straight razor gets rust in bathroom

hi ,

few weeks earlier, i discovered one of my razor has got rust all over the blade. it was a blade i was using every week. i was shocked when i saw it, just few days after i used it. first of all i did not understand why. then i remembered that i cleaned bathroom with acide for some places in WC, and bleach. there were weak smoke after i used acide.

i repaired the blade, but i'd like to know if anyone knows how to keep our blades in a case like i had, i will appreciate.


(yes it might be difficult to understand, as i took a couple of glasses bourbon. if it is the case, let me know, i will try to explain better)

Each one of my blades are on the bathroom counter, rolled in a cheap handkerchief, each coated in mineral oil. This might help in the future. never had a spot in 7 years of this method.

First and most important is to dry the razor well after use. Dry with a tissue and Strop on both canvas and leather 5 to 10 passes. Then let it air dry.
Does your bathroom have an exhaust fan? Do you keep the door closed? Does it have a window to let air in? What I am getting at is you need to remove excess moisture from the bathroom or get good air circulation. If impossible then find somewhere else to store your razor.

In general a bathroom is not the ideal place for a razor. If the room is very well ventilated or you well oil the blade you might be ok but if you can store them elsewhere you would be better off.

My method, since I'm always on the road: 1. dry well, 2. baby oil, light coat, 3. leather roll up. Pack up and go. Has worked well for just over 2 years now.

Aloha!

If you have ever seen condos and homes in Hawaii (not hotels or homes rented to vacationers but actual homes that Hawaiians live in), you know that most do not have air conditioning or heat. If you are hot, you open windows and let the trade winds blow through and turn on your ceiling fans. If you are cold, you close the windows. Humidity and salt air are everywhere. Keeping anything metal in that environment is a challenge.

I keep the blades coated with Camellia seed or mineral oil when left out. Currently on a Camellia seed kick. Both work. When put away in a more confined area, I use packets of dessicant to absorb moisture around the razors. Storing in the bathroom in Hawaii makes no difference VS any other room in the house. You typically aren't going to take a steaming hot shower when it's 88 degress and humid outside and 82 and humid in the house, so the bathroom is no more or no less humid than any other room. Every room in my home is probably as humid as your typical mainland bathroom.

The bright side is we don't use much skin moisturizer.

-Zip

I keep mine in a short drawer in my dresser. With a silica pack to absorb any moisture from the one I use that day which is also the only one out of its box. 10 months without a problem. Any new ones are quarantined for a bit if they have celluloid scales. I would suggest that when using most bathroom cleaners to remove all the razors from the bathroom before starting just because of the corrosive chemicals of most cleaners. Just to be safe if you don't have anywhere else to keep them.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

Each one of my blades are on the bathroom counter, rolled in a cheap handkerchief, each coated in mineral oil. This might help in the future. never had a spot in 7 years of this method.

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i do the same thing for my blades which i don't use very often. but the blade which i mentionned at the top, it was my blade which i was using every weak. si i don't put oil for such a blade, or not keep it in handkerchief.

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Originally Posted by Paul76

I keep mine in a short drawer in my dresser. With a silica pack to absorb any moisture from the one I use that day which is also the only one out of its box. 10 months without a problem. Any new ones are quarantined for a bit if they have celluloid scales. I would suggest that when using most bathroom cleaners to remove all the razors from the bathroom before starting just because of the corrosive chemicals of most cleaners. Just to be safe if you don't have anywhere else to keep them.

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after this issue, i do the same thing, i put blade out of bathroom, then take it back in. but i was asking myself, as i have a small appartement, i afraid the weak smoke of products (not so weak, i have to keep my nose and mouth covered with a medical mask, or with an old cloth) can infect to my other razors which are oiled and stocked in a roll slipcover.

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Originally Posted by Oustoura

i do the same thing for my blades which i don't use very often. but the blade which i mentionned at the top, it was my blade which i was using every weak. si i don't put oil for such a blade, or not keep it in handkerchief.

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The straight that I speak of are my rotation blades. My collection is coated with a different lubricant.

I keep a small jar with mineral oil in at next to the rotation. Aslo a shot glass filled with Q-Tips to dry the inside of the scales & apply the mineral oil.
I take a pair of pliers & squeeze the Q-tip ends, that way they fit in the scales without too much pressure. I squeeze about 30 Q-tips every month & a half. This takes about 5 minutes. Then put them in the shot glass. I wipe my straight dry, Q-tip the inside of the straight,,flip the Q-tip over & drop the dry tip in the little bottle,,,, strop my razor,,,, coat the blade in mineral oil,,, then roll the straight in the handkerchief.

From the moment I wipe the lather off the straight & roll it, it takes less than a minute to complete the above process.

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Originally Posted by Oustoura

after this issue, i do the same thing, i put blade out of bathroom, then take it back in. but i was asking myself, as i have a small appartement, i afraid the weak smoke of products (not so weak, i have to keep my nose and mouth covered with a medical mask, or with an old cloth) can infect to my other razors which are oiled and stocked in a roll slipcover.

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Well if the cleaners are bad enough that you need to cover your nose and mouth they are pretty harsh and might affect them due to build up of the chemical residue on the roll slipcover. I would just switch to a less harsh cleaner and wash the slipcovers just in case. But anyway it goes if it can cause rust that fast it can't be good foryour lungs either I would think.

Yep. Steel rusts. Gotta do something about that! ;)
A good coat and wipe-off of TufGlide after restoration/honing always does the trick for me.
I have yet to reapply to my blades which are kept in a reasonable environment.
YMMV

I buy silicone sleeves from The Superior Shave for all my razors. Never had any rust issues for any blade that has been kept in one of those.

