Thread: Flitz & Q-Tip

Is a little Flitz on a Q-Tip a safe way to polish off stains or shine up a straight razor? I just bought one of those Carbonsong Theirs-Issards limited edition blades and if a drop of water sits on it for even 10 seconds it starts to rust. Are these razors for use or just for display? It wasn't cheap either.

Flitz or Maas creams should work. You can use them with Q-tips or with TP. If you're getting stains, protect the blade with Renaissance Wax, and the water will tend to run off the blade instead of sitting on it.

Is this your daily shave razor?
If so, polish the water stains off and strop after use to dry edge; then I use the Q-tip to dip in a bottle of mineral oil next to the sink. Heavy coat of mineral oil and she's beautiful till next shave.
Just mt thoughts.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Is this your daily shave razor?
If so, polish the water stains off and strop after use to dry edge; then I use the Q-tip to dip in a bottle of mineral oil next to the sink. Heavy coat of mineral oil and she's beautiful till next shave.
Just mt thoughts.

I now have a growing collection and it is in my rotation. Infact today I just put down on the TI Grelot Oak as well which is of the same steel. Will be good to see how the two blades compare.

Using a 20x loupe I can see a micro pit in one side of the blade which seems to be the side that showed rust. Like a few pinholes some microns deep in the otherwise mirror polish grouped together, apparently a defect in the forging. Wondering how to buff it out without scratching the finish. Will Flitz and a QTip do that or do I need something more agressive like a dremel and some paste?

For me, the Dremel, is the "Straight Razor Tool of Death" ,I wake up in cold sweats at night just dreaming about the dremel being in the same room with my razors; I stay away from it. On advise as to the micro pits, I'll step aside and wait for some of the forum Pros to chime in.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

For me, the Dremel, is the "Straight Razor Tool of Death" ,I wake up in cold sweats at night just dreaming about the dremel being in the same room with my razors; I stay away from it. On advise as to the micro pits, I'll step aside and wait for some of the forum Pros to chime in.

I was thinking to try lightly buffing it out with the dremel and a polishing cream but it is a new razor and an expensive one at that. Perhaps the right answer is to return it or send it to the factory; however, being in france it might really cost me in the end.

This is a puzzling situation, and I think it comes down to how the steel is protected from water and air, both of which must act in combination to produce rusting. I don't believe that one plain carbon steel is intrinsically much more liable to rust than another.

The Dremel may be the new straight razor Tool of Death. I think it has numerous legitimate roles in the restoration of an old one, but I wouldn't use it here. Any polish fine enough not to coarsen the existing polish is likely to remove staining, as long as it is really new staining. I would use it on a piece of leather, lead sheet or similar, rather than a Q-tip, as it would stay in contact and flat better. I would also make the blade too hot for moisture to linger in the pores, before applying protective oil or wax.

I have a C-135 and I am puzzled about your staining issue. From my memory the Carbonsong has C-135 steel. I have absolutely no rusting, or corrision, problems because of the polish of the blade and the quality of the steel. If yours rusts after 10 seconds something is not right. You either have acid for water or........? I do see you live in a very high humidity location.

In general try putting Renaissance wax on the blade. The stuff is expensive and if cost prohibitive send me a PM and I will send you enough to get you going. After every shave I use an oil applicator with Camellia and Ballistol mixed together, but just a cloth would do, after every shave.

Later,
Richard

Originally Posted by riooso

I have a C-135 and I am puzzled about your staining issue. From my memory the Carbonsong has C-135 steel. I have absolutely no rusting, or corrision, problems because of the polish of the blade and the quality of the steel. If yours rusts after 10 seconds something is not right. You either have acid for water or........? I do see you live in a very high humidity location.

In general try putting Renaissance wax on the blade. The stuff is expensive and if cost prohibitive send me a PM and I will send you enough to get you going. After every shave I use an oil applicator with Camellia and Ballistol mixed together, but just a cloth would do, after every shave.

Later,
Richard

thanks everyone, but I think for $400 the micro pitting i see in a small area of one side of the blade is unacceptable. I will try to see if there is any way for me to have it replaced. besides rusting so easily it is clearly visible to the naked eye as a defect and would destroy the collectors value of the razor. I will take care of my new Grelot Oak and the replacement blade as suggested.

Here is a photo of the defect...

Send it back, the right move.
Good luck.