Thread: Is This Patina?

Hello All,

I have purchased a new Ralf Aust 6/8ths from SRD and have used it about 5 times now over a span of about 2 weeks. During the shave I only wet the blade and wipe it thoroughly and often with a cloth. After the shave I strop like 15 laps on webbing and 20 or so on leather. I put a heavy drop of the razor oil on SRD on both sides of the blade and spread it with my fingers, likewise with the tang, shaft, and spine. I then stuff it into the sleeve/sack up sold on SRD and stuff that into the little box the razor came in, it was a tight fit so I have decided to keep it in just the sack from now on, since the sack seemed just like 3/8ths of an inch too short to cover the scales in it's entirety. Seeing this spot which I suppose is defined as patina I just stuffed the razor in tang first and a bit of scales shows which I suppose is harmless. Please advise if you can what this spot is and what it may have been caused by.



Thank you in advance,

Max

It's rust & anybody's guess how it got there but essentially that spot was exposed to air & water for too long.
There seems to be staining in other areas near the edge unless it is the pic.

I have seen a razor rust before my eyes as I was honing it. It's rare but it can happen. My solution was to polish it with metal polish that contains a wax & then hone it. I advised the owner to wipe it only while shaving & not wet it to be on the safe side.

You could possibly clean that up with a toothpick & some metal polish but be careful not to contact the edge

It's possible you put it away with some moisture inside the scales. I would leave the razor open a few hours or overnight before putting away.

I don't have any honing stones yet but I do have CrOx on some webbing. Would I be able to use this metal polish and then give it a good number of laps on the pasted strop or do you think it would be too fine a grit?

Let the blade dry for a few hours before oiling it. The oil can trap moisture against the blade.

Edit: Looks like you're right in my neck of the woods, I'm near East Brunswick.

Originally Posted by Maxx

I don't have any honing stones yet but I do have CrOx on some webbing. Would I be able to use this metal polish and then give it a good number of laps on the pasted strop or do you think it would be too fine a grit?

I guess that would all depend on to what degree you damage the edge.

Originally Posted by Moonshae

Let the blade dry for a few hours before oiling it. The oil can trap moisture against the blade.

Yeah, don't buy that. Water needs air to rust steel so what you're suggesting is actually more likely to cause rust unless the oil can somehow trap oxygen as well, or if thewater is very acidic to start with.

So you guys think this poses any significant that besides cosmetic? I'd rather not mess with the blade of I don't have to.

Also as far as after the shave should I oil or right away and leave it out of the sleeve for like 10 hours while I'm at work or continue to put it in the sleeve before work?

Thank you in advance,

Max

If your blade and scales contain any moisture - you are trapping it in when you put the razor away in a sack. Careful drying and then oiling should be sufficient to stop this happening again. However, I'd advise you invest in an applicator rather than using your fingers. There's a Japanese one that has a wick in the top and the bottle screws together - you fill the bottom of the bottle and the oil then wicks to the applicator keeping your fingers well away from the edge.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

It's rust & anybody's guess how it got there but essentially that spot was exposed to air & water for too long.
There seems to be staining in other areas near the edge unless it is the pic.

I have seen a razor rust before my eyes as I was honing it. It's rare but it can happen. My solution was to polish it with metal polish that contains a wax & then hone it. I advised the owner to wipe it only while shaving & not wet it to be on the safe side.

You could possibly clean that up with a toothpick & some metal polish but be careful not to contact the edge

It's possible you put it away with some moisture inside the scales. I would leave the razor open a few hours or overnight before putting away.

I had that happen on a Fredrick Reynolds I was sanding. Left it for about 3 minutes and the entire blade rusted. It was amazing how fast it happened. The rust sanded off easily.

I agree with Oz. That rust along the blade had to be moisture left there. I do not understand how it happened with your regimen but it certainly happened.

If you are unsure how to get rid of the rust I would send it to one of the pro restorers.

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 found an old pipe rack really cheap in an antique shop and it works well for storing razors.
When they are wet I just drop them in with the blade open to let them dry.
Looks kinda cool too!!