Thread: Resting a razor?

I have read more than once that some believe you need to rest your razor for a day or two after shaving. Is there any truth to this maxim or is this just a myth? If it is a myth how did this idea get started?

I say myth.
Who know how it started?

Yeah, myth. If I let a razor sit too long I usually feel like I want to hone it, like the sharp/keen got old somehow. That's probably a myth too.

I never heard of resting a razor but I have heard of letting your razor air dry for at least a day or so, more if you want. I will wipe mine off, blow through it in case there might have been some water in between things. (I've blown excess water out before). If I have some, I'll use canned air like they use on computers. I wipe it one last time & let it sit for about a day. I apply some pivot lube, wipe off excess & put it away.

Vintage, R.A.D.

But Babe, I have to let the razor rest so the edge can rebuild, at least 7 days…

Yes, I've heard of this, the legend is you are supposed to allow the razor to, "Fin", to rest for 24 hours or so.

The thinking being that the edge will return to its proper shape with a rest, as in straight, upright dorsal fin shape. That using the razor causes the edge to droop, or bend, and resting the razor and of course stropping the razor, returns it to its best performing state....legend? Who knows.....

Actually just checked my TI instructions and it say the same thing, as does the Dovo web site,

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I think that it sounds like it was a good old time marketing technique to get people to buy more razors. If the you follow the mantra that a razor must be rested for a few days then you're going to need a few razors in your rotation.

Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

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That's it actually, as explained to me by an old time honemeister and owner of one of the oldest wet shaving stores in Canada.

He held his hand up and said the edge was like a dorsal fin, when it's straight up, it's good, but when a whale for instance has its fin drooping to the left of right, it's a sign that it's "sick", not right. So as the legend was explained by him, after a shave, the razor needed to be allowed to, "Fin" for 24 hours or so.

En Francais, it means to "finish", or "end", which translates more appropriately as, "rest".....