Rust inhibitors? (Long winded?)

I picked up a couple fixer-uppers from an antique mall to teach myself honing & how to rescale.

Pics of the one with the worst rust can be found in my album here on SRP.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/members/crawler-albums-photos.html

First, the reason for this thread. Then, related questions.

What should I use to protect my blades from rust? Less expensive is preferred, as is readily available (like at wally-world or The Lowe Depot or even local specialty shop). It would also be nice to have something that didn't require removal before shaving.

Considerations:
- WD-40
- Barbercide
- Camillia oil
- Baker's (mineral) oil
- Olive oil
- Some sort of polish like you get from kitchen cleaners isle, home goods isle, automotive isle, etc. in a big box store.

Are these good at warding off rust? For moderately long term storage? Needs to be wiped off before shaving? Won't cost something like $4+ per ounce? And I'm open to suggestions!


And now for the related tangent!

It's mostly pitting with a bit of black gunk. The only real issue for the other is warped scales and a chip roughly 1mm in diameter.

Cleaning and rust mitigation seems like the proper noob restoration place to start. My course of action will be 0000 steel wool & WD-40. Will this obliterate the "hollow ground" etching on the pitted ERN? And is the WD-40 gonna keep the blade protected in the meantime while I build up my honing & restore gear over the following months?

Dang! My "question shotgun" is out of ammo...

Sincerely,
Crawler.

How many razors are you talking about and how long will they be put up before use. The razors I will use often I use the SRD razor oil. I suppose you could use any bakers mineral oil and the ones I have put aside for long term I use a gun rust preventive call R.I.G. it's a yellow grease that will not allow rust at all. or at least it works for me. Now when I use it and take one of these razors out to use I clean with soap and warm water dry strop and use. the mineral oil I wipe with a kleenx tissue and strop and shave. each to his own.

I don't think barbecide is a rust inhibitor at all, as far as i know it is just to sterilise things.

Rust inhibitor = Inox Mx-3
INOX MX3 Lubricant - Inox Lubricants

Rust/pitting is almost always deeper than any etch so up to you re etch vs. restoration.

I use Tuf-Glide for my blades. Works great so far. Put a few drops on the blade and wipe it with a cloth. When going to shave....just rinse it under hot water, wipe dry, strop then and you are ready to shave.

I use WD40.
I use WD40 original on my blades.
Then my scales get a wipe with WD40 silicone spray inside and out.

For long term storage, i might look at something like Renaissance Wax.

I don't use WD40 because it is nasty stuff if you cut yourself. I use balistol for everything. It is a perfect lubricant and rust inhibitor. It doesn't cause infection or rashes if you cut yourself with an oiled blade because it is food grade stuff. You can fry your breakfast in it. Except in the state of California, where it is known to cause cancer :p

Crawler,

For my razors, I use Sentry Solutions Tuf-Glide for short/intermediate storage, and RIG grease for long-term.

For my knives, I use Ballistol (mineral oil + some other bits, Ballistol is also food safe) or Johnson's Baby Oil (Mineral oil + perfume - baby safe :)).

The best bang for the buck, has to be mineral oil.

Have fun :)

Best regards

Russ

The only thing I use WD-40 for is getting labels off of jars and cleaning my greasy hands in the shop. WD-40 builds up and gums up every thing it gets on. I won't let it get near my guns or fishing equipment. Mineral spirits is a good solvent and mineral oil is excellent for rust preventive. Mineral oil has more than one use. It keeps you lubed up too. bj

+1 on not using WD-40. As it gets old any residual turns to a gunky, varnishy crud. Hasn't been on a gun of mine in 40 years, or anything else.

I like Ballistol, the smell grows on you, kind a like Hoppe’s. It does work well.

I only oil razors that go in storage, the rotation is kept dry and after use, allowed to dry open, overnight. Humidity in the bathroom is a problem that is easily solved by keeping the bath well ventilated.

I do use WD40 to clean most new acquisitions with fine steel wool and paper towels, then simple green to remove the WD40 and a lite coat of Ballistol if they get on the to-do list and are stored in the shop. The collection is stored in the house where the temperature is more moderate.

I've got one to try its a Rust blocker and penetrating lube.. PB Parts blaster smells like cherries

PB works great on rusted nuts and bolts, just let it set a bit.

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Originally Posted by Razorrookie01

I've got one to try its a Rust blocker and penetrating lube.. PB Parts blaster smells like cherries

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PB Blaster works great on rusted bolts to break free. It's mostly a penetrating oil. I would not use it long term on a razor. I've used PB for many years as a heavy equipment mechanic and it seems to me if you spray something down and leave that after it does it's job it kind of leaves a residue and long term can let the metal rust. or at least it has done that for me. Kind of like WD40 in that respect. Every one may have not had this experience but I have. I would suggest to find something else. I use the razor oil from SRD. I guess one could use a good mineral oil one you would use for cooking. If it's long term I also use a product called R.I.G. I find it at some gun shops. for long term it works great. when used on the blade no rust will form or at least it never has for me and I have stored razors for I know 15 years.

Thanks for the advice...use it at work myself never seen long term results though

Before I knew what it would do I used it on engine parts. I would clean in a parts bath and then coat well with the PB. I was lucky to find the parts before the rust dug in and I recleaned and this time greased with Vaseline or a good white grease. The R.I.G. has been use by the best gunsmiths for many years. The ones I know swear by it.

I use Castrol DWX32 for long-term (6 months or more) storage of anything made of steel, because... you know, tropical climate can be a disaster. It is smelly, nasty, and dries forming a waxy coating on everything. It must be well removed before you use the razor, knife, tool etc. again and can be a PITA to remove it from porous materials (bone, antler etc). Usually I remove it with food-grade acetone. Nothing better, but renwax is a nice choice if the razor is often used and just don't need to be removed.

I use a flit gun to apply it.

A lot of oils will get gummy with time, even the old standby mineral oil. Some of the the food type oils will get gummy and rancid. I suggested the Ren Wax because I would think that nice razors would be dried throughly and stored in a suitable environment, so you don't need to mummify them in something like Cosmoline. I have heard really good things about Ballistol,. The only reason that I did not recommend it personally is that I have never used it.

Thank you very much for the responses, most are excellent suggestions! Though, I think I'll stay away from motor oil :-).

Ballistol looks like a strong contender at this point. "Skin safe", per the bottle. And it's just a bit on the base side of the PH scale, which is excellent! Now, to find a dealer in town... (locator feature on their site puts the closest one at about 45min away.)

The hardening of coatings was a concern, as I've experienced this with general use of WD-40 on bike chains, door hinges, and keys (after coating it to lube the stubborn lock).

Yea rig is probably best for long, long term storage on firearms. Just a lite coating with an impregnated paper towel for storage in the safe, I have never use it on razors, never felt the need.

Though, it would be interesting to see if it will protect Cell Rot. My cure is immediate unpinning, so never had the chance to try it for that.

Just un-pinned a nice wide blade, hammered tang Robeson, with fax tortoise, that kicked off. Hated to do it… no choice.

For those that are unfamiliar, note the classic Cell Rot rust pattern that matches the clear sections of the scale pattern. Caught this one in time, polished up nicely.


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Close call glad you caught it early

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

I don't use WD40 because it is nasty stuff if you cut yourself.

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I agree, I would have refused to WD40. This is not hygienic.