Thread: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.