Reconditioning Vintage Safety Razors

[Archangel]

Wondering what you think is the best process of cleaning, shining and lubricating vintage safety razors.
I have heard that boiling 10 minutes boiling in water and vinegar, using a toothbrush with Scrubbing Bubbles (shower cleaner) and a good soaking in mineral oil is a good process.
What works for you? Any tips for bringing up a fine shine? Different regimens for the gold-plated razors?
Please be specific regarding products used, and length of times.
Thanks.

[DoubleE]

Welcome to B&B Archangel. I moved your thread to the Safety Razor Forum. You may get more answers there.

For any razor that's not gold, I boil it for 5 minutes, polish it with Flitz metal polish and wash it. I then soak it in alcohol for around 5 minutes followed by a rinse. Finally, I finish with a little Dovo sterol to lubricate it and I'm good. Works like a charm.

I ruined one gold razor doing the process above and haven't tried another.........

[cooncatbob]

Wondering what you think is the best process of cleaning, shining and lubricating vintage safety razors.
I have heard that boiling 10 minutes boiling in water and vinegar, using a toothbrush with Scrubbing Bubbles (shower cleaner) and a good soaking in mineral oil is a good process.
What works for you? Any tips for bringing up a fine shine? Different regimens for the gold-plated razors?
Please be specific regarding products used, and length of times.
Thanks.

This topic has been discussed to death. If you use the search feature you will pull up enough information to keep you busy for a very long time.

[paydepst]

This topic has been discussed to death. If you use the search feature you will pull up enough information to keep you busy for a very long time.

That may be so cooncat but everyone seems to do it a bit differently. We really need some of the experts (looking at Mike and Don here!:-) to gather the information on how they do it (cleaning, restoration, and where appropriate-resurrection!) and get said information to someone like me who will then take it, typeset it, put it together in a page layout program, and distill it as a PDF which can then be made freely available to the forum. The DE wetshaving renaissance isn't going to end anytime soon. Soon everyone and his brother will be visiting the antique shops and the like looking for these things. Since there aren't that many people manufacturing these things now the more vintage DEs that can be pressed back into service the better. Also if more vintage DEs are available this will make them (vintage models) more affordable to newbies.

[cooncatbob]

That may be so cooncat but everyone seems to do it a bit differently. We really need some of the experts (looking at Mike and Don here!:-) to gather the information on how that do it (cleaning, restoration, and where appropriate-resurrection!) and get said information to someone like me who will then take it, typeset it, put it together in a page layout program, and distill it as a PDF which can then be made freely available to the forum. The DE wetshaving renaissance isn't going to end anytime soon. Soon everyone and his brother will be visiting the antique shops and the like looking for these things. Since there aren't that many people manufacturing these things now the more vintage DEs that can be pressed back into service the better. Also if more vintage DEs are available this will make them (vintage models) more affordable to newbies.

You can still you the search feature to gather all the information you need. This topic comes up at least one a week, as a matter of fact there's a thread at the bottom of the page,
There seems to be 2 schools of thought on the matter, the Felix Unger crowd who believe that you need to boil, scrub, santitize, stelize, raditae and they polish. Then there's the Oscar Madison crowd who take out the old rusty blade put in a new one and then their good to go.
Most people like myself are somewhere in the middle. I believe in a good scrub and maybe a soak in mouthwash or alcohol. The part that does the cutting is brand new so I fail to see how I could catch a disease from a razor. I'm not putting it in my mouth and I'm cleaning it better then I clean the silverware which I do put in my mouth.
It's not rocket science and I would hope that any well stocked kitchen would contain the proper cleaning supplies.
BTW there's a sticky- Razor cleaning guide over at SMF, maybe we need one here? I hope this helps. Bob.
http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13522

[_JP_]

What needs to happen is for all of that info on cleaning and maintaining razors get into the Shave Wiki. Then people can be pointed towards it.
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php?title=Safety_Razor_Maintenance&action=edit

[paydepst]

Cleaning information is readily available true enough. I'm more interested in the restoration aspect so that you can give even a daily driver "the look" if you follow me. I don't think I'm alone there and that knowledge is a little more specialised. While we are giving that information it wouldn't hurt to collect it all in one package or PDF as the case may be.

