Thread: Idea: Camelia Oil + Alcohol Pad

What if I put a drop or two of Camelia Oil onto a newly opened alcohol cotton swab? I think after shaving and the post-shave cotton stropping, the alcohol would remove any excess water and the oil in the swab would very lightly coat the steel for moisture protection.

Thoughts?

I will experiment later, when I pack my razors for the move.

I am not sure how soluble the camellia is in the type of alcohol you are trying. You can try to get a small clear container and mix a small amount of each and see if the to stay mixed(solution) If they do, theoretically the alcohol will evaporate leaving the oil behind but try mixing them first otherwise you will have a mess. Acetone would actually work with this idea and it is a very powerful drying agent but work in a well ventilated area.
Mike

But with acetone, be very careful with certain types of scales/finishings (celuloid, acryllics, PU) or you may damage them.

Good point. I did not have that in mind at all. Acetone is a hot one for sure.
Mike

Alcohol, acetone, naptha, etc, are used to clean oils from blade. Hard to imagine the two together being effective.

a coating of light mineral oil will work just as well and cost a great deal less.

thanks everyone for the input:
on a different note, I bought the Camelia oil that is yellowish with white japanese writing and a white squeeze tip. stuff smells kind of aceton-ish... is this true? is it mixed with anything?

Originally Posted by bassguy

thanks everyone for the input:
on a different note, I bought the Camelia oil that is yellowish with white japanese writing and a white squeeze tip. stuff smells kind of aceton-ish... is this true? is it mixed with anything?

I tell my students that their noses are one of the most accurate qualitative tools in the chemistry arsenal. It is very possible that it has acetone or a mixture(more likely) of different solvents(like laquer thinner but probably not laquer thinner) and you are picking out the acetone. That is why you are saying "acetonish" because there is likey other solvents used to improve flow, slow drying time etc. What your nose does not tell you is how much, but if you are thinking of making a mixture, relax, mixtures(not all things you mix are mixtures, no accidents please) are like cooking not rocket science. You don't have to have a perfect stoichiometric ratio to make them work. Be like Emeril Lagassi when you play with mixtures. you can really make it fun if you throw the solvent in with reckless abandon and yell BAM!!! I do it all the time. Perfectly sound chemistry technique, Emeril was a former student, he was a disaster in Chemistry class but he really did the bam thing well.
Mmike

Originally Posted by kevint

Alcohol, acetone, naptha, etc, are used to clean oils from blade. Hard to imagine the two together being effective.

Because they are solvents for the oils, they ARE effective, though I wouldn't use acetone or naptha or any other toxic solvent. The oil dissolves in the alcohol. Then when the mix is applied to the razor (or when the razor is dipped in the solution), the alcohol quickly evaporates, taking water with it, and leaves behind the coating of oil.

I don't see the problem with acetone. Yes if you had heavy exposure of decided to take a bath with it.... Is not acetone the the active ingredient in fingernail polish remover? If you want to be totally neurotic about the safety aspect of it use it outside . It will be gone in very short order. I don't know about your arrangements here on earth but we aint gettin out alive.
Mike

Here is the MSDS. Do what I do and decide for yourself. It is not carcinigenic for the most part and lots and lots of ladies on planet earth have volunteered in an epidemiological study that has been going on for a couple of generations.
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/A0446.htm