I need advice on products for small rust spots

Just received two of three razors from the bay. Each one has varying amounts of rust hidden under pivot pin on tang. I'm guessing this is a common problem for unkept razors.

Unfortunately I don't have my camera with me and my phone has laughable picture quality. When I get the camera tonight I'll try to show some close ups.

1st razor:
PHILA, PA "THE JEWEL" razor has very small specs of what looks like rust close to pivot. The general condition is great not counting some very minor dark spots on blade.


2nd razor:
Worchester "American Beauty". Has more rust on pivot and looks like someone tried to take a steel wool brush to blade edge to remove some patina. This razor is in worse shape.

What should I use to remove rust and to clean up edge?

Hi,

When I get a razor that has some black/gray tarnish on it use a metal polish called blue magic. I here others here use something called Maas. The polish will remove the tarnish and keep your metal bright.

For more stubborn rust or deeper tarnish I might start with a 600 grit sand paper and work to 1000 then 1500 grit. After that I use the metal polish to mirror the finish.

It does take some work though.

- Mike

If you use the rough grit will it leave permanent scratches or will that buff out with the rub?

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Originally Posted by NaeFairtex

If you use the rough grit will it leave permanent scratches or will that buff out with the rub?

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Do not use a anything less than 600, you will make deeper sanding marks that will take longer to work out. There are times when I even dull the new 600 on itself so it is not so sharp or wet paper while sanding. If you use a progression of 600, 1000, 1500 you should be able to clean it up by hand, no buffer needed.

- Mike

Ok great. How about the gold etching? Is that in danger of being removed? Luckily there is no visible spots on the etching itself, just around.

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Originally Posted by NaeFairtex

Ok great. How about the gold etching? Is that in danger of being removed? Luckily there is no visible spots on the etching itself, just around.

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Hi,

It will remove the gold etching. If the target is near your gold etching use a Q-tip with Maas or blue magic to work near but not on the etching, no sand paper. The etching is delicate and the polish will remove it little by little if you rub the etching, Not instantly but will remove material. That is what polish does.

- Mike

Whoa, wait just a minute!!!!!!!!!!

Approach with the polishes, then the finer grits of sandpaper, not the rough stuff. You can usually clean up around the pivot area well with a good metal polish and q-tips. If this doesn't work, then try some 2K sandpaper with a light oil, if it doesn't get out what you want, get a little rougher like 1500 & light oil...

600 grit is a pretty major metal remover and I would only recommend it if you were to de-pin it and go from there.

I'll give it a shot this weekend and we'll see how I do.

It looks as if the metal polish will work well for what you want to do. Getting into sanding the razor will open a whole can of worms and you being new to this stck to the metal polish. Or get a practice razor you dont care about and figure out your restoration method. The wiki has alot of good info check it out. BEWARE the razor with the gold on the balde cannot becleaned with polish it will remove the gold. Good luck and have fun with it.
Reguards, Tony

Another posibility for getting into really tight or delicate areas around gold wash is a scratch pen. It's made for watchmakers and it's basically a pencil with fibers of glass and its very small and if you are really careful and use a light touch you can get light to light moderate rust off in those small areas without creating deep sratch marks and it's also great for getting rust out of pitting.

Well i just got my MAAS in the mail and learn an important lesson. I need to wear thick gloves while polishing since I just sliced the top of my finger to the bone.

Guess who's getting stitches?

Along with the MAAS and stitches for your finger, get some dental floss. That will help you get at the rust around the pivot of your razor without having to disassemble it.

If you consider doing anything more to restore your razors I would send ithem to a professional or somebody who has experience in razor restoration.

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Originally Posted by jhenry

Along with the MAAS and stitches for your finger, get some dental floss. That will help you get at the rust around the pivot of your razor without having to disassemble it.

If you consider doing anything more to restore your razors I would send ithem to a professional or somebody who has experience in razor restoration.

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Hey, that's great idea. I'm going to try this.

- Mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NaeFairtex

Well i just got my MAAS in the mail and learn an important lesson. I need to wear thick gloves while polishing since I just sliced the top of my finger to the bone.

Guess who's getting stitches?

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Ouch!

- Mike

No I think I'll finish the project on Sunday. I'm not going to let three stitches keep me from finishing what I started.

Besides, I've already experienced the worst of it so it's only uphill from here haha.

I'm not sure if this is an opinion or not (feel free to decide), but those razors don't have rust on them. And as a corollary, you don't need sandpaper.

I totally agree with Shooter's advice on starting with the lightest treatments - like Maas - and then working up gradually. (Unless it's so blatantly obvious, in which case hand sanding will be a chore.) Using Q-tips and dental floss picks for the tight spots is great. Maas will take off gold wash.

You know what? Taking another look at it, I bet even the pivot doesn't have rust but just dirt and grime built up. Floss picks and Maas really ought to do it. After all that cleaning a drop or two of mineral oil to protect the pivot should bring it right where you want it. (Sometimes after cleaning I'll need to barely tighten the pivot pin, too. Use the back of a tablespoon with light "taps".)

Another tip, not only should you use shop gloves, but keep the razor on the table. In fact, a project like this can almost be done with the razor closed.

Good luck healing and cleaning up the razors.

The razor with the wash had a build up in the pivot that kept it from opening very well at first. I was able to use just the maas and remove the lot of it. Although it still is much too tight to move the pivot. I experimented with the qtip around the wash which seemed to work nicely.

I'll keep at it. Most of the razors I have collected so far I will be using for practice since they were cheap and will most likely use them for honing experience later on. Thanks for the help guys.

Nae,
it's cool that we have the same SRs! unfortunately, I should've read this post on NOT polishing the gold off my American Beauty/Silver Beauty, :gaah: but I'm a newb'! Any idea how old our SRs are?