hi guys i live in a very humid environment and even with a fan and a dehumidifier running in the bathroom a couple of new Harts are starting to show signs of active rust!! One was even lathered up in oil between uses. I've since moved them to another part of the house with considerably less humidity and moved them into an improved humidor. But now sure where i should start on removing the rust i've got. I don't want to start hitting it with sandpaper as both blades are matte finish. Any other suggestions on where to start?
Humidity + Straights = RUST
- Thread starter geishboy
- Start date
I've heard of people getting good results with maas or the finest grade of steel wool.
use maas or flitz metal polish but they will need a good honing afterwards. they both say nonabrasive but the edge will suffer. also a pack of desiccant in the humidor would help.. either of these will polish the matte off as well as sandpaper, clr? might work if it is avalible there.
Also, make sure you wipe out the inside of the scales after shaving. Its easy for a little water to hide in there. In addition, get the silicone impregnated sleves sold by the superior shave. They work great.
Superiorshave has some silicone treated sleeves for straights.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
No CLR, it has phosphoric acid which will convert the rust to black phosphate and stain the steel. Never, ever, put any acid on steel if you want to maintain appearance.
I'd probably try a nylon scratch pad or fiberglass pen, then rub in a decent coat of Renaissance wax to seal any pores.
Cheers, Steve
I'd probably try a nylon scratch pad or fiberglass pen, then rub in a decent coat of Renaissance wax to seal any pores.
Cheers, Steve
Pics help but yeah fiberglass pen if it's not bad... Or get a micro mesh set from strings by mail and start at the bottom and work your way up... By the time you finish it should be blended well
- Thread starter
- #8
Sorry, taken me a while to get back to the board. Attached is a pic of one of the blades with rust along the spine. All of the blades have this orange rust along the spine only.
Pic isn't the greatest, sorry.
Pic isn't the greatest, sorry.
We often hover at around 100% humidity here, so I am always worried about rust too.
After shaving, I dry the straight and between the scales. Then I spray with a mist of 70% iso (which dries quickly and seems to remove soap scum). Then I store the razor on a sort of drying mat slightly open on my razor shelf which is outside the washroom. The next morning, I can either close the first razor and store it or use it again.
With this routine, I have found that I don't need to oil the blades (unless I put them away for longer storage) and that I don't need the silicone sleeves to avoid rust. I think oil or silicone sleeves are a good idea though, but I would also strongly recommend never keeping a straight in the washroom if you already have high humidity.
After shaving, I dry the straight and between the scales. Then I spray with a mist of 70% iso (which dries quickly and seems to remove soap scum). Then I store the razor on a sort of drying mat slightly open on my razor shelf which is outside the washroom. The next morning, I can either close the first razor and store it or use it again.
With this routine, I have found that I don't need to oil the blades (unless I put them away for longer storage) and that I don't need the silicone sleeves to avoid rust. I think oil or silicone sleeves are a good idea though, but I would also strongly recommend never keeping a straight in the washroom if you already have high humidity.
This is exactly what I do as well.
VCI paper. Gun shops carry it sometimes, some sellers on ebay have it too. Works well.
I run the blade under very very hot water to heat it, then wipe dry. Blades going for longer term hibernation get oiled, and if I'm really not using the blade, I wipe the oil off every few months, clean in barbicide, and reheat, redry and reoil.
I keep VCI paper in my storage boxes and in the bottoms of the mugs I keep project blades in. Been doing this for years, no issues with any type of scale material, including ivory.
I run the blade under very very hot water to heat it, then wipe dry. Blades going for longer term hibernation get oiled, and if I'm really not using the blade, I wipe the oil off every few months, clean in barbicide, and reheat, redry and reoil.
I keep VCI paper in my storage boxes and in the bottoms of the mugs I keep project blades in. Been doing this for years, no issues with any type of scale material, including ivory.
+1 saved me
I love how excited you are about the "silicone coated sleeves" while sporting this avatar
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
When you clean the razor after shaving, are you also cleaning the spine? The position of the orange rust also suggests that it might be a fingerprint from closing the blade. I like to "close up" with a microfiber lens cloth or a small chamois so as not to leave fingerprints, even though at that point my hands are quite clean.
Cheers, Steve
I only leave my stainless steel razors in the bathroom, the others are stashed in a dry place.
