Thread: Im an idiot

Things I've experienced with my or other people's razor's.
1. Even if oiled steel can rust if there is cell rot present or the scales rub on the blade hence removing the oil.
2. Enough silica gel packs can dry out, shrink & crack timber.
3. Timber scales can hold moisture if not thoroughly sealed inside & out.
4. Bathrooms & window sills of bathrooms are generally bad places to leave razors.
5. Never oil razors with oil , eg vegetable oil, that is not specific to preserving steel.

To add, Mark's razor is of layers. These are particularly sensitive to having been not dried properly. I know from experience. You cannot get them dry enough.
For that reason, I open the hot tap and run hot water over the blade (not the pivot!) and get it hot. Then, I dry and strop the blade on the dry towel.

Leaving the blade open allows the warm steel layers to lose any remaining moisture to evaporation more quickly.

That and the TufGlide!

I've used hot water & a hair dryer to aid in the etching process with acids. It's amazing watching the red stuff form before your eyes.
Another oddity that one may be un/fortunate to see is the knife or razor that rusts as you hone it. Such fun

Originally Posted by sharptonn

To add, Mark's razor is of layers. These are particularly sensitive to having been not dried properly. I know from experience. You cannot get them dry enough.
For that reason, I open the hot tap and run hot water over the blade (not the pivot!) and get it hot. Then, I dry and strop the blade on the dry towel.

Leaving the blade open allows the warm steel layers to lose any remaining moisture to evaporation more quickly.

That and the TufGlide!

Thats pretty much exactly what I do Tom except I use Renaissance Wax. Unfortunately I didn't use the wax beforehand

For $10 you can buy 50 rechargeable desiccant packs on Amazon:https://smile.amazon.com/DRY-Premium...70_&dpSrc=srch

I live in Florida so humidity is a real problem. I also use the razor sleeves on every razor. It's cheap compared to having to try and remove rust. I also store my razors in my home office to keep away from the humidity in bathrooms. I find I don't need to oil the razors if stored in the sleeves and out of the bathrooms. It also helps to have air conditioning with a humidity control.

I always strop my razor on linen 10-15 times after use, then on leather and Apply razor oil to the blade and tang before putting it away. Our house is pretty dry and I store my blades quite a distance form the bathroom so humidity isn’t really an issue except in the late summer.

SO far, so good - no rust.

I like Ren wax too, especially on pits that have already formed, those like to keep going. One note though, wax, polish, grease or oil on the blade will keep water from riding up the blade to at least some degree, so it can make you think that your undercut when honing is wonky when it really isn’t.

Cheers, Steve