When I got my '48-'50 Super Speed from ebay, it was immaculate. Bright, shiny...just perfect. Now that I have been using it for a while, it is dull with accumulated soap scum and, seemingly, has faint hints of rust inside? I don't know if that's from the blades, or what... Still, I want to restore it to it's bright and polished glory. So, how do the rest of y'all keep your razors free of the soap scum and accumulation so they continue to look bright and shiny? Thanks...
Scrubbing Bubbles seems to be one of the favorite methods for cleaning scum, but I don't think it works that great myself. I let them soak in Barbicide then give them a scrub with an old toothbrush. Then a light polish with a paper towel. They look great after this process.
I have a baby food jar filled with diluted scrubbing bubbles. After every use I swirl the razor in this solution, rinse with water, then dunk in a second jar filled with rubbing alcohol to help dry off the razor. This seems to do a good job of keeping the soap scum at bay. For more through cleaning, I douse the razor in scrubbing bubbles for five minutes, then scrub with an old toothbrush. some use oxy-clean, but don't use oxyclean on aluminum razors You can use MAAS polish to polish it up(don't use it on gold plated razor) Are you using carbon steel blades or Stainless? If they are carbon, I would take them out of the razor before storing. and the rubbing alcohol rinse will help dry off the razor to keep the rust from spreading
Soak in Scrubbing Bubbles (spray on and let sit for a bit). Scrub with soft brush. Place in ultrasonic cleaner. Rinse and scrub again. Dry. If I'm going to use it I typically soak it in Hydracide for 15 minutes just to ease my mind even thought it's not really necessary.
Spray with SB, when the bubbles have done their thing lightly scrub with a soft toothbrush and some dish soap. Dry with a soft cloth, done.
Hi Tommy, I'd echo Superbleu's suggestion about getting yourself some Maas polish at a hardware store or Walgreens. The scrubbing bubbles work fine for removing crud in hard to reach spots, and it also does a decent job of shining the razor, but Maas will make it really bright.....especially the razor head. It seems to do an excellent job of removing water stains......much better than the bubbles.You'd be surprised what a few minutes of using the polish with a soft cloth will do. I'll often use that stuff before the final cleaning stage with hot water and scrubbing bubbles. As mentioned in this thread, it's NOT for gold razors, unless you'd like to remove that color...........heh. Hope that helps, Martin
I clean my razors immediately after each use with liquid hand soap and a soft toothbrush (you, know -- ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure), but for build-up, I go with the Bubbles. Sidebar to Wishoot: I wouldn't use paper towels -- they can leave scratches. Grab an old 100% cotton t-shirt instead.
No, actually, I'm not using carbon blades. If I was, I wouldn't be surprised to see the hints of rust. As it is, I am surprised.
As I don't have any Barbicide, I tried just soaking the razor in rubbing alcohol for 15 minutes and then scrubbing it with an unused toothbrush. That seems to have done the trick for the moment. I read up on Barbicide, and I think I'll get some to soak my razor in following each shave for it purports to be anti-rust, as well as killing just about every germ known to man. I do have to echo Rick's advice to skip using the paper towels and, instead, use a soft 100% cotton t-shirt to avoid any potential scratches.
I guess I need to get some MAAS. How often do y'all use it? I can't imagine that you would polish your razor each and every day. Is it once a week? Once a month? Thanks...
So, Scrubbing Bubbles & an old toothbrush, as well as MAAS seem to be the general consensus. Thanks, everyone.
I only use MAAS on the initial clean up as I'm not sure if it's a good idea to polish these razors too often. As for the Barbicide, Sally Beauty Supply carries a similar product called Hydrocide -- same ingredients, just cheaper.
Hi there, Thanks for the question.......I should have been clearer about that. Normally. I'll use scrubbing bubbles after every few blades worth of shaves. I might use the Maas maybe every 4-5 weeks to really bring it back to extremely shiny. I'll use the polish most when I receive a new (to me) razor from somewhere. Unless it's mint (very rarely), I'll give em a good going over with the Maas. It's a lot more effective for removing the deeper stains and especially old oxidation(or whatever it is). The soft cloth will turn black from removing whatever it is, and repeated rubbing will remove more and more. The razor will shine, and it somehow seems even cleaner than before. Oh, I should mention this takes place after an initial soak in hot water and Dawn. From there, I'll use hot water and scrubbing bubbles to remove the residue, and done deal. Hope that helps, Martin Oh.....not quite 'done deal'......heh. I also will lightly oil (mineral oil) the moving parts.
After use I rinse in warm water, shake dry, and open the barn doors a bit to loosen the blade to help with air circulation. Then I lay it on one end on the counter. No soap scum troubles at all, nor any other buildup, rust, or anything. Three months now with the same Fatboy doing it that way....
I like the green crusty stuff that grows on the razor. Really gives it some character! JK! Scrubbing bubbles and an OLD toothbrush. bit of baking soda as well.
For rust inside a razorhead, I've been very carefully using an old wet soft toothbrush with Bar Keeper's Friend. It has oxalic acid, and removes the rust in a flash. This stuff will scratch if you do not use enough water along with it and cannot be used on gold or silver. On my chrome Gems, though, it works great.
I just use an old toothbrush and a dab of toothpaste every so often. Does a great job...and you don't have to buy anything.
