Recent Razor Prep Experience

[Twelvefret]

Because of personal reasons including house/property prep for selling, moving, new house acquisition, and being a bit displaced for 8 months between two places, I stopped using a straight razor. I packed them up and moved them South.

Last week I got my interest back. Maybe I should mention that I had previously honed each razor personally.

Anyway, before using I did 60 laps on .1 micron diamond pasted balsa and 60 laps on an Illinois horse hide strop. Perhaps I got by with this because I packed them well or something else, but I was surprised at how well each has performed.

 

[UKRob]

If they are stored properly - no moisture - the edge should stay in much the same condition as when it was last used. I tend to use a strop impregnated with a little Ballistol oil after shaving and just strop normally before next use. With some razors this means many months sitting idle but I’ve never had a problem.

Glad to see you are back into it.

 

[Twelvefret]

Thank you

 

[DaltonGang]

I always store my straights in a light coat of mineral oil. In Houston, it get pretty humid, but with the oil, I've never had one rust. When I haven't used one, for a long while, I just wipe the oil off, and do about 20 laps on the leather. Good as new.

 

[Rasatura Bagnata]

I tend to use a strop impregnated with a little Ballistol oil after shaving and just strop normally before next use.

I cover my blades and most of the straight razor parts with Ballistol. I have never heard of using Ballistol on the strop itself and will have to try this tip. Thanks

 

[Merkurologist]

I have just a few razors but they can spend several months before they see daylight, it used to be because my DEs took pririty but now I use mostly shavettes. The thing is that I have always store my straight razors with a coat of silicone spray and that works very well. I adopted the idea from my bicycles cleaning / maintenance routine that I've used for many many years.

 

[JamieM]

I have never used oil, I have always used pure silicone spray, silicone spray is also safe to use on all plastics and rubber which is a double bonus, I would be careful using some oils and sprays near plastics or rubber especially if they contain petrol-chemical products which some oil and sprays do.

 

[DaltonGang]

I cover my blades and most of the straight razor parts with Ballistol. I have never heard of using Ballistol on the strop itself and will have to try this tip. Thanks

I would be very hesitant about using Ballistol on my razors, especially those with Celluloid Scales. You never know what chemical will make them turn South, and get them to start the notorious "Cell Rot". Look up the ingredients in Ballistol.

 

[Twelvefret]

I have used mineral oil before, but now nothing. I store the razors in a plastic box lined with microfiber cloths. I live in pretty humid area so, whatever I am doing is working. Thanks all for your posts.

 

[UKRob]

I would be very hesitant about using Ballistol on my razors, especially those with Celluloid Scales. You never know what chemical will make them turn South, and get them to start the notorious "Cell Rot". Look up the ingredients in Ballistol.

Bit of a late response here - but I’ve used Ballistol on razors for the last 10 years or so with no bad affects. I’ve never had cell rot either.

 

[Estariol]

Well, this thread is a nice introduction for a question i have, now that oils and silicone are mentioned: did anyone try silica gel satchets that absorb moisture, or PTFE spray when storing razors? And if these don't work, what is the reason? Thanks a lot.
I use PTFE for my two machetes when camping and it works great, and i have a few silica gel satchets in the camping gear winter storage box and that works great too. That's where the idea for my question came from.

 

[JamieM]

PTFE is similar to silicone a little thinner PTFE is short for polytetrafluoroethylene, but it's best known by DuPont's trade name Teflon. ... Even though it's chemically different, PTFE has lubricative characteristics similar to silicone, it's safe to use on plastics as well.

 

[DaltonGang]

My only concern is what the effects of Barristol and other chemicals will be, on Celluloid Scales. Plastic scales aren't an issue.

 

[Estariol]

My only concern is what the effects of Barristol and other chemicals will be, on Celluloid Scales. Plastic scales aren't an issue.

PTFE and silicone oil should be neutral. If not, then some vegetable oil, perhaps? The other solution to get rid of moisture could be silica gel in a sealed box, put the razor in it and the silica gel will absorb all the moisture. But it does need to be dried near a dry-heat source for 24hrs once in a year (the silica gel, i mean).

 

[UKRob]

My only concern is what the effects of Barristol and other chemicals will be, on Celluloid Scales. Plastic scales aren't an issue.

As I said earlier, I’ve used it for over 10 years with no problem on old scales.