Thread: Small spots developing on my razors...

I bought a blade from HLBUD to start off with, and last week i got my Dovo Best quality in the mail. Small spots are developing on both of these razors...the dovo actually looks like tiny dots of rust...im not sure what i can do to avoid this.

I always run my blade under hot water, and put some soap on it and make sure to dry it as much as possible. With the blade i bought from the classifieds i dont really mind too much. But the Dovo blade id like to keep somewhat nice looking. I know waterspots and small blemishes are to be expected...but actual rust?

Are you closing your razor and storing it right away? AFter I finish shaving I dry my blade offf, and leave it open to the air in a safe place to "finish" drying anything that I may have missed. You coule also try oiling your blades before you put them away if the problem persists.

Originally Posted by 8BallAce

Are you closing your razor and storing it right away? AFter I finish shaving I dry my blade offf, and leave it open to the air in a safe place to "finish" drying anything that I may have missed. You coule also try oiling your blades before you put them away if the problem persists.

Yeah, normally i close my blade after im done. I guess ill try leaving it open to dry somewhere safe. As far as the rust spots on my dovo...i guess im just sol on it now? No way to remove them? When you say oil the blade...could normal cooking oil work for this?

Originally Posted by shorynot

…and put some soap on it and make sure to dry it as much as possible.

Just wash it off with hot water and dry it well. Soap stains too.

Yup, forget the massaging with soap. Remember, you just shaved with lather so the razor's been playing with all the soap it needs and soap is not a rust preventive. Rinse the blade with the hottest water you have available, wipe it completely dry with a towel, cloth, or paper which is absorbent, not merely something which moves the rinse around. Oil it if you want; I don't, but many do to good effect.

And stop with the soap.

I just rinse mine with hot water, wipe over with tissue & strop on canvas. After that it stays out & open overnight to air. Be careful that other members of family are aware to steer clear! I think the airing is key. I close the blade almost to the scales, but not so any part of the edge is inside. I guess your climate is also a key issue. Not exactly humid here in England!

Your current rust spots can be removed using a metal polish like Maas. If you have a gold wash on the blade, Maas will remove that also! So, use a Q-tip to apply the polish only on the rust spots.

Probably, the problem is that you dry the blade, then close it into the scales that are still wet on the inside. I use a spray bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol to spray the blade and inside the scales, then set aside open to dry. (You may want to check that the alcohol does not harm the scales or painted-on decoration. Most plastic and celluloid scales are OK with this; some finishes on wooden scales may not be.)

Many oils will do the trick. Plain mineral oil works fine. Johnson's Baby Oil is pure mineral oil with a tiny bit of fragrance added. It's cheap and available everywhere. Be sure to wipe the oil off before stropping.

Cleaned thoroughly after each shave and stropped. Clean/dry inside the scales and stored until next shave. Indoor humidity is kept 38 - 50 percent. I have no rust issues.

A small bathroom with long hot showers & limited ventilation now that would be suspect for rust issues.

Pabster

I run mine under hot water and then wipe with a paper towel to dry mine off after the shave. I then leave it open in my razor cabinet I made (just a cheap plastic drawer lined with felt and with a few silica gel packets in it) for a day or so, after which I strop it, give it a light coat of camellia oil, and put it back in its box.

What color are the spots? If they are brown or reddish brown, they are rust and probably indicate that you are leaving water on the blade. If they are grey (or black), they are another form of iron oxide than rust. Carbon steel tends to do this over time even when dried properly. This layer is actually protective, but some find it a unsightly. It can be removed by polishing. If you want to prevent it, you need to put a film of oil on the blade before putting it away. High grade mineral oil (food grade white oil is a good choice) works as well as any and is much cheaper than some others. What ever oil you use, you need to wipe it off before you strop for the next shave.