Thread: new razor rust

I haven't seen anyone suggest this yet, so I'll toss it into the mix.

I've lived in coastal marshes and high mountain deserts recently. The shaving zone has experienced gross humidity including mold and mildewed cloth. My razors have had the benefit of exposure to all sorts of environments.

The variable that I think will help is Hot Water. At the very last during cleanup, I rinse the blade in hot water. These are not massive blades but the whole blade warms. I wipe everything down with a dry towel and put the razor down for the next shave. Nothing else special, no oil, no treatment. What I think is happening is the residual heat from the hot water causes any leftover water to evaporate leaving a dry blade. My experience is no rust. Now one of my stored razors gets a light wipe with G96 or Gunzilla (because the G96 smells great and these are what I have on hand.) That's it.

In all my fiddling with steel over the years, I have noticed that human beings express differences in the acidity of their skin oils. A polished knife on a table for sale will show differences in fingerprints as they have been handled. I believe that some folks can touch a blade and leave a rusty fingerprint that shows in minutes where others are easily wiped away with no appreciable marks on steel.

Renwax equals Renaissance Wax. It works. Here's a link with a lot of education. https://www.theruststore.com/Renaiss...4aArTcEALw_wcB

Maybe a slightly better wax: Walker Wax. Made by a fellow out of Eugene OR. I've had Renwax seem to gum up with long storage. It's not miserable but Walker Wax doesn't seem to do that.

Really, any good barrier to the elements that cause oxidation will do.

Lastly, as all the other good advice suggests, get over the heartbreak and learn to accommodate chaos with protective rituals. Good steel rusts. Even so-called stain resistant steels will rust if given the right conditions. To keep myself from heartbreak, I've patinated blades deliberately to prevent rust formation. But then, they are not all nice and shiny objects any longer. It comes down to what you can live with.

So far the only steel I know of that won't rust is H-1. I'm testing some knives with that steel. It's a great knife steel. I'm not sure that it will make a great razor steel however.

I do the same thing, Mike. Scalding got water to warm the blade, wipe it down with a piece of toilet paper a quick stropping and back in the drawer. The only special thing I do is to put a drop of oil in the pivot when I get a razor whether new or vintage. For 5 years I haven’t had any rust issues with razors that I’ve restored or bought. The blades in queue get a quick scraping with a razor blade to get the active rust off then a light coat of gun oil until I can get to it.

I know a barber who has a highly acidic, touch. He's got a Tupperware bowl full of razors, with the tang and stabilizers rotted with rust.

I live on the ocean in the Middle East. It gets boggier than a frog's bum in the summer.

I like silicone razor socks quite a bit. That took care of my razor spotting issues. Google silicone razor socks, there are plenty of vendors.

My wife got me a super cool razor display for Christmas I now mounted right outside the bathroom... lets my razors and brushes air dry and haven't had any issues since. Of course, we haven't hit summer yet.

In all my years as a mechanic, first I've ever heard of oil trapping water and enhancing corrosion... I mean in theory... maybe? But if that's your concern a good wipedown of the blade will displace any water. Food based oils are probably best for your skin, but yes will go rancid (I experimented with coconut oil before I tried the silicone socks... was easy enough). Just shave with it. WD-40 is of course "water displacer" and will work well, as will ballistol. Not sure about getting those on your skin though... and I'd want to wipe before shaving. Sounds a hassle.

Yes in theory and fact oil will trap moisture. This is why leaving the razor open to air dry is a great way to ensure this doesn’t happen if you oil. The only protectant I use any more is if I store my razors for a long while. Mostly let them dry then put away while I use another razor. I live in a very high humidity area and no rust. Also I’ve used WD40 a lot. Can’t say it’s affected me. But like any razor I oiled it gets wiped down. I’m sure everyone wipes down their razor after oiling before use. Dry the razor completely and you’ll be good. We see this kind of rust from new guys because they just didn’t dry it

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Yes in theory and fact oil will trap moisture. This is why leaving the razor open to air dry is a great way to ensure this doesn’t happen if you oil. The only protectant I use any more is if I store my razors for a long while. Mostly let them dry then put away while I use another razor. I live in a very high humidity area and no rust. Also I’ve used WD40 a lot. Can’t say it’s affected me. But like any razor I oiled it gets wiped down. I’m sure everyone wipes down their razor after oiling before use. Dry the razor completely and you’ll be good. We see this kind of rust from new guys because they just didn’t dry it

Even if that were the case... it takes water + o2 + iron to make rust... Water and iron alone won't do it.

To each their own... I agree you shouldn't oil a wet tool, but if you're going to oil you're good after a wipe down.

Originally Posted by HungeJ0e

Even if that were the case... it takes water + o2 + iron to make rust... Water and iron alone won't do it.

The O in H2O is oxygen

For another solution for razor storage in high humidity environments Google "dry cabinet". You can also make on yourself.

Bob

Originally Posted by bluesman7

The O in H2O is oxygen

Right.! It has to be in very deep water, below the thermocline. No oxygen, there. No fish, either.!

Originally Posted by bluesman7

The O in H2O is oxygen

Yes... but no... conflating the molecule O2 with the element... rust requires O2 for the initial reaction to take O2 + 2 H2O -> 4OH... hydroxide goes on from there to bond with the iron and oxidize to rust...

No O2, no rust... (yes there can be dissolved O2 in water... but here we're talking a blade that's been wiped with a towel and then had oil applied... my contention is you're good... others clearly disagree...)