Question for those who use Renaissance Wax Polish...

Trying to incorporate as many steps as I can to keep my razors looking and working well..

I bought Renaissance Wax Polish in hopes of adding another layer of protection from water spots. I applied it to clean blades. I also use the hot water rinse and toilet tissue dry techniques. My razor dries, open, on my dresser before it gets stropped and stored before I turn it at night. Alas, I opened one of them find a spot on the blade in spite of all these precautions.

I am diagnosing these steps and think maybe the hot water washed dissolved the Renaissance Wax.. entirely plausible. But am anal about drying the blade as well as inside and outside of the scales, so not sure how this slipped by.

For that use Renaissance Wax, do you skip the hot water rinse??

The only thing that works with all razors under any condition that I have run across is to apply oil. Ren wax is good but I use an applicator like this one to apply oil after every shave.

Attachment 131168


Camilla oil is one of the most used oils but I also add a small amount of Corrosion X in the mix. I have had zero problems since I started using oil years ago. I got the applicator from Japan Woodworkers but they are available in other places.



Take care,
Richard

I use Renaissance Wax on many things but not my razors, I use mineral oil applied after each shave, no problems in my 2 1/2 years.

Okay... so maybe I jumped on the R-Wax too quickly.

Adding a dab of oil is not terribly difficult, with or without the applicator, but I have only a few razors and tend to use one for back to back shaves.

Oil on, Oil off 24 hours later... I would think that would be the drill.

When do you strop and when do you apply the oil? I don't strop the mornings razor until I get home and it sits open air all day. I have precious little time in the morning to do it. Oiling after use would mean I have to wipe the oil off when I get home to avoid ruining my strop, and then reapply it a second time same day.

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

Okay... so maybe I jumped on the R-Wax too quickly.

Adding a dab of oil is not terribly difficult, with or without the applicator, but I have only a few razors and tend to use one for back to back shaves.

Oil on, Oil off 24 hours later... I would think that would be the drill.

When do you strop and when do you apply the oil? I don't strop the mornings razor until I get home and it sits open air all day. I have precious little time in the morning to do it. Oiling after use would mean I have to wipe the oil off when I get home to avoid ruining my strop, and then reapply it a second time same day.

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My drill before a shave is to strop on a small towel that I have laying on the side of the sink to remove the oil. Strop on leather, shave, then rinse razor under a stream of hot water, strop on a towel to dry blade, then set aside on the towel while I clean the brush... and so on. I then come back to the razor and blow out the pivot point from the back side and apply oil.

There are so many different approaches to all this but do I read correctly that you strop the night before? There is no drying out all day if you oil it and the mixture that I use actually displaces water. Don't worry as you gain experience the amount of time for a shave will plummet and there will be time to strop 20 laps during the morning shave. I like the applicator because I don't like wiping any sharp object, let alone in the morning.


Just a though,
Richard

9 times out of 10 I shave in the morning.. though I often shave twice a day.. just because I can..

Pre-shave... nothing. The razor should be ready to go. Time is limited.

Post shave...
- Rinse blade, place it on clean towel while I clean the brush
- run under hot water, dry in and out with toilet tissue and blow out the pivot point
- place on my dresser to dry for the day
- When I come home.. Give it another wipe (really just want a reason to fondle it)
- Strop and put away for the next use..

I too use mineral oil for blade protection. But the amount of oil required to do the job adequately is still too small to cause problems with anything else. I don't remove the oil before stropping or shaving the next time and I've never noticed any transferring to my strop. Even if it did transfer a small amount to my strop or my face, it wouldn't bother me. That's why I chose mineral oil as opposed to WD40 or the like. It only takes a little bit.

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Originally Posted by deadrift

I too use mineral oil for blade protection. But the amount of oil required to do the job adequately is still too small to cause problems with anything else. I don't remove the oil before stropping or shaving the next time and I've never noticed any transferring to my strop. Even if it did transfer a small amount to my strop or my face, it wouldn't bother me. That's why I chose mineral oil as opposed to WD40 or the like. It only takes a little bit.

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I think I can incorporate mineral oil into my post process if it doesn't cause damage to the strop..

Can you tell me more? How much and how do you apply it?

Is it like a drop, spread with your finger? Half that? Wipe it off after applying??

Ren wax is great stuff however it needs to be used in small amounts. and buffed off after you apply. Because if you don't buff it practically all off, leaving only a trace of Ren wax it will be damn near impossible to remove.
Been there done that.
Tarkus

I do a quick polish with Nu Finish when I do a touch up hone and I dry my razors before putting them away. (By leaving them open in an air conditioned room for 12 hrs)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

Can you tell me more? How much and how do you apply it?

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I shake the bottle once so that the inside of the cap gets coated. I then remove the cap, lightly dab my finger on the inside of it then replace the cap. I rub my thumb and forefinger together thereby spreading the dab between them. I then rub my blade between my thumb and forefinger using special care near the edge so as not damage either it or my fingers. This one dab, which I'm sure is less than one drop, is enough to do the entire blade and tang with just a bit for the scales if I want. The next time I use the blade there will be some 'beading' of the oil but I don't bother wiping it off, it just doesn't hurt anything. (Note that all of my oiling is only done after a thorough tissue assisted total razor drying cycle).