Thread: Is This Patina?

My post shave blade maintenance is rather simple and I have never had anything close to rust form on my blades and I don't even oil them anymore. For good measure you should oil your blades but I have been getting away with it so long that I don't bother. Step 1. Rinse blade warm water thoroughly and wipe all traces of moisture off blade and inside of the scales(I use paper towels). its the scales that hide the nasties spend good time getting them dry. Step 2. Strop your razor this helps get any residual moisture off the edge that you might not see. Step 3. Leave the blade semi opened to dry in the air (don't do this in the bathroom). I have a razor stand for this but if your pins are tight enough a razor will stay in a slightly opened state. The idea here is to separate blade contact from any moisture influence the scales may have on the razor blade, a few hours is sufficient. Step 4. The rest is up to you I usually just put the razor in its box for next time but feel free to wipe it down with mineral oil, camelia oil, ballistol, ren wax or whatever you like to oil them with.

Hi Folks,
I'm very new in the wet shaving and got some question. It might be very stupid. If so, please don't blame too much.
Looking for the procedure of wiping blade, scale, leaving to dry in the air..... Is it bad idea to blow moisture out with worm hair dryer?

Well any problem will only be caused by heat. So I would keep the razor at a good distance from a hair dryer or use the warm or cold air blow button. If you use precaution i cant see this being terrible for the blade or scales.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

It is all rust regardless of what you want to call it to keep from saying the dreaded name "Rust"

You need to polish it out, (MAAS or Flitz etc: on a Q-tip should work) then you need to determine why it was caused, down by the edge like that it was probably moisture in the scales,,





Don't get the scales wet, personally I am a wet shaver, key word being "wet" and get water every freaking place Sooooo not an option for me

Dry the scales well before you store the razor, Doesn't actually always work, the scales can still retain moisture depending on what they are made of.

Leave the razor open to dry, This is my MO, I have a spot for the razors to sit after I dry them well that they sit open and safe until the next day when it is stored away and the next razor comes out to play..

After that it is up to you to decide on what your next move for storage is, depending on your local and conditions


Oz pretty much is saying the same thing

I agree with Glen. I usually let my razor sit out after wiping it down. I use a popsicle stick & rag to get in between the scales, then I let the razor sit out for about a day opened. I have used a Q-Tip with Mothers, Maas & even some crox & it worked a couple of times successfully. I think you may be able to clean it up, if not, keep it dry the best you can until you have to send it back to Lynn for the free honing & see if he can get it out for you.

Originally Posted by bekk

Hi Folks,
I'm very new in the wet shaving and got some question. It might be very stupid. If so, please don't blame too much.
Looking for the procedure of wiping blade, scale, leaving to dry in the air..... Is it bad idea to blow moisture out with worm hair dryer?

It won't do any harm but it's really not necessary. I've used a hair dryer to heat celluloid scales that were deformed - it needs to be of a temperature that would feel uncomfortable to your hand - so just using warm to moderately hot should not be a problem.

When done shaving I do the following and I don't leave the blade out and exposed, just as a safety concern (I am a klutz).
-Dry the razor with a paper towel, toilet tissue, or Kleenex (not moisturized or anything). I wipe off the entirety of the blade, and fold it to pass it between the scales and around the pivot.
-Strop 30 laps on clean webbing
-Strop 50 laps on leather
-Take a makeup applicator pad (round cotton and flat), apply mineral oil, and wipe the blade, scales, and in-between the scales like I do with the tissue. I don't saturate the pad, but give it just enough oil to leave a trace amount behind.
-Place the oiled razor back in my display case for storage

I haven't had any issue with discoloration or rust to date. I also polish my razors with MAAS when a fog develops on the finish, just to keep them pretty. I apply virtually no pressure and just wipe on and off again to remove the residue.

I rinse off mine with very hot water, dry as completely as possible, strop 10 each on linen and leather then let air dry with the blade fully exposed. This has worked well for me. I only oil my long term storage blades

Our house has forced air heating and cooling and the fan on the furnace runs 24/7, so after a shave, I rinse the blade/scales, wipe the blade and scales dry, check for droplets inside the scales before closing and drying. I just put the razor on one of the floor registers and let the air dry out any remaining moisture. 30 mins later, I do a quick strop on the linen and put the razor away. A bit of oil would not hurt and some lubes are moisture displacing too. I just can't be bothered as I just have to wipe it off before stropping for my next shave.... Then again, none of my razors are really pretty! :-)

A small caveat, watch out for curious children and pets if you leave your razor on a floor register!


Regards

Christian

Rust is cancer to steel so you want to remove it. Otherwise it will spread.

The canned air in those cans is good to blow out moisture especially in hard to reach places. Just be careful to keep the can level so you don't get the carrier all over the razor and keep some distance between the can and the blade.

Thanks a ton for all your input, just ordered some MAAS and a razor stand where it can be open. Guess we'll let it dry out longer than what I've been. The scales are wood, African blackwood to be precise, although I didn't think I was getting them wet I guess moisture got in there regardless. With the MAAS I can just apply and rub the razor with a cute tip? Any special instructions past that?