What dissolves the green stuff?

[mattface]

so I've gotten a few razors lately that have a heavy layer of that green tarnish that is so unique to nickel over brass.The sad thing is that that stuff appears to either eat nickel, or form where something else has. One of the razors in quastion is an otherwise excellent slim, head is great, but there are some spots on the handle, I'm guessing something acidic was left in contact with the razor for a long time. the other is sadder yet, it's a 41 Ranger Tech. I knew it was pretty grody when I got it, but I've been soaking it in soapy water for hours, and it won't touch the green stuff on either of these razors.

I'm thinking there must be something out there that reacts with the green stuff and neutralizes it, and I'm hoping someone here will be able to tell me what it is.

[midniterambler]

the green stuff is most likely tarnishing of the copper in the underlying brass- if so the plating is probably gone and you'll have to polish the tarnish off using a metal polish- mass, flitz, or even brasso.

[mattface]

the green stuff is most likely tarnishing of the copper in the underlying brass- if so the plating is probably gone and you'll have to polish the tarnish off using a metal polish- mass, flitz, or even brasso.

yes that much I already figured out, but the green stuff is so thick, I was hoping there would be something that would dissolve it. So far tooth brushes are not making a dent. scraping it off with my thumbnail helps.

[amishmotorboat]

You could try some vinegar or dilute CLR.

[franz]

Yeah, try white vinegar. Dissolves copper oxide readily. You can test this out on grody looking pennies.

[dpm802]

I was able to use Simple Green to dissolve a lot green stuff from an Aristocrat ... it went through several cleanings with Scrubbing Bubbles and Barbicide, but that green stuff remained.

Put the razor in a small bowl, spray the Simple Green on full-strength and let it sit for a while. Pour some clean water over the razor, just enough to cover it completely. Let it sit for a couple of hours, swishing it around every so often. Take it out and scrub the green stuff with an old toothbrush or Q-tip. Rinse well.

Repeat as many times as necessary. Give it a final short bath in Barbicide or alcohol, rinse again and let it dry.

[flycbyrd]

Soak it in warm soapy water, use dawn dish detergent for around 5 hours. Then take it out give it a scrub with a soft bristle tooth brush and put it back in the soapy mix for another 5 take it out and use scrubbing bubbles and a tooth brush, rinse them off real well and dry them. Apply mr metal if you feel the need to. This will work.

[mmack66]

I bought a Fatboy that looked like a second cousin of the "Argentina Aristocrat" and I soaked it in vinegar and the green stuff came off, though after the vinegar bath, there was no plating where the green stuff had been.

[amishmotorboat]

I bought a Fatboy that looked like a second cousin of the "Argentina Aristocrat" and I soaked it in vinegar and the green stuff came off, though after the vinegar bath, there was no plating where the green stuff had been.

When I first started cleaning razors, I tried some bathroom cleaner called 'The Works'. I used it on a super speed to get rid of some spots and those spots came off but left bright brass where they had been. I swore to never use it again and claimed that it ate nickel - until I had a super speed that had such severe plating loss that I wanted to remove all the nickel. I soaked it for 2 days in that stuff and the nickel wouldn't budge.
Long story short, if it's green, the plating is gone already.

[franz]

I bought a Fatboy that looked like a second cousin of the "Argentina Aristocrat" and I soaked it in vinegar and the green stuff came off, though after the vinegar bath, there was no plating where the green stuff had been.

Yeah. Green seems like a worst case scenario as far as plating goes. If you've gotten down to the copper, it's probably gone.

Sorry to repeat you Amish.

[flycbyrd]

When I first started cleaning razors, I tried some bathroom cleaner called 'The Works'. I used it on a super speed to get rid of some spots and those spots came off but left bright brass where they had been. I swore to never use it again and claimed that it ate nickel - until I had a super speed that had such severe plating loss that I wanted to remove all the nickel. I soaked it for 2 days in that stuff and the nickel wouldn't budge.
Long story short, if it's green, the plating is gone already. The works is dangerous your just luck there wasnt anything aluminum around.

