Thread: Storing razor in oil filled container?

Hi,

This might be a stupid idea but I have been contemplating this for a couple of weeks, well if it is any excuse I have only been straight razor shaving for 6 weeks.

Instead of making sure my main razor is completely coated in oil after each use and storing it out of the bathroom away from humidity and using up oil in the process, I was thinking of purchasing a small plastic lidded container just big enough to house the razor and filling up this container full of mineral or camellia oil.

So all I would have to do after cleaning and drying off the razor after each use was to fully submerse and store the razor in oil filled container and place it on my bathroom shelf and before using the razor again just take it out of the container and wipe off the oil with a cloth.

Is this an ok idea or would it not be recommended?

Thanks.

Have you tried it? I soaked mine in neatsfoot oil and after two days I was still getting oil off my fingers.

I think you should soak your razor in oil for a minute then try using it. You won't try again....
My opinion only....

Yup , tried that whe reviving some horn scales.. Bad idea...it takes alot to get the excess off. Do you really need the oil? The only time my razor rusted was in Central America and in Hawaii whe I didn't use it for awhile..of course now I live in Colorado... You have to import rust up here... There isn't enough oxygen to let anything rust.

Lots of oil would get wasted each time you wished to use the razor, so you'd constantly be refilling your container and you'd be shaving with a greasy, slippery scaled razor, unless it is a kamisori you are referring to, which would still be a waste of oil.

Go for the Karate Kid approach: wipe on, wipe off. Simple.

If your only concern was preventing corrosion I guess this might work. The problem is two fold. First, not all scale materials would tolerate oil immersion without damage. Second, you really don't want the razor to be slippery when you use it so a coating of oil will be a big problem.

With reasonable care you shouldn't have to resort to anything this radical to protect your razor. I am careful to avoid getting anything other than the blade wet when I use a razor. If I know I won't be using a razor for a while a little spray of camellia oil takes care of it. So far, no problems with corrosion.

I agree with Bill. It'd be a mess when you go to use it, Oil would be all over the inside of the scales, it'd be slippery, and as he said, scales aren't meant to be submerged in oil 24/7. What I do after my razor dries, is wipe down the blade with a silicone treated cloth, like a gun cloth... This is great for razors out in rotation, it protects the blade, and wipes off easily prior to use. Blades I'm not currently using are protected with Renaissance wax.

It's an interesting and creative idea. If you could just drop the blade in oil you wouldn't have to hassle with wiping it on each time. But, if you're looking to keep from "using up oil" you'd actually be using up more oil as you'd have to wipe off the entire blade, tang, and scales every time you went to shave.

I have folks in my church with family in New Zealand, and from some of their stories I suspect protecting from rust is going to be a concern for you, whereas here in the middle of the U.S. most guys don't have to worry much about that. If you wanted to simplify the process, I'd suggest getting your small container and putting an oil soaked rag in it. When you're done shaving you can pull the rag out, wipe down the blade, and put the rag back. It'll last a very long time, use only the minimum amount of oil needed, and be quicker than applying oil with a q-tip or by some other means.

FWIW!

Peace,
Jim

It is just as simple to wipe on/ wipe off. The idea is over solving a problem that does not really exist. It is a waste of resources for what is meant to be more sustainable means of shaving.

Rust is bad, but it is not a terrorist threat.
Complete oil immersion would be a pain, I'll bet.
I protect my blades all the same, here are the facts:
After wiping off I coat and buff them with Renaissance Wax.

How many times are you going to shave in your lifetime? And how much oil will that consume?

It takes one drop of oil to cover a blade, if you spread it around with a piece of toilet paper.

There are 20 drops per ml, roughly. So there are 20,000 drops in a quart of mineral oil, which you can buy for a few bucks at the pharmacy (or the gas station).


Charles