Quote Originally Posted by rtaylor61
Great information, but I don't think I asked the question properly. Buying used DEs, I would boil the hell out of them, clean them with Brasso, Soft Scrub or both, and then soak them for 24 hours in a 10% bleach solution. (snip,snip,snip)
Randy
I also collect(ed) DE's for a time .... The turn-of-the-century solution to rust-proofing was plating. So King Gillette triple-silver-plated his earliest razors. I used an old home-remedy recipe to both sterilize new arrivals, and make them shine again.

Take an old pot in the kitchen, line the bottom inside with aluminum foil about half-way up the sides. Fill the pot with water about two-thirds up the side and heat on a high burner. As the water warms, add one teaspoon of baking soda and one-half teaspoon of salt. When the water boils, drop in the open or disassembled DE into the pot and simmer for ten minutes.

Then run the pot under the cold water faucet for a bit any you have a shiney, sterile razor. The aluminum foil blackens with the tarnish from the razor. This works for other metals as well. You may still need a little metal polish to finish things off perfectly.