Straight Razor Maintenance

Straight razors are a popular collectors item. Understanding what they are made of, and how to best care for them are crucial to their preservation for daily users and collectors alike.

Materials:

In general, the blades of straight razors are made of steel; the more recent razors have blades made from stainless steel. Often found engraved or etched on the blades are markings identifying the manufacturer and/or the model of the razor.

Handles are made from a wide variety of materials, including celluloid (an early plastic), wood, rubber, horn, ivory, bakelite, vegetable ivory, and metal. Inlays and additions can be of mother of pearl, silver, copper, ivory, wood, tortoise shell -- the list is almost endless.

While some materials, such as metal, are easy to identify, others (such as ivory and celluloid) are virtually indistinguishable without resorting to chemical tests. Thus, instead of addressing a series of different materials, the following care and handling suggestions for straight razors are meant to be generally applicable.

Caring for your straight razor

In general, the best environment in which to store straight razors is well-ventilated, dark, room temperature (72F or 20C), and neither too dry, nor too damp.

Your underwear drawer likely meets these requirements; it is best to keep the razors near the front of the drawer, however, so that the air around them is circulated (air circulation is particularly important if the handle of your straight razor is celluloid, as unventilated celluloid canquickly deteriorate).

Razors should not be stored in an area that gets very hot, such as an attic, as celluloid is very flammable, and has been known to spontaneously combust at temperatures as low as 50C (125F).

It is advisable to keep straight razors out of water and away from liquids as much as possible -- both because water will encourage the iron-based blades to rust, and also because water can cause serious damage to many handle materials. Cleaning razors with bleach, ammonia or detergents is discouraged, as these substances can also cause damage.

The Blade:

Metal polishes, such as Brasso, Silvo, or Autosol should never beused on the blade of a straight razor. As well as damaging the surface, they can leave polish residues which are both unattractive, and can be harmful to the blade and handle.

If the blade is exceptionally dull or nicked, the use of a sharpening stone is recommended. A leather razor strop can be used to maintain a keen edge. You know you're getting close when you can slice a piece of paper with your razor.

It is not uncommon to find rust on the blades of straight razors, particularly the earlier blades, made before the invention ofstainless steel. The rust can be removed using either a soft 3M scrub pad (the white ones), or 0000 (extremely fine) steel wool. Be careful not to scratch the handle!

Next, clean the entire surface of the blade with a Q-tip dampened with either ethyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol. This will help degrease the blade. Then, apply a thin coat of light mineral oil to the blade; let it sit for a short while (10 minutes, or so), and then wipe the excess oil off using a clean, dry cloth. This oil coating will help prevent any further rusting.

If you use your straight razor, use rubbing alcohol to remove the oil before use, and again after use to clean the blade. Use mineral oil to re-oil the blade after use, as well as after sharpening. Be careful not to get any alcohol or oil on the handle.

The Handle (scales):

Coatings such as lacquers, waxes, oils, and polishes should be avoided, as they can do more harm than good (trapping dirt, or trapping chemicals that greatly increase rates of deterioration).

Likewise, soaps and detergents should also be avoided when cleaning handles. For general cleaning, use distilled water. Do not immerse or soak the handle in the water; rather, wipe the handle with adamp cloth, and dry immediately using another clean, absorbent cloth.

To cut any grease present, use a mixture of distilled water and household ammonia (1 or 2 drops of ammonia in 2 cups of water); rinse quickly with a damp cloth, and dry.

To clean wooden handles, carefully "erase" the dirt using a soft,white vinyl eraser. The eraser bits can be brushed away using a soft bristle brush. Wood handles should not be washed with water.

If you have a broken razor, it is best not to fix it yourself -- certain adhesives may cause damage to the materials. As well, certain repairs may cause a loss in value greater than the damage alone.

Consult a conservator familiar with the materials involved.

Keep an eye on your razor collection, and watch for any signs of deterioration -- colour change, odours, cracking, flaking, warping, bubbling, etc.

Deteriorating razors should be isolated and stored away from the rest of your collection, to prevent further damage(for example, deteriorating celluloid will cause other, "healthy" celluloid (as well as other materials such as leather), toalso begin deteriorating).

In general, the basic straight razor maintenance outlined above will go a long way to keeping your razor in good shape for many years. For more in-depth concerns (i.e. a cloudy tortoise shell handle, adhesive residues, broken handles), consult with a conservator who is familiar with the material in question