Thread: Razor Maintenance

hey folks,

long time lurker, very infrequent (maybe 1st ever) poster.

i've been using a beautiful old Gillette DE razor for a while after moving over from a straight shavette. just wanting to know how you maintain them? i give it a good clean in the water post shave, a spray down with rubbing alcohol maybe once a week, but it's starting to feel a little stiff (after a year)

what should i be doing? do i need to be doing adjustments? polishing (pretty sure it's just stainless...)? cleaning with a product you know but i don't?

lend me your secrets!

(did a search, didn't come up up much, buy my google-fu is poor so happy for you to just link me too)

Thanks folks!


Fatty

Originally Posted by Fatoxious

hey folks,

long time lurker, very infrequent (maybe 1st ever) poster.

i've been using a beautiful old Gillette DE razor for a while after moving over from a straight shavette. just wanting to know how you maintain them? i give it a good clean in the water post shave, a spray down with rubbing alcohol maybe once a week, but it's starting to feel a little stiff (after a year)

what should i be doing? do i need to be doing adjustments? polishing (pretty sure it's just stainless...)? cleaning with a product you know but i don't?

lend me your secrets!

(did a search, didn't come up up much, buy my google-fu is poor so happy for you to just link me too)

Thanks folks!


Fatty

My guess would be mineral deposits, you can clean with some scrubbing bubbles cleaner along with a toothbrush just make sure you rinse clean than every few weeks put a drop or two of razor oil on the pivot points

Not much DE use on this forum but your more than welcome here. Enjoy the forum. Maybe we can get ya to switch to a real straight. Less moving parts. Lol.
Welcome to SRP, fatty.

If its stainless, I'd think a solution of vinager n water, or CLR, would remove any deposits.

If not, metal polish and a toothbrush, does wonders.

I have used cider or white vinegar to dissolve build up lime and soap crud. Toothpaste is a winner for an inexpensive polish.
JMHO
-Richard

Which model Gillette are you using and brand of soap?

Some soaps (especially Caned Soap) can leave a residue, build up and prevent a TTO mechanism from operating smoothly. If forced can damage the meshing parts.

I have disassembled TTO razors with the interior of the handle completely filled with hardened soap.

In general soaking in Dawn dish soap with hot water is the least aggressive. If build up is long term, it may require days of soaking and complete disassembly and ultrasonic cleaning with Simple Green or Awsome, most aggressive yet finish friendly.

A toothbrush and Scrubbing Bubbles works well for exterior cleaning, Rinse well and dry with microfiber. Be careful with metal polish, as the plating is thin, the same goes for aggressive cleaners, vinegar will eat the plating off over in a day or two, if left to soak in vinegar and forgotten about. If soaking, do so for short periods then a good scrubbing and rinse.

Nylon Firearm cleaning toothbrushes with small bristles on the other end work well for getting into tight spots and are inexpensive, you can find them on eBay.

If it's an oldish Gillette it's probably zinc with plating. Some of the very old Gillettes were made of brass with plate on them. To my knowledge Gillette didn't make a stainless DE.

Prevention is the key. After use a good rinsing to get all the visible gunk out. Soaking in mild detergent is probably best with a soft brush if needed. They can be dismantled but they really aren'tt designed to be broken down however sometimes they can have all kinds of gunk (as was said above) and then you have little choice.

you guys are legends, i'll get a photo of it and post up, it may not be stainless as many suggest - that was just me taking a punt.

i'll give this all a go and let you know! @gasman i actually came from a straight, but i'm no good at stropping and honing, and a buddy gave me this so i started and just got used to it.

I think my Murkur is stainless (pretty sure), but its modern. My Gillette fatboy is thinly plated and well worn. Every few months I will dip an old toothbrush in CLR and scrub it clean. Then a squirt of clipper cleaner/lub and done.

So here's some Moody photos of my razor. Not sure what it is or what it's made of.




I'll give the toothbrush treatment a go!