Thread: Naval Jelly = Razor Killer?

I'm rather new to straight razors. I recently bought a beautiful Böker with a grenadilla handle. Being in Florida it wasnt long before I started to notice rust (I hadn't realized you needed to oil the blade). I immediately scrubbed off as much as I could with 0000 steel wool, but not all could be removed. I read a few recommendations for naval jelly so I tried it. Now my once mirror finish blade with a few rust spots is now sporting a vintage look, and not a good one at that. Is there anything I can do to save my blade from this horrid fate?

Sorry to hear that. If you post pictures it would allow the experts to better advise. I would try metal polish. Maas and Flitz are two common ones used around here. You can usually purchase at a hardware store. Both are available at my local Ace Hardware.

Originally Posted by keenedge

Sorry to hear that. If you post pictures it would allow the experts to better advise. I would try metal polish. Maas and Flitz are two common ones used around here. You can usually purchase at a hardware store. Both are available at my local Ace Hardware.

Thanks for the tip! I just posted some pictures. They didn't turn out well but you can still see the horror.

After you get it looking shiny again (which is easily done) you have to make sure that you dry it thouroughly before you oil it, if at all. I don't like to oil my blades because if you oil a damp blade you will trap the moistrure against the steel and the rust will continue underneath the oil. I think it is most important to get into the habbit of properly drying your razors before you put them away.

That naval jelly is killer for a blade. Problem you are going to have is the blade's inscription. There's no way you are going to have your mirror shine agin on that part without having to loose some or all of the inscription.

First see if Maas polish will help. Start on part of the razor that has no inscription like on the back side of the blade. If nothing happens or you'e not getting the results you want move on to plan B.

If you have a buffer you could do it yourself with some green compound. If not look in the classifieds under member services or look around the gallery and workshop and see who can eventually do the job for you.

Don't start sanding this razor down. It got slightly damaged due to the naval jelly and has uniformly attacked the whole razor. It looks it would clean back nicely and you're lucky cause if you would have left the naval jelly on to long it would have been 10x worse.

Hi,

Naval jelly contains phosphoric acid, which will casue this effect on carbon steel.

Phosphoric acid is used in the solutions used for Parkerizing metal.

Best regards

regards

Russ

Originally Posted by jpculp

I read a few recommendations for naval jelly...

Who the ____ recommended naval jelly? [insert explitive]

My guess it wasn't on this forum.

I never said it was for de-rusting little spots. But I have described it as one heck of a good etched patina maker.

Holy *&@% on a limited run razor too... I feel for you, really, I do.

Welcome to SRP jpculp. Too bad that the blade isn't shiny anymore. As posted previously Flitz, Semichrome or Maas on a paper towel with some elbow grease thrown in will help bring it back to some extent.