Probably not a moisture issue, more likely caused by the acid you used. Best bet is to either change cleaners for the bathroom or remove your blades when cleaning. I don't think I would use any cleaner that requires me to wear a mask.

When using acid, it is especially important to listen to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" LP. That is all. Happy cruising. Wait, I thought "that is all". Well, never mind.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

When using acid, it is especially important to listen to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" LP. Been there Bro. Happy cruising.

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. .
:gaah:

Acid and bleach will probably release chlorine gas (the 'smoke') which is highly corrosive - and can be dangerous to breathe. If the acid is hydrochloric/muriatic, the vapors are also highly corrosive as they also contain chlorine.

You must keep carbon steel away from reactive chlorine materials like sodium chloride (salt), chlorine bleach (about 5% sodium hypochlorite), and hydrochloric acid.

Cheers, Steve

I dont keep straights in the bathroom, and make sure that they are oiled after every use

found the solution; today afternoon (or yesterday as we are now in wednesday :) ) i was coming back to home and i stopped to find something for decoration. i found those bags with zip n store (i guess that's how they are called in US) (not the zip as itself but same as the fridge bags ) with a hole to use with an aspirator to vacuum all air inside if the bag. now i am happy and not wondering about the blades. they are all get oiled, put in razor bags made by leather which i bought few years ago. o

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Originally Posted by Oustoura

hi ,

few weeks earlier, i discovered one of my razor has got rust all over the blade. it was a blade i was using every week. i was shocked when i saw it, just few days after i used it. first of all i did not understand why. then i remembered that i cleaned bathroom with acide for some places in WC, and bleach. there were weak smoke after i used acide.

i repaired the blade, but i'd like to know if anyone knows how to keep our blades in a case like i had, i will appreciate.


(yes it might be difficult to understand, as i took a couple of glasses bourbon. if it is the case, let me know, i will try to explain better)

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Ditch the acid and bleach, try carbolic soap instead and don't leave your razor in the bathroom.

I must be the lucky one, I store all my straights openly in holders in the bathroom and have for several years and have seen no signs of any rust I also never apply any oil to a blade but due ensure it's completely dry before putting away.

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Originally Posted by Jnatcat

I must be the lucky one, I store all my straights openly in holders in the bathroom and have for several years and have seen no signs of any rust I also never apply any oil to a blade but due ensure it's completely dry before putting away.

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yes but i think that you don't have cat at your place, i've one and it likes to play with my shaving products lol :rofl2::rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Oustoura

yes but i think that you don't have cat at your place, i've one and it likes to play with my shaving products lol :rofl2::rofl2:

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I am not sure a cat could jump on these, well maybe the aftershaves

Attachment 274128

To the original topic... i dunno, my wife uses the water of the shower so hot, that i think it can blister me.. when she opens the bathroom door it's like she was coming out fo a criogenic chamber in the movies.. creeeeeepy! LOL
anyway with that level of humidity in the air. i have NEVER dared to leave a razor on the bathroom, i clean and dry, take it to my office, put int aside waiting for it to finish drying, later i just pt some camellia oil and put it back in one of my boxes with desiccant.. i buy those Chinese white blocks that you can plug into a electric socket and it auto dries and "recharge".. also use a humidity level on the larger razors box.. the one with razors that are collection instead of "use as much as you can" and check every now and then.. if the humidity level goes over 40% i take one of the dehumidifiers (have two in that box) put it to dry ad then dry the other... but it rarely happens as it's a large box with seal and i rarely use the razors or knives i have there.. it does get humid as any time you open the lid fresh air enters.. ad also when a new razor arrives, even if i clean it and oil it, it some times also have a small qty of humidity that goes into the ai and then to the desiccant...

one important thing to remember is that humid air is lighter than dry air so it goes to the top, so if you want to use dessicant never put it on the bottom, but on the top. as well as your humidity sensor.

i know it's a bit extreme but you know... I freak out thinking some of them get rusty(er)

I live in FL and it is very humid. I purchased razor sleeves from SRD and store my razors in them. Never get rust. Anything like the chemicals you used can cause the fumes to rust or erode metal. I would not keep the razors in the bathroom because the humidity can also cause the blade to rust. Try the sleeves, they cost about $4.50 each but they do work. People have stored guns in the same material with great results.

Get them out of thebathroom....

Wow, I'm a little surprised so many leave there razors in the bathroom. Of course, I don't straight shave that often. I always wipe mine down with oil afterwards, probably excessively.

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Originally Posted by Jnatcat

I am not sure a cat could jump on these, well maybe the aftershaves

Attachment 274128

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Those aftershave bottles look a bit like hot sauce bottles on my phone (which would have been really out of place). That could lead to a painful mixup if it had been the case!

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Originally Posted by jkatzman

I live in FL and it is very humid. I purchased razor sleeves from SRD and store my razors in them. Never get rust. Anything like the chemicals you used can cause the fumes to rust or erode metal. I would not keep the razors in the bathroom because the humidity can also cause the blade to rust. Try the sleeves, they cost about $4.50 each but they do work. People have stored guns in the same material with great results.

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would you have any link to see them? i can not find on google.

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Originally Posted by JP5

Those aftershave bottles look a bit like hot sauce bottles on my phone (which would have been really out of place). That could lead to a painful mixup if it had been the case!

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They are repurposed hot sauce bottles, I truly hate aftershave in plastic so it made sense to put the Clubman line in all the same bottles and the labels were easy to remove.

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Originally Posted by Jnatcat

I am not sure a cat could jump on these, well maybe the aftershaves

Attachment 274128

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mine can make its clawns on my old strop. since i left it in the room if it wants again to play. my new strop is kept in a case.