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Thread: Using a Pencil to Clean Off Old Soap, Patina, and Rust

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    Senior Member IndependenceRazor1's Avatar
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    Default Using a Pencil to Clean Off Old Soap, Patina, and Rust

    One of the countless pieces of great advise from this site is using a pencil to clean up a razor - graphite is harder than rust, but softer than steel.
    Was cleaning a razor when I recalled that I had some 2H pencils - a little harder than usual.
    Then I wondered about other hardnesses.
    Not being an artist, I googled it and found out there are 17 different pencil hardnesses.
    Went onto ebay and got a 4H, 6H, and 9H - to be had for about $2 each with free shipping.
    The 9H did a great job and - unlike a fiberglass sanding pen - did not leave scratches.
    Especially handy for getting at that troublesome rust on the tang between the scales!

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    Last edited by IndependenceRazor1; 09-13-2017 at 07:25 PM.
    My father was an engineer. He used to tell me that sharpening a straight razor is like trying to build a ladder to the moon out of a roll of aluminum foil.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth outback's Avatar
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    Some before N after would be nice.
    Mike

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    Senior Member IndependenceRazor1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by outback View Post
    Some before N after would be nice.
    Fair enough.
    Wostenholm pipe that come in to my shop today for rescaling.
    #1 - the way it came
    #2 - 2 minutes with a 9H pencil
    #3 - 2 minutes with mother's polish

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    My father was an engineer. He used to tell me that sharpening a straight razor is like trying to build a ladder to the moon out of a roll of aluminum foil.

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    Incidere in dimidium Cangooner's Avatar
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    +1 to this. Pencils can be great, especially when trying to get at small or inconveniently located bits of rust.

    It was in original condition, faded red, well-worn, but nice.
    This was and still is my favorite combination; beautiful, original, and worn.
    -Neil Young

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    Senior Member joamo's Avatar
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    That's impressive, I'll have to get some of the 9h pencils.

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    Senior Member xiaotuzi's Avatar
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    Nice! I've used regular pencils for this before, No. 2 HB I think they are? Worked so-so.

    I'll have to get a 9H. One pencil should last a long time
    "Go easy"

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    Senior Member blabbermouth ejmolitor37's Avatar
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    Hobby lobby if you have one near.
    Nothing is fool proof, to a sufficiently talented fool...

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    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
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    I love using pencils as well! I have favored a mechanical pencil and the inserts I have after a regular old #2.

    Now I know why!..Progressive pencil process!

    Thanks!

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    Nice, will defenetly try this.

    Skickat från min ONEPLUS A3003 via Tapatalk

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    Senior Member blabbermouth ScoutHikerDad's Avatar
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Size:  40.0 KBGood to know. Another thing you can do with pencils is this: get a box of Ticonderoga My First Pencil (the fat ones we all started with). Cut off a couple of inches from the eraser end and chuck it up in your drill press.

    Lightly coat your patina'd blade and the eraser with your preferred metal polish. For this gorgeous Wostenholm Pipe I used some 3M Marine Metal Polish Mike/Outback sent me, and it worked like a charm. You can get pretty aggressive in pushing the flats of the blade around under the eraser, and it won't round sharp lines like buffing compounds on a wheel. But it Will conform somewhat to the blade, those hard to clean jumps, up against the stabilizer, etc. Just be careful the spinning eraser doesn't grab the edge (even though you dulled it beforehand, right!?).

    This is also a good technique if, like me, you suffer from CTS, and don't want to aggravate it with a lot of hand sanding. Give it a try! AaronName:  image.jpg
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