Thread: rusty razors

I have seen a few posts about rusty razors, assuming the razors are in an enclosed environment adding a sachet of silica gel would absorb the moisture, you normally get it free in shoes, and weirdly beef jerky (had to stop a friends girlfriend from sprinkling it over the jerky- she thought it was extra seasoning). And if not should be fairly easy to obtain. I threw a few in with my tools when they went by sea from UK to Australia no rust or owt.

Yup. My razors are stored with a bunch of the stuff in an airtight container. Just not a great idea with untreated wooden boxes. Ask me how I know.

Hey ed,

One of the best storage things I've found is applying Renaissance Wax to the blades, and I also treat the scales too. Great stuff and used by the British Museum. Here's a link to a source (don't think it'll help you since it's in California) but you can read about it and then maybe source it down under. Oz may have a clue to finding it.

I even treat my regular rotation of razors with it too. Helps keeps soap, etc. from adhering to the blade.

Straight Razor Maintenance & Repair Needs



Howard

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Yup. My razors are stored with a bunch of the stuff in an airtight container. Just not a great idea with untreated wooden boxes. Ask me how I know.

Oh go on then, how do you know? :-)

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

Hey ed,

One of the best storage things I've found is applying Renaissance Wax to the blades, and I also treat the scales too. Great stuff and used by the British Museum. Here's a link to a source (don't think it'll help you since it's in California) but you can read about it and then maybe source it down under. Oz may have a clue to finding it.

I even treat my regular rotation of razors with it too. Helps keeps soap, etc. from adhering to the blade.

Straight Razor Maintenance & Repair Needs



Howard

Thanks For The Link!

I just use a quick spray and wipedown with inox(not food grade, is a bit hard to find in Karratha), as sugested by Oz, though I do only have one and a bit razors currently.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Oh go on then, how do you know? :-)

I didn't keep the pieces or I could show you pics.

I treat my razors with Ballistol. It's a fine weapon oil made from natural ingredients. It's good for wood, plastic and leather also. A "swiss army knife" like WD-40 but dermatologically tested. It is a German product but probably available in other countries too. That's their website: Ballistol | Startseite

I use Eucalyptus oil. I may have already said that, I tend to say that a lot. Also, having a reasonably small number of razors in constant rotation (I have seven) means they all get used about once a week (which means they get maintained once a week). I actually allocate a day to each razor, working through my two three-razor cases and 'loose' razor in its coffin in order.

I often don't shave on Saturdays, and only randomly shave on Sundays, so some get less use than others, but I swap the order quite a bit. For instance, today I used my Klas Törnblom, but that's actually 'programmed' for Sundays. I didn't use that on Sunday, though, as I used the Jernbolaget that I'd freshly honed, so I used it today instead, as I'm half way through honing the troublesome De Pews which was what was actually programmed for today.

I program them based on sharpness, smoothness and their character. For instance, I don't want to follow a really sharp razor with another really sharp razor; I want a smooth (rather than sharp) razor to follow a sharp razor. I also want a really nice razor on Mondays (to combat Mondayitis) but also a nice one on Tuesday (Tuesdays are boring). Sunday of courses reserved for the most special razor. Friday is a bit of a problem. It can be a don't care day (as in casual Friday) but on the (very rare) event one may venture to the pub one may wish to be well shaved. Thursdays can be anything, but still keeping with the sharp doesn't follow sharp ethos.

Saturday is DE day, as my father used a DE and I remember he'd shave after mowing the lawns and before tea on Saturdays...

I think maybe I missed a day out there somewhere, did I?

Originally Posted by SirStropalot

Hey ed,

One of the best storage things I've found is applying Renaissance Wax to the blades, and I also treat the scales too. Great stuff and used by the British Museum.

Thanx for the headsup on the Renwax Howard.
Think I've seen Renaissance products in some of the hardware chains here.