Thread: cleaning razors using electricity?

Got this tip from Stewart Macdonald guitar shop. I haven't tried it yet but it looks like it might work for razors too. If someone has tried this (or gets around to it before i do) let us know how it works.

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Trade_...298_C_20180125

I have thought about doing this but it still leaves behind all the pitting. So then your back to sanding. Maybe to get the rust out of a slightly pitted razor that you dont want to sand, it might be ok.

I wont try it until someone else does. Ha.

It's been discussed before and like Gasman says it still leaves the pitting. With that said, it does take the rust out and pretty much will clean the rust to the bottom of the pitting. So it would not only save sandpaper, wear and tear on your muscles but would also do a nice job of cleaning if you wanted to leave some of the pitting.

I've got an old charger that I've had laying around waiting to stumble upon a razor that is really rusted to play with and see how it does.

The one thing I don't know how they would be affected would be trying to do it with the razor on the scales ie the brass pins, washers etc. I can't see it harming scales but---------------------

It will clean off pitting, but it will also turn the blade a dull grey color. So sanding is still necessary.
The blade also gets very hot during the process and it may or may not blow the temper on it.
I tried it on a broken, garbage blade and the edge crumbled in my hand afterwards. Lost about 3/16" of inch in width just from electrolysis. Honed back another 1/8" to get to good metal. So a messed up 8/8 became a messed up 5/8 in the end. Luckily it was just an experiment.

So the short version is it's not a good idea to do electrolysis on a razor in my opinion.

Originally Posted by criswilson10

It will clean off pitting, but it will also turn the blade a dull grey color. So sanding is still necessary.
The blade also gets very hot during the process and it may or may not blow the temper on it.
I tried it on a broken, garbage blade and the edge crumbled in my hand afterwards. Lost about 3/16" of inch in width just from electrolysis. Honed back another 1/8" to get to good metal. So a messed up 8/8 became a messed up 5/8 in the end. Luckily it was just an experiment.

So the short version is it's not a good idea to do electrolysis on a razor in my opinion.

Thanks Cris--nothing like hands on experience! :

Was the blade a hollow ground? From your experience 'IF' it was--What are your thoughts about say a near full wedge? Just wondering

It was a half hollow.
The edge wasn't in that bad of condition before electrolysis. I had already bread knifed it and it had good steel.
It is an excellent example of the effects of hydrogen embrittlement.

I've used electrolysis on some big pieces of iron. Works fine, but they were not hard parts. I wouldn't use it on a razor for all the reasons criswilson10 pointed out.

Evapo-rust is your friend! I've used it on a bunch of razors and it works a treat.

I think there have been a few threads about trying this with razors. This one details my own failures.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...ysis-sort.html