[mstiams]

I'd like to add to this and say that I am guilty of asking about cleaning both safety (DE) and straight edge razors. First of all, I am a female so I will not be personally shaving with any of the razors in my "collection", if you want to call it that. My husband has a full beard so he's not going to be using them either. Sterilization is nice, but restoration is what I am after if possible. This is a new hobby for me and one I'd actually like to get into and learn a lot about. I am a NEWBIE to this site as well so am still learning my way around. I certainly appreciate all the help I've received so far in direct answers, suggested links, recommended cd's, etc. You see, I don't want to apply the wrong product to the wrong metal, etc. so I've looked to you experts here for support. I have also spent a great number of hours googling for razor info as I honestly try to be self-sufficient. I think a compilation of tips from the razor restorers on this site would be terrific :) Thanks to all of you who have willingly helped me :) and sorry if my questions bothered you cooncatbob but I have been trying to learn.

[polod]

Here is what I do:

Soak razor in hot water for a few minutes, scrub with a toothbrush, spray Scrubbing Bubbles, let sit 5 minutes, scrub with toothbrush, soak in Lysol 4 in 1 solution, diluted for 5 minutes, then soak in Simple Green, diluted solution for 5 minutes, (or you can soak razor in mouthwash if you want), then rinse, boil in water 10-15 minutes, let cool, then spray more Scrubbing bubbles, scrub again, rinse, followed by polishing with Brasso or Silvo. Then oil razor in mineral oil, you can either submerge razor in mineral oil, I usually don't bother, just oil silo door hinges, center post, knob on bottom of razor to open silo doors, lub inside/around Gillette adjustable dial. Then dry off with cloth. Remember DON'T boil Gold plated razors or plastic handled razors.

[paydepst]

Polod, that's a good cleaning and light burnishing regimen and it's virtually identical to what I do. However, and I think I speak for mstiams here (first name please mstiams? :smile: ), what I'm specifically after is detailed restoration information because that regimen doesn't always restore that "NOS" lustre and you can get pretty close to it if you know how because I've seen it done. That regimen also won't remove the occasional stubborn spot, only the skilled application of a burnishing tool (like a prepped Dremel) will and you need to know exactly what you're doing before using something like that because you can do irreparable damage to the razor. Cleaning and restoration work on razors may not be rocket science but it isn't a foregone conclusion either as to the best way it can and should be done. Also the argument can be made that each razor is an individual case and you need to have a number of varied approaches in your cleaning/restoration arsenal. That's why this forum needs a comprehensive guide like the one I've mentioned in this thread. Cheers!

[cooncatbob]

I'd like to add to this and say that I am guilty of asking about cleaning both safety (DE) and straight edge razors. First of all, I am a female so I will not be personally shaving with any of the razors in my "collection", if you want to call it that. My husband has a full beard so he's not going to be using them either. Sterilization is nice, but restoration is what I am after if possible. This is a new hobby for me and one I'd actually like to get into and learn a lot about. I am a NEWBIE to this site as well so am still learning my way around. I certainly appreciate all the help I've received so far in direct answers, suggested links, recommended cd's, etc. You see, I don't want to apply the wrong product to the wrong metal, etc. so I've looked to you experts here for support. I have also spent a great number of hours googling for razor info as I honestly try to be self-sufficient. I think a compilation of tips from the razor restorers on this site would be terrific :) Thanks to all of you who have willingly helped me :) and sorry if my questions bothered you cooncatbob but I have been trying to learn.


Your questions don't bother me, all I'm saying is all the information anyone could desire on cleaning, polishing and restoring razor is already available on this site by using the handy search feature.
Now if someone wants to edit and condense all that information I think that would be a great idea. It should be made into a Sticky at the top of this section so that anyone visiting the safety razor forum would find it.
Bob.

[mstiams]

Let me introduce myself formally to everyone here. My name is Becky and I currently reside in Toronto, ON, Canada - a California transplant :rolleyes: :smile: . I find myself perusing this site quite often and learning new stuff all the time. Even tho this site is quite easy to navigate, I found it took me a few days to feel like I pretty much knew my way around...hence, all the questions. I'll still ask more I am sure about that. And yes, a sticky with cleaning/restoring tips is a fantastic idea :thumbup:

[Archangel]

Thanks for all the information. I have had great success using Arm and Hammer Advance White toothpaste and a toothbrush. The product has baking soda and peroxide in it, as some other toothpastes do.
My 40' and 50's Super Speeds come up shining nicely. Oh and they smell minty fresh to boot.