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.

In my opinion, sanding isn't the way to remove rust unless you want to sand out the pitting.

A little piece of pure copper is the way to go. It's harder than the rust and not as hard as the steel. Works like a charm. This method leaves more of the history on the blade, though the pitting will still be there.

Originally Posted by Pete123

In my opinion, sanding isn't the way to remove rust unless you want to sand out the pitting.

A little piece of pure copper is the way to go. It's harder than the rust and not as hard as the steel. Works like a charm. This method leaves more of the history on the blade, though the pitting will still be there.

Detaiks????????

Originally Posted by Pete123

In my opinion, sanding isn't the way to remove rust unless you want to sand out the pitting.

A little piece of pure copper is the way to go. It's harder than the rust and not as hard as the steel. Works like a charm. This method leaves more of the history on the blade, though the pitting will still be there.

I will have to try this. Is copper wiring close enough to pure copper? I have a lot of scraps of that laying around and have been making more of it even last night.

I learned about using copper when learning how to preserve civil war guns. With museum things you want to preserve what is there and not make any changes. the copper won't change anything, but will remove rust. It leaves copper colored lines, though they wash right off.

The magic is that copper is harder than rust but not as hard as steel or iron.

A little piece will last for years. Send me a private message with your address if you would like a piece and I'll drop it in the mail if you are in the US where I can use a single stamp.

If not in the US, 24 gauge copper sheeting works fine. Most electrical wire is pure copper. You could try it on a razor that isn't your best one to make sure.

Once the rust is removed, you can prevent further damage with with oil. The museum folks use Ren Wax.