Thread: What are some good post-shave tips for razor care?

Just so when I receive mine, I know what to do to get the most life and efficiency out of it.

If you rinse your razor during a shave, how do you dry it off after?
Is a post-shave strop necessary?

Any tips you guys have is appreciated..

Thanks

Razors don't need much. I wipe mine with a towel and blow air through the scales then leave it open on end about 30 minutes then oil it and put it away. If you use the same couple of razors every day you don't need to oil it. Some guys will strop afterwards to ensure its dry. A good idea if you are rushed to stow it away in the morning.

After each shave, I rinse the blade under a running tap and pinch-clean the razor with a paper tissue, and make sure it is dry. I never strop after the shave. I don't keep them in the bathroom, but in a drawer in my living room, which is not as moist an environment as a bathroom. If I will not be using that same razor for a prolonged time, I spread one drop of oil onto it. (the bottle says vaseline oil, which is kind of a petroleum based soft paraffiin, used for lubrification of sewing machines and such)
I never had any issues with corrosion that way, and my blades stay clean and free of tarnish.
I 've noticed that certain shaving soaps leave a nice satiny luster on the blade. I think those are the ones that have a high content of glycerin, but I'm not sure about that. The difference is very noticeable though.

Have fun with your razor, when it arrives.

Bart.

For starters I make sure I don't get anything wet other than the blade itself. After shaving, I wipe it down with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball and dry with a kleenex before leaving it in the living room. Not a good idea to keep razors in the bathroom.
For long-term storage, I use mineral oil (sold in any pharmacy as a laxative for like $2-3 per bottle).

Now how long is long-term storage? I shave every 4-5 days...do I need to oil it up?

Unless you live in the Malaysian rain-forest there's no need to oil it for such a short period. Just store it in some dry place, and it 'll be fine.
Many member here own a dozen or more razors, so I think it sometimes may be months before they use a razor again. In that case it is well worth the effort of applying some oil.
Just keep a close eye on the pivot point of your razor. If the way you treat and store it raises any corrosion issues, it will show itself first at the pivot point.

One of the best and fun ways to preserve a razor is ... to use it often.
Somehow, I think you figured that out already.

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Unless you live in the Malaysian rain-forest...

For a couple of years... I did !

After shaving rinse the razor in hot water (from the tap)... then wipe the blade dry and shake the water from between the scales... the residual heat from the hot steel will ensure the razor dries effectively... but leave in an open area while its cooling.

Greg Frazer

if you realy want to "safe-guard" from water put ur used razor after drying into a tupperware container containing a silica gel water absobing pack, you can buy small ones for under $10 and they are reusable, once they are saturated with moisture a indicator will go off and u put it in the oven for a few hours to dry it out agen. good for humid areas and long term storage. (i havent used for long term storage, but i cant see why it wouldnt work if it is an air thight container and u use oil on the blade as well) oh and to cover my A** i cant garenty that it will work lol but it should.

Originally Posted by Greg Frazer

For a couple of years... I did !

Greg Frazer

I did too, I'm still cleaning rust off my woodworking tools 3 years later!

Fantastic (except for the rust)

I'll send you a PM so I dont steer this thread in the wrong direction...

Greg Frazer