My new 1912 rusted the blade overnight

**JonM** · 06-19-2012, 06:02 AM

I picked up a Gem 1912 at an antique store the other day for a fair price. I've owned, displayed, and sold a few SE razors since I started wet shaving. However, until now, I've never actually bought the blades to use them. Well, I stopped at my local Rite-Aid to buy a small pack of their store brand SE blades (that's all they had). I came home, loaded up a fresh blade, and the next morning... this is what I saw after using it. I still got a damn good shave out of it but I was shocked to see this kind of reaction. I can only assume that it's due to some kind of chemical reaction between the two metals. Is this normal?

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I must say though, I can definitely see why SE razors have a following still. My first SE shave was fantastic! Darn near BBS with no nicks, weepers, or cuts on a 3-pass shave.

**Sledgehammer39** · 06-19-2012, 06:43 AM

The blade might have been a carbon steel which nearly begins to rust after just one shave. I would use a fresh blade and use a q-tip and apply some baby oil on the blade before shaving with it. This should prevent the rust from forming. Also you could spray some rubbing alcohol on the blade after a shave. Hope this helps. If you go to walgreens and get a pack of GEM SS blades the rusting will not happen.

**urr-lord** · 06-19-2012, 06:48 AM

On carbon steel blades i use my wifes hair spray that has olive oil in it.The spray is a "fog" type and it just takes a tiny spray on each side.No rust now.

**inspiringK** · 06-19-2012, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Sledgehammer39

The blade might have been a carbon steel which nearly begins to rust after just one shave. I would use a fresh blade and use a q-tip and apply some baby oil on the blade before shaving with it. This should prevent the rust from forming. Also you could spray some rubbing alcohol on the blade after a shave. Hope this helps. If you go to walgreens and get a pack of GEM SS blades the rusting will not happen.

+1

It is probably the blade, not the razor. I think I had a GEM blade in a 1912 for around month or so with no signs of rust at all. If I recall correctly, it was one of these blades.

**Go West Young Man** · 06-19-2012, 07:00 AM

There's another razor involved here.... Occam's Razor

Rust is a chemical reaction between metal and water. You're shaving, you have a razor blade, ta-dum, rust!

Seriously, some brands of SE blades are rust easily because they're made of carbon steel, not stainless. It's not a big deal, you just have to make sure that the blade and razor are 100% completely dry before putting them away. A quick dip in alcohol or a thorough toweling off usually get the job done.

**dpm802** · 06-19-2012, 07:00 AM

I must say though, I can definitely see why SE razors have a following still. My first SE shave was fantastic! Darn near BBS with no nicks, weepers, or cuts on a 3-pass shave.

If you got a fantastic shave from it, that's all that counts. Even if you have to replace it every day due to rusting overnight. There are plenty of blades that have coatings on them, and it will say so on the package.

Make sure when you buy SE blades that they are meant for shaving. There are many blades meant for handyman use like paint-scraping that will fit in an SE razor, but will tear your face to shreds when you try to shave with it.

**Haggises** · 06-19-2012, 07:00 AM

While the carbon steel rusts quickly, I found that merely drying it and keeping it out of the razor prevented the rust.
Wal-mart carries the Stainless Steel type.

**JonM** · 06-19-2012, 08:27 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'll definitely try drying & coating the blade until I use these up & replace them with stainless blades. And yes, I know to not use blades from a hardware store ;)

**HoosierTrooper** · 06-19-2012, 08:33 AM

That is exactly why I remove the blade, pat dry with a hand towel and store it in a small plastic container. The CVS blades are indeed carbon steel and made by American Safety Razor/Personna.

**Vickers** · 06-19-2012, 08:36 AM

PM me your address and I'll send you a few of the coated Gems from the recent group buy.

**JonM** · 06-19-2012, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Vickers

PM me your address and I'll send you a few of the coated Gems from the recent group buy.

Thank you very much! You're a gentleman and a scholar.

**JonM** · 06-24-2012, 06:54 AM

I got the Gem blades that Vickers sent me yesterday. They're MUCH better than the Rite-Aid blades I bought. I got a perfect shave out of them this morning too. Thanks, Vickers! And here I thought I was cured of my RAD. Now that I fell in live with this 1912, I just had to get the OCMM in near mint condition with its original case & both the new & used blade boxes on BST.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...and-Gillette-s

**Vickers** · 06-25-2012, 04:41 AM

Glad they are working out for you, Jon. I too tried an SE with a poor blade and almost gave up on them.

Originally Posted by JonM

I got the Gem blades that Vickers sent me yesterday. They're MUCH better than the Rite-Aid blades I bought. I got a perfect shave out of them this morning too. Thanks, Vickers! And here I thought I was cured of my RAD. Now that I fell in live with this 1912, I just had to get the OCMM in near mint condition with its original case & both the new & used blade boxes on BST.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...and-Gillette-s

**Haggises** · 06-25-2012, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by JonM

I got the Gem blades that Vickers sent me yesterday. They're MUCH better than the Rite-Aid blades I bought. I got a perfect shave out of them this morning too. Thanks, Vickers! And here I thought I was cured of my RAD. Now that I fell in live with this 1912, I just had to get the OCMM in near mint condition with its original case & both the new & used blade boxes on BST.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...and-Gillette-s

And the 1914, and the 1924 and the G Bar, and the Clog Pruf, and The Flying Wing, and the push button, and the Juniors, and the Damaskeene and the lather castchers, and the Streamline......
Welcome to a whole new RAD.

**JonM** · 06-25-2012, 04:35 PM

So you're saying that I shouldn't have included that gold push button Gem in my PIF last October? Oh darn. ;)

I actually owned a clog pruf and a bullet tip before too - nice & minty at that. Too bad I sold them to Noctilux back before I really got involved in SE razors. I'm kicking myself over those ones. Well, at least they all found good homes. Now to start the search again.

Originally Posted by Haggises

And the 1914, and the 1924 and the G Bar, and the Clog Pruf, and The Flying Wing, and the push button, and the Juniors, and the Damaskeene and the lather castchers, and the Streamline......
Welcome to a whole new RAD.