[amishmotorboat]

The works is dangerous your just luck there wasnt anything aluminum around.

It doesn't explode on contact with aluminum. You need a sealed container to keep in the gasses released. It's unlikely that I'll accidentally drop my blue tip superspeed into a 2 liter soda bottle and cap it while I'm cleaning it.
Anything that reacts and gives off gas can be used like that. Vinegar and baking soda, pop and mentos.
I remember pulling stunts like that as a kid. We would scare the bejeebers out of each other at parties.

[gearchow]

I've used brass bristle brushes with good luck. Not for gold or silver plate, only for nickel or chrome!

-jim

[flycbyrd]

It doesn't explode on contact with aluminum. You need a sealed container to keep in the gasses released. It's unlikely that I'll accidentally drop my blue tip superspeed into a 2 liter soda bottle and cap it while I'm cleaning it.
Anything that reacts and gives off gas can be used like that. Vinegar and baking soda, pop and mentos.
I remember pulling stunts like that as a kid. We would scare the bejeebers out of each other at parties.
Not that the fumes.. I know how it works, the gas that is released by the chemical reaction expands and the bottle cant hold in the pressure and the explosion, no im talking about how corrosive it is and how bad the fumes would be.

[Jeapeacock]

I was able to use Simple Green to dissolve a lot green stuff from an Aristocrat ... it went through several cleanings with Scrubbing Bubbles and Barbicide, but that green stuff remained.

Put the razor in a small bowl, spray the Simple Green on full-strength and let it sit for a while. Pour some clean water over the razor, just enough to cover it completely. Let it sit for a couple of hours, swishing it around every so often. Take it out and scrub the green stuff with an old toothbrush or Q-tip. Rinse well.

Repeat as many times as necessary. Give it a final short bath in Barbicide or alcohol, rinse again and let it dry.

I have had good luck with Simple green as well to loosen up the green stuff as well as other unknown goop. I have had it loosen stuff that other cleaners would not.

[Chester]

I've used brass bristle brushes with good luck. Not for gold or silver plate, only for nickel or chrome!

+1. A brass brush, with a -=light=- touch, following the grooves of the knurling will do it. Soaks will help loosen the big stuff.
-- Chet

[mattface]

Soaking in vinegar diluted in water DID seem to be more effective than water alone, after that and more work with the toothbrush and some brass polish, the green is all gone from the slim, and largely taken care of on the Ranger Tech. It was REALLY bad on the Ranger though, and there's still some remnants, so back into the cider it went. does anyone see any problem with leaving it in for 24 hours? Would vinegar harm the nickel?

[AsylumGuido]

Scrubbing Bubbles soak in plugged sink for about 20 minutes followed by a toothbrush scrub with the juicy remains.

'nough said.

:thumbup1:

[mattface]

Scrubbing Bubbles soak in plugged sink for about 20 minutes followed by a toothbrush scrub with the juicy remains.

'nough said.

:thumbup1:

Is scrubbing bubbles safe for the adjustable #s? In spite of plating issues, the numbers on this slim are fine. Actually the plating is good except in spots, I'm fairly certain a few glops of something acidic were left on the handle of the slim at some point removing the plating just where the glop was.

[AsylumGuido]

Is scrubbing bubbles safe for the adjustable #s? In spite of plating issues, the numbers on this slim are fine. Actually the plating is good except in spots, I'm fairly certain a few glops of something acidic were left on the handle of the slim at some point removing the plating just where the glop was.

Yes. Just don't scrub them.

[mattface]

Yes. Just don't scrub them.

already figured that out on another razor :blushing: (which sorely needs replating anyway)

[bakerbarber]

I've had luck with WD40 on green stuff.

This puts you to square one though, because you'll need to get all the WD40 totally cleaned off.

It's a pretty good solvent to loosen stuff, and you'll need a toothbrush to help.

Scrubbing bubbles alone doesn't always get the really nasty stuff if you're impatient.

It will take the WD40 off. :wink2:

If you do get it cleaned up to an acceptable condition, get some kind of wax or polish on it to seal out any water and slow down future oxidation.