Thread: Cleaning around the tang

I picked up a razor on eBay that should make a really nice shaver. It's pretty clean and shiny except around where the tang is pinned to the scales. Is there anyway to clean this area without taking the scales off?

I haven't tried it myself but a friend told me that he gets good results with dental floss and metal polish. I've used Q-tips with the ends flattened with a hammer..

+1 on Jimmy's recommendation. I have not tried it yet but will.

Pipe cleaners might work

Finger nail file. The metal type with grit on them. I grind the grit off and then glue on a strip of sand paper. Then scrape it off and glue on the next finer grit. You can also use the cardboard type. If you want to get under the tang you can put a piece of tape on the back of a piece of four hundred grit or whatever and run that under and sesaw it back and forth but you have to have a secure way of holding the razor. The tape will strengthen the paper. emery cloth is strong enough by itself. Mack

Maas and dental floss works like a charm.

Electric toothbrush and old fashioned plain toothpaste may work for some of the lighter gunk as well as restoring a little of the polish.

Hint: Never tighten the scales on a restore before you are done and this is exactly why... Hint: 2: The day before you start on the razor spray in some WD-40 or Kroil and let it sit, if it is really bad then repeat a few times over a 24 hour period... There might be other products that work but I haven't tested them personally on scales...


Start with a folded piece of 800 grit Wet-r-Dry and continue through 2000...

Why??? Because a folded piece will clean the scales too, trust me you wanna clean both.. The 2000 will blend better with the rest of your polishing... Hint 3: you should do this Tang part last to make sure you blend in the polishing...

After this step then use the "Flat Strip" style dental floss with a polishing compound to get around the pin and bushing (if applicable)

Good luck and remember "Rush a Restore Wreck a Razor"

PS: Don't forget the rest of the inside of the scales too, Jimmy's Q-tip sugestion works great here...

I've got a few old needle files laying around. Could you put a curve in say a small square needlepoint file and then fold the sandpaper around that??
Maybe use a bit of spray adhiesive to help hold it in place.

just thoughts

Originally Posted by shutterbug

I've got a few old needle files laying around. Could you put a curve in say a small square needlepoint file and then fold the sandpaper around that??
Maybe use a bit of spray adhiesive to help hold it in place.

just thoughts

Hmmmm Not a bad idea there... I use Popsicle sticks for a lot of razor stuff with a rag or sandpaper wrapped around them...