wood probably doesn't need anything. Bone, ivory a light coat of oil. celluloid I'd keep plain. In general a silicon cloth is a good general protectant for most materials and is safe for everything.

Store them with the razor fully open. That way if the scales start to go bad (celluloid) it will just eat the tang and not the blade.
Wood handles - a little bit of furniture oil (not polish) or mineral oil.
Bone/Ivory - mineral oil
Celluloid - I leave it plain.
Oil the blades well, wrap them in wax paper. Put them all in a zip lock bag with some desiccant packs and close the bag.
Change the desiccant about once a year.

As said, oil lightly with a good quality gun oil, Gun oils are designed to protect steel for long term storage and store in the house, not garage or storage unit. Garages and Storage units can get well over 100 degrees in summer.

Heat and moisture seems to be common causes of most razor problems.

I have stored hundreds of razors in a closet, inside the house for years and never had a problem.

Inspect your razors frequently looking for rust and cell rot.