Thread: Duration of a stropped edge

My advice is to take two or three razors with you, strop after every shave and coat the blades with TUFF-GLIDE or mineral oil. Rumor is that Navy Seals use TUFF-GLIDE on their guns and knives to keep them corrosion free, however, I would opt for the oil coating.

P.S.
You can strop on newspaper wrapped around a hardcover book if you have to.

Sounds like a good science experiment in the making. By the time you get back you should be able to author an extensive research paper. "The corrosive effects of marine air on the shave ready blade" would be a good title I think. You should apply for a research grant from SRP.

Well here's another who works at the ship. Not tugs but somewhat larger vessels. Mostly on Baltic Sea area and occasionally little further too. Usually i'm out about 5-15 days or so.
I've had a straight razor with me at work. With shorter sails, say 5-7 days i didn't carry my strop. Shaves were ok, but it depends on the razor. After say 4-5 shaves my edges start to lose their best edge but they are still relatively ok. Wedges last longer than hollows in my experience. For the longer sails i've simply carried my strop with me. Then i got bored on carrying my strop and started shaving with Rolls Razor. I have it in my cabin but it is easy to carry with too, and doesn't take much room in your luggage.

However i've never had any problems with rust. After shave i just wipe the blade with the towel and put the razor back to its box. No rust ever.
If you are afraid that your razor rusts then just wipe some oil into the blade. Remember that most ships are made of steel and rust is no major problem.

Originally Posted by MaritimeFanatic

The interior of the cabin are, for the most part, pretty dang nice. I've been on tugs that were nicer than my apartment. New boats usually have all the amenities - internet, flat screen tvs, independent air circulation and really good food. I eat better out on the water than at home!

Now this made me jealous

Sacrilege I know but I'd take a shavette

Originally Posted by Jeltz

Sacrilege I know but I'd take a shavette

OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!

Nice to see a fellow merchant mariner! What type of ship do you work on, Sailor? I have a buddy over in the Baltic as we speak working on an MSC ship.

I have had good luck with the boats I've worked on - and our families think we are soooo brave going out for a month....... My boats have been nice, and it's a godsend after a while. Pushing petroleum barges, more often than not, I have found to be pretty high stress and you don't sleep much.

Corrosion isn't a huge consideration for me, I'm planning on just giving each blade a nice coating of camellia oil. I think I'm going to try to make a small paddle strop - seems to be the best option. You know how it is though, no matter how nice your boat is, there is never much space. If it doesn't fit in your little drawer it lives in the rack with you.

Take a straight razor and a DE for backup

Originally Posted by MaritimeFanatic

Nice to see a fellow merchant mariner! What type of ship do you work on, Sailor? I have a buddy over in the Baltic as we speak working on an MSC ship.

I have had good luck with the boats I've worked on - and our families think we are soooo brave going out for a month....... My boats have been nice, and it's a godsend after a while. Pushing petroleum barges, more often than not, I have found to be pretty high stress and you don't sleep much.

Corrosion isn't a huge consideration for me, I'm planning on just giving each blade a nice coating of camellia oil. I think I'm going to try to make a small paddle strop - seems to be the best option. You know how it is though, no matter how nice your boat is, there is never much space. If it doesn't fit in your little drawer it lives in the rack with you.

I'm in the Navy. Graduated as a Watch keeping engineer as my STCW education. A man from the valley of nuts and bolts

This winter has been very hard in the northern Baltics. Ice cover is more than 1 meter (39 inches) in some areas. At the north pack ice walls are at its best more than 8 ft above and 10 ft below waterline. Regular ferries are stuck in harbors leaving tens of populated islands isolated. So besides regular tasks we've been providing supplies (food, fuel, freshwater, medical services) to those islanders. Mostly fishermen, their families and senior citizen who've lived in their home islands for all their lives.

It is true that rust is not a problem in a ship if you keep it in a room temp and if the A/C works ok. Better use some oil just to be sure. If you are not familiar with the Rolls Razor i would suggest you to make a search from these sites. It is really handy, vintage, fine tool that practically takes no room at all. Goes in your pocket. The strop and the hone included. Once honed properly it shaves as well as straight razor. Another nice razor is Valet but it takes separate blades that are bit difficult to find, at least cheap.

That's really cool, Sailor. Obviously the ice is not desirable, but it certainly is a different experience. We don't get anything like that over here, but I got to sail in Newfoundland a few years ago and the ice was amazing. There is something special about navigating around mile-long ice bergs and having ice of bergie-bits cooling your drinks!

I'll look into the Rolls Razor, sounds pretty cool. I am looking forward to playing around with a new shave kit for the boat. Justifiable AD! Huzzah!

I second the rolls razor suggestion... very underrated shaver IMO. Still cannot understand why a borderline straight razor will often go for $20 or more on ebay while a complete rolls razor kit often sells for $10 or less. Sheeples.