Thread: Is Rubbing Alcohol ok for a Straight Razor?

Originally Posted by Stubear

All I've ever used is soap and water. It seems to work well enough!

The only oil I've ever put on a blade is WD-40, as it keeps the water out and wipes off really easily.

Larzz, that mark on your razor should come off with MAAS and a Q-tip. I occasionally get them on some of my razors and they come off pretty easily..!

Isn't WD40 for like helping with roller blades or a rusty door?

If you spray your razor with that on the blade then shave I can't imagine it would be too kind on your face unless you got it all off somehow, but I imagine there will be some on the blade edge still. So this is really confusing to me.

Originally Posted by sproosemoose

Isn't WD40 for like helping with roller blades or a rusty door?

If you spray your razor with that on the blade then shave I can't imagine it would be too kind on your face unless you got it all off somehow, but I imagine there will be some on the blade edge still. So this is really confusing to me.

Do recall that after fully drying to the next day the cutting
edge itself will have been wiped again some 20 times on
the canvas side and +20 times on the leather side.

Still, your point is well taken which is why so many like mineral
oil. Mineral oil has the advantage of being inexpensive,
orderless and does not gets spritzed all over the bathroom causing
the misses to complain that it smells like a machine shop.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Do recall that after fully drying to the next day the cutting
edge itself will have been wiped again some 20 times on
the canvas side and +20 times on the leather side.

Still, your point is well taken which is why so many like mineral
oil. Mineral oil has the advantage of being inexpensive,
orderless and does not gets spritzed all over the bathroom causing
the misses to complain that it smells like a machine shop.

@sproosemoose:

Also, if you take a look at the Mineral Oil (USP) U.S.P. stands for United States Pharmacopeia, which means that it's medically safe. Infact, the main use for mineral oil is supposed to be as an intestinal Lubricant/Laxative. Hence why you find mineral oil in the pharmacy section of any department store like wal-mart.
Mineral oil is actually really neat stuff... It's uses go way beyond just a laxative. It can also be used to protect metal from rusting, and also as a wood conditioner among many other uses... I highly recommend reading up on it at wiki. Here is a link to the mineral oil section on wikipedia.
Mineral oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also, I'm assuming baby oil would be ok to use as a rust preventative as well considering baby oil is nothing more than mineral oil with added scent.

Personally, I wouldn't use WD-40 first and foremost because it's simply not the best oil out there... I shoot pistol competitively and gun enthusiasts know to stay away from using WD-40 on their guns because it's a low grade oil that eventually gunks up and attracts dust. This is not good when you are dealing with moving parts or folding knives that move on hinges.
For guns I stick with break-free gun oil. It's a much higher grade of oil. Even 3-in-1 oil isn't bad either. But as far as straight razors are concerned, straight razors are instruments that are used on your face, and often times can nick the skin, and I wouldn't want WD-40, break-free, 3-in-1, or any other type of synthetic oils anywhere near my face. That is why I would stick with regular mineral oil USP from the pharmacy. Since it's safe to drink and use as a laxative, it would be ok if it comes into contact with your face. And once again, it's approved by the United States Pharmacopeia.
For more info on the USP, check out the wiki page on USP at
United States Pharmacopeia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Larzz

@sproosemoose:

Also, if you take a look at the Mineral Oil (USP) U.S.P. stands for United States Pharmacopeia, which means that it's medically safe.
......
And once again, it's approved by the United States Pharmacopeia.
For more info on the USP, check out the wiki page on USP at
United States Pharmacopeia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

+12 on all except a caution about the above.
Some very nasty chemicals are tabulated in the USP.

USP is a standard of purity but the medical safety part
is not a given. A quick lookup of various arsenic
compounds will make my point.

Still mineral oil is a good thing for razor steel. Just
wipe and rinse the blade clean prior to use. Since the
ingredients in WD-40 are secret wipe and rinse twice

Wipe it down with hydrogen peroxide. Then wipe it dry and put your mineral oil on it.

Originally Posted by Vnam68

Wipe it down with hydrogen peroxide. Then wipe it dry and put your mineral oil on it.

Peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent! Your razor will not be the same color when you finish with this procedure... use at your own [tremendous] risk.

Some high carbon steels rust quicker than others. How long did your shave take ?
It is possible your blade was wet long enough to get some rust happening.
Keep on top of it with a mild metal polish & keep it oiled.
Absolutely no contact with acids or any oxidisers.
Does anyone know for sure the "scents" in baby oil are safe on carbon steel ?
I use an Aussie made WD spray called "Inox". It is food safe & I spray my carbon steel kitchen knives with it too.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

+12 on all except a caution about the above.
Some very nasty chemicals are tabulated in the USP.

USP is a standard of purity but the medical safety part
is not a given. A quick lookup of various arsenic
compounds will make my point.

Still mineral oil is a good thing for razor steel. Just
wipe and rinse the blade clean prior to use. Since the
ingredients in WD-40 are secret wipe and rinse twice

You are right about the purity part. Because something yields the "USP" label, doesn't necessarily mean it's ok to ingest. But if you know the product your buying is meant to be ingested in the first place, then seeing that USP label means your getting the highest regulated form of that substance...In this case, mineral oil.