Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 46
Like Tree36Likes

Thread: Carbon steel oxidation/rust developing very rapidly

  1. #21
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    371
    Thanked: 31

    Default

    OK folks. I think our water here does have a good amount of minerals (maybe calcium) in it, since water drops stain everything easily when they dry up. Still, I have 10 razors, and this is the only one that reacts like this. Of the others, only one is stainless. My pre-1890 razor that I use every now and then also does not show any signs of rust (I am mentioning this as an example of presumably "old-fashioned steel").

  2. #22
    Senior Member Raol's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Calgary Alberta 'eh
    Posts
    976
    Thanked: 154

    Default

    Attachment 262063


    Can't quite put my finger on it but ........
    something about that picture that just don't feel right.......
    cudarunner likes this.
    S.L.A.M.,.......SHAVE LIKE A MAN!!!
    Not like a G.I.R.L. (Gentleman In Razor Limbo)

  3. #23
    'with that said' cudarunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Walla Walla in WA State USA
    Posts
    11,151
    Thanked: 4230

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Raol View Post
    Attachment 262063

    Can't quite put my finger on it but ........
    something about that picture that just don't feel right.......
    hehehe

    Well you definitely don't get all tanked up and decide to jump into the shower without thinking!
    Speedster likes this.
    Our house is as Neil left it- an Aladdin’s cave of 'stuff'.

    Kim X

  4. #24
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    371
    Thanked: 31

    Default

    OK, now a bit of good news:
    I started looking up the products you guys mentioned online, but then I thought I should check my local hardware store. They had something interesting: "Cape Cod Polishing Cloths for fine metals". I was looking for something mild, and the pack also said that it is anti-tarnish so it sounded promising. With this stuff I managed to restore the blade to pretty much how it was when it arrived. There's some tiny spots in the etching still, but I managed to remove a much nastier spot on the spine.

    Now I'm wondering if I should try to shave with it or if I should wait until I get Renaissance Wax?

    EDIT: forgot to mention that I wiped off the Cape Cod material with my razor oil
    Last edited by trondsi; 04-20-2017 at 01:04 AM.

  5. #25
    Senior Member kelbro's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    N. Carolina
    Posts
    1,352
    Thanked: 181

    Default

    The maintenance procedures that I see described here make me very glad to live in such a dry environment. Wow. I wipe mine off with a towel and blow any drops out of the scales. Strop 25 laps on leather and I'm done. Never seen a speck of rust or corrosion and my rotation razors sit right on the edge of the sink.

    Of course not many of you would trade with me when its over 115° here for weeks at a time!
    Demetrius likes this.

  6. #26
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    371
    Thanked: 31

    Default

    I actually also live in a dry environment, here in Southern California.

    Anyway, I did an experiment with my trusty DD Wonderedge*: shaving with exactly the same materials as I did with the Ralf Aust a couple of days ago, including cleaning off oil on the blade with soapy fingertips, and afterwards leaving the blade wet while putting on aftershave and then going over some missed spots before finally cleaning off the razor, and giving it a quick stropping.

    The DD has not a stain to be seen after this (apart from some old ones that have always been there).

    Should I do the same again with the RA next time? I have a bad feeling about this......

    *(BTW I also revived this with my slurry strop technique, and it worked wonders again)

  7. #27
    Senior Member blabbermouth ejmolitor37's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Knoxville,IA
    Posts
    2,368
    Thanked: 762

    Default

    I purchased a new Portland Razor Leviathan from the bay and first shave it got little spots all over the blade I don't get water in the scales but as you say it appeared as I was shaving, basically between passes. After I shaved I used a bit of metal polish carefully on the blade and it was fine. I noticed the other day I used this razor and it was back after my shave. I wiped it clean let it dry and polished again, I imagine as Glen says after a bit of time this will subside and all will be well. Just a bit of an extra step after each use.
    Nothing is fool proof, to a sufficiently talented fool...

  8. #28
    Senior Member Porl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    688
    Thanked: 123

    Default

    This is a little concerning to me.

    All of the advice is good here as always, and I am like TC and don't oil my blades but as GSSixgun suggested I leave the razor open for a good few hours before putting it away. I have had no problems with this routine.

    The thing that is concerning though, is that we are not talking about someone with no experience not looking after their razor correctly. This is happening during the shave with an experienced straight razor user! I don't expect that his water or routine has changed just with this one razor. If the marks are appearing during the shave the post shave drying routine is a little late really.

    Occasionally I have marked the blade with an oily fingerprint that comes off fairly readily but nothing else has ever come up that quickly for me.

    I looked at this post as I am considering an Aust as my next purchase and I am encouraged by all of the people that have them with no issues but concerned by this. Would it be worth contacting the manufacturer to see if they have seen anything similar from anyone else?
    Fact: Opinions are not the same as facts... Well, that's my opinion anyway

  9. #29
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    371
    Thanked: 31

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ejmolitor37 View Post
    I purchased a new Portland Razor Leviathan from the bay and first shave it got little spots all over the blade I don't get water in the scales but as you say it appeared as I was shaving, basically between passes. After I shaved I used a bit of metal polish carefully on the blade and it was fine. I noticed the other day I used this razor and it was back after my shave. I wiped it clean let it dry and polished again, I imagine as Glen says after a bit of time this will subside and all will be well. Just a bit of an extra step after each use.
    Finally someone with the same issue
    If it stops soon then I suppose it's ok, but if it continues I'm not sure I can go on with this razor. It took me a good half hour to get rid of the spots. Mine was that bad.
    Thanks for reporting!
    ejmolitor37 likes this.

  10. #30
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    371
    Thanked: 31

    Default

    I received a response from Ralf Aust, but I am not sure I understand it.
    He does refer to "appendix a material of the forge Herkenrath from solingen" which I am not familiar with, but he also says that the steel has always been the same for all the Solingen blades, so it should not be a problem of the steel.

    Anyway, I am trying an experiment since two of you think that the blade needs to develop a natural microscopic patina: letting the blade oxidize gently without shaving. Every now and then, I am cleaning off all the oil with soapy water, rinsing the blade with hot water, and then drying it off thoroughly with towels, then stropping. When completely dry I will let it sit open on my shelf for half an hour or so before oiling it. I will do this now and then for a few days.

Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •