mantaining your hardware.

[Chris]

No they did not and I see the results in buggered up vintage straight razors. Vintage DEs/SEs suffered far less from such laissez faire treatment.

Bob

Probably a fair point about the straights.

 

[Nishy]

After use:
Blade is thrown away, yes only used for one shave.
Razor is put into an ultrasonic cleaner with alcohol
Razor is dried
Razor is put into a closed cabinet surrounded by silica packets.
Before use the razor is polished.

Excessive yes, worth it yes. Anyone advises otherwise, no.

 

[les24preludes]

After use the R41 razor is dismantled and cleaned using a clean white cloth. The blade is pinched in the cloth and cleaned in an outwards direction away from the edge. It's then put back together. If the blade is done I load a new blade instead. Tend to use blades for around 5 shaves.

 

[MntnMan62]

Good question. I remove the blade from my razor after every shave. I wash each piece of my razor (usually a 3 piece) and carefully dry off each piece on a towel, including wiping the blade on the towel, before putting the blade back in the razor and putting it together. I still hang it on a stand in the bathroom just in case I didn't wipe all the water off the razor. By doing this I feel there is little need for me to do much more. I suppose I should probably take all my razors and wash them in a solution consisting of hot water and Dawn dishwashing liquid once a year. That would be the most that I would do.

If I used a soap, I like to load from the tub so I always leave the top off the tub of soap for about 18 to 24 hours to fully dry in another room before putting the top back on. Creams I always use a small spoon to scoop out what I need so the cover goes back on immediately.

For brushes I always rinse the brush out as best as possible using hot tap water and I allow it to flow into the brush so that there is no more evidence of soap coming from the knot. I then shake the brush vigorously over the sink to extract as much water as possible. I then strope the brush against a towel before putting it upside down on the stand with the razor to dry. I always use a different brush for each shave so I know they are fully dried before using them again.

 

[Deleted member 476]

razor maintenance? I spray it every 6 weeks with non-bleach scrubbing bubbles and scrub with a old toothbrush to get the soap scum off. That's it. Brushes get a shampoo, maybe once a year.

 

[Electrif]

I go full ocd on my kit after a shave, everything cleaned dried and put away apart from the brush which is left hanging untill dry. Blades go back into its wrapper and wrapper is marked with a marker pen on each use. Soap is dried with tissue and then air dried for 12hrs.
It's just part of my shaving routine and it only takes an extra five to ten minutes to do this after my shave.
I'm not saying it's the right way just my way! P.

We suffer from the same OCD Paul.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

Rinse well each part of the razor and the dry it with a towel.

Rinse the blade and put it to air dry in a safe place after get rid the extra water.

Rinse the soap and let it dry upside down for 24h.

Rinse the brush completely and towel dry for a few seconds and then let it air dry for some hours.


After some shaves I scrub the razor with an old toothbrush using also dish detergent. I use a microfiber towel to dry it.

 

[FRFC1908]

thanks guys for all of your wonderful input! I really enjoy reading all of your comments and get an insight in to your daily shaving activities!

 

[Boycie83]

Rinse brush, razor and soap (cold water) under tap after each shave. I'll give the outgoing razor a deeper rinse and wipe with a microfibre cloth when bringing the next razor in to rotation.

Occasionally I'll shampoo my brushes and give the razors a clean in fairy liquid but this tends to be the result of me playing in the den rather than any form of planned maintenance.

 

[SeanC]

I've never understood the logic for taking a stainless blade out of a razor and 'doing stuff' to it. More chance of accidently blunting it or cutting yourself than it going rusty

 

[Cheesepiece]

After a shave I squeeze the lather from my brush and rinse it in running water, shake it out and stand it upright.
I put the lid back on my soap.
I rinse my razor, assembled with blade, in running water.

If a razor looks to have taken on a bit of soap scum it goes in the dishwasher with the dishes and is scrubbed with a toothbrush after.
Spent blades go in my tin in the medicine cabinet for recycling.
As far as I can tell brushes are washed doing what they do best, lathering. Mine don't get shampood. Any now I use shampoo bars I don't see how shave soap could be any different.

 

[p.b]

When I had soft water all I did was shake the razor / brush dry. Soap scum was NEVER a problem. With hard water I'll wipe the razor with a microfibre cloth - taking care to avoid the razor edge after each shave, dissemble the razor when the blade is spent and an ultrasonic bath every couple of months.

 

[FRFC1908]

Some very interresting cleaning and maintaining methods going on right here , fabulous feedback you guys!

 

[CobraX]

I have a feeling I'm going to be the most extreme guy here. So here we go:

Safety Razor

• Take the razor apart and use a wet cotton pad with liquid hand soap on it to clean every part of the razor, then rinse off the soap under the running faucet
• Dry the razor with a towel
• Use the hair dryer on it to make sure it's 100% dry and reassemble it without the blade in it
• If it's still not shiny enough (chrome plated razors), put some isopropanol onto a cotton pad and clean the razor with it
• Put the razor in its stand in the closet in my PC room
• Put a large drinking glass upside down on top of it so dust can't get to it

Blade

• Put a bit of liquid hand soap directly on top of it (both sides)
• With my finger spread the liquid hand soap starting from the cutouts in the middle towards the edge of the blade (this way I will never cut myself)
• Rinse off the soap under the running faucet
• Pat the blade dry with a towel
• Use the hair dryer on it to make sure it's 100% dry (this step is optional, doesn't always happen in other words)
• Put the blade away (no wrapper) in the closet in my PC room on top of the upside down glass

Soap

• Put some water on top of the soap and rub my finger over it to remove the remaining dried proto lather (repeat this step a few times until it's totally clean)
• Rinse the threads under the running faucet
• Dry the tub on the outside with a towel
• Wrap the towel around 1 finger and carefully dry the inside of the tub without touching the soap
• Let the soap dry in my PC room
• Once it's dry put the lid on and store it in the closet

Brush

• Rinse out the brush under the running faucet carefully spreading the hairs now and then to make sure it's totally clean
• Do a quick palm lather with liquid hand soap to remove the shaving soap scent
• Rinse out the brush again under the running faucet
• Shake out the brush
• With a light touch make strokes on a towel to dry the tips
• From a safe distance use the hair dryer to dry the bristles (warm air, not hot)
• From a safe, yet a bit closer distance use the hair dryer on it again (this time with cold air, this step is optional)

To put things into perspective, I don't care if my car doesn't get washed for 6 months, but I can't stand it if my shaving gear doesn't look pristine after each shave. The cleaning part easily takes 30 minutes, but since I only shave once or twice a week, it's not a big deal.

 

[Deleted member 1881]

It's not a big deal.