Thread: Water Spots

I get staining during the shave.
The bodys electricity turns water into electrolytes.
They stain the blade.
Try grounding yourself pre shave

I knew you were a shocking guy, Joe.

That's from your electric personality.

Next thing you know they’ll start sending the brushes out to have the stains taking out and pressed along with the strop being vacuum sealed between stripping sessions. Did you worry about the 5 bladed doo hockey you had before? No and those blades cost more than that razor over s year. Just saying it’s not jewelry and it’s not expensive. But it’s used wet. Going to happen the only tool that stays new is one not used. Hate it for your shovel and axes. One day when you get older you’ll see what I’m saying. Or don’t I couldn’t give s damn.

When I started with straight razors I wanted them to remain spotless and it bothered me no end when the water spots and small black spots and other gremlins started to appear.
I tried getting all of them removed but much to my chagrin I found that the water spots would go away but now I had this really small shiny area that stood out like a sore thumb. So I tried doing some more corrective work but the shiny area just got bigger and then my only choice was to redo the whole blade, which of course dulled the edge, and then I had to rehone the sucker!

After you shave clean off the blade with liquid dish soap, rinse it well then dry it even more and let it sit , blade open, but not in the bathroom, for a few hours.
This will minimize the nasties but some will still appear on certain blades.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Next thing you know they’ll start sending the brushes out to have the stains taking out and pressed along with the strop being vacuum sealed between stripping sessions. Did you worry about the 5 bladed doo hockey you had before? No and those blades cost more than that razor over s year. Just saying it’s not jewelry and it’s not expensive. But it’s used wet. Going to happen the only tool that stays new is one not used. Hate it for your shovel and axes. One day when you get older you’ll see what I’m saying. Or don’t I couldn’t give s damn.

I get what you're saying and there is a point about growing older and understanding what you say. It's a tool, it is used wet, it will get imperfections and that's fine.

If you are bothered by it or not is a personal thing, and you're allowed to be or not, that's a choice or a mentality.
Do I care about imperfections on my blades ? Not really. It's just a tool for shaving, we're obsessive hipsters discussing about it on an online forum, go figure, everybody thinks we're weird.
Do many others? Absolutely, look at all the mirror finish polished razors out there, look all the restorers restoring blades that have very few "worth". They certainly care and this forum is filled with them.
Your point is salient and moot, but it puts the matter in perspective in life, which is something we often loose in the midst of our hobby on this forum.

Originally Posted by tintin

Another option is applying something like Renaissance wax, I've had really good success with it and it doesn't need to be applied every time. Seems to do a excellent job of beading up the water and preventing rust and stains.

Any tips on how to apply this? I have a tub that is going to waste and wouldn't mind trying it when I need to. Do you apply it on the entire blade and tang with fingertips and then wipe with a cloth?
a

Just like applying car wax. Rub a small amount onto the blade, let it dry, polish it off. Carefully.!! A thin coat is all that's needed.

The problem with Ren wax is it will seal in any imperfections, so you must have the blade in the condition you want to preserve, e.g. Freshly restored.

If you don’t remove the water spots you will seal them in. As suggested a Qtip and some metal polish judiciously applied will remove the spot or tape the gold and polish.

I have been using Frog Lube, with good results, I also use it on tools, (Antique tool collector), firearms and on razors. It is a onetime application or re-applied when cleaning, (firearms),

It was designed for military maritime use on firearms. The trick is for the metal to be scrupulously clean, degreased and sprayed or wiped with acetone or alcohol, heated, (sun exposure, heat gun or hair dryer) applied thinly but evenly, then excess wiped off. I use the paste apply with a small paint brush and wiped with a paper towel.

It will seal metal, no rust on anything I have applied to, and leaves a film of lubrication, great for handgun slides and moving parts. I put some on my front door hinge pins, they were squeaking, and it now opens and closes silently and as if on ball bearings.

A small tub is about $30 and probably for most a lifetime supply. I don’t know how it will affect gold wash but should be ok.

Gold is a pain in the butt for daily driving, it is too fragile. So, I stay away from it or remove it from razors once it gets scratched. I often remove it from customer razors at their request. It looks good new, but slightly once scratched. In the future you may want to rethink gold.

More importantly, you should be looking at the causes or rust spotting. If it is just wiping down, lesson learned. If it is humidity in the bathroom, install an exhaust fan, or higher CFM fan and a wall switch timer that will run the fan long enough to remove most of the humidity in the room. They are inexpensive and easy to install.

Hi all,

I was wondering what the average age is for straight shavers.

I have just started as you all no doubt know and I am 57.

Steve