What Oil To Use?

Messages
521
I have several old Gillettes, e.g. Fatboys, Aristocrats, etc. What are the best oils to use to keep the doors opening and closing smoothly? Am I correct in assuming that it'll just be a few drops of the oil squirted in at the bottom and or top of the handle?

Thanks, Micheal
 
I have several old Gillettes, e.g. Fatboys, Aristocrats, etc. What are the best oils to use to keep the doors opening and closing smoothly? Am I correct in assuming that it'll just be a few drops of the oil squirted in at the bottom and or top of the handle?

Thanks, Micheal
Having just ordered a fatboy I'd also love to know how people here keep them nice
 
Having just ordered a fatboy I'd also love to know how people here keep them nice
I put mine into an ultrasonic cleaner from time to time. If I can, I put a tiny amount of silicone grease on any exposed moving places I can get to, which are usually the linkages, hinges etc. in the top end of the razor.

I have in the past been tempted to use a regular dose of light oil of some sort (and I've tried many including gun oils, sewing machine oil, natural vegetable oils etc.) but I haven't had very good results. I find that most wash straight out of a razor in use, with soap to break them down, and make a bit of a mess in the washbasin. The best use I've found for oils is in major "de-clagging" operations, where I ultra-clean, put plenty of oil in, move it all about to free it; rinse and repeat. Lubrication is obviously good for metal to metal surfaces, but it doesn't do a lot if the space between is filled with soap or scale.

The two main enemies of these razors are limescale and soap build-up. Once these build up heavily in any TTO, especially adjustables, they are difficult to shift, except by some form of immersion cleaning (short of dismantling and reassembling).

No doubt there are some powerful cleaners/lubricants such as Young's 303 etc. which might clean out a clogged razor and lubricate it, but I haven't tried these. My ultrasonic cleaner will keep an initially-clean razor in good order, and, using the heater and additive cleaners designed for it, can, with a bit of perseverance, clean up some badly-clogged razors.
 
I've just ordered an aerosol of Ballistol. My thinking is that if shake My Rockwell 6S out as hard as I can after rinsing it, a quick spray of Ballistol may keep any rust spots at bay.
 
I've just ordered an aerosol of Ballistol. My thinking is that if shake My Rockwell 6S out as hard as I can after rinsing it, a quick spray of Ballistol may keep any rust spots at bay.
It can't hurt to oil it, but the 6S is made from stainless steel (what grade I don't know), and I think you'd be (or perhaps are) unlucky if the razor itself started producing rust spots; at least in normal use. Mine certainly hasn't, and it's the original Kickstarter production. My own experience is that all the stainless (and other metal) razors I have that show rust spots in the heads, do so because I haven't disassembled, washed and dried them after every use, and the "stainless" blade has rusted and transferred the stain to the razor.

From time to time I clean rust spots and stains off the razors with Peek or similar, usually as part of a ultrasonic "razