Thread: Keep Razors Dry

This is what works for me. After the shave (or honing session) dry the blade with a clean dry soft towel taking care to not drag it on the edge. Use a dry towel area to pinch in between thumb and index finger while the razor is lying on another towel, and not between your fingers. Pull the thumb and index finger down several inches of towel several times to dry your thumbprint and index fingerprint thoroughly. Then dry the edge of the blade itself by carefully pinching the edge at the rear with dry thumb and index finger from over the spine. Carefully pull toward the tip. Then use a hair dryer or the flame from a gas range burner (about 4" above the flame) to quickly dry the blade. You can see the "frost" disappear from the blade with the flame application. Hold the shank itself to make sure to not overheat the blade as it doesn't take long to vaporize the "frost". Then test spine for heat on wrist and strop carefully while warm. I had some razors start to rust after honing or shaving with cloth wiping alone even with camelia or Tuf-Glide applied afterward; in addition they had been stored in a dry room away from any source of moisture. Have had no problems since using this method.
Monte

I don't know how any of this will work for me I live in Louisiana.

I notice Lynn strops the razor after the shave. This is supposed to squeeze moisture out of the microserrations. Who else does this? it seems like it might be a good precaution.

I strop before and after the shave, both linen and leather sides...

After reading all the posts about drying and cleaning, I guess the guilt of laziness finally set in. Although I had been thoroughly drying my razors after each shave, I had never really taken the time to clean and polish them. Several of them had black dots starting to appear on the blade. SOoooo, this morning, I took my 3 favorite go-to razors and gave then a good cleaning and polish (maas is a great product). It amazing how much dirt and grud came off in the polishing rag. Now they are all shiny and new looking. The problem is, they look so good, I don't want to use them (lol )

Man you guys are scary all that drying and blow drying. wow. I just dry on a towel and put it in the broken cigar box where I keep my razors. I even keep them in the bathroom. No spots or rust marks after more than a year.

Originally Posted by RichZ

Man you guys are scary all that drying and blow drying. wow. I just dry on a towel and put it in the broken cigar box where I keep my razors. I even keep them in the bathroom. No spots or rust marks after more than a year.

Rich,
I think we must be living right. I've had the same experience as you, thorough drying after the shave, stored in the bathroom (not in a box either, in an open mug on the sink) and no problem with rust or black spots. Must be good ventilation, because it is certainly humid enough here in Alabama.
Ed

Originally Posted by jim28277

It amazing how much dirt and grud came off in the polishing rag.

That is not dirt, but metal particles removed with the abrasive in the metal polish. It will come off any metal you polish with MAAS or similar product.

Nenad

Ed,


I mean NYC is not the most humid area but over the summer it can get a tad humid. I don't understand why these other guys are having problems? I am really curious. As my uncle said when he saw his best friend in a coffin "Better him than me, the bastard" ( Uncle Ed was never very sentimental).

Originally Posted by RichZ

Ed,


......As my uncle said when he saw his best friend in a coffin "Better him than me, the bastard" ( Uncle Ed was never very sentimental).

We'll assume your uncle Ed was the one standing and looking down and not the guy lying down with the pale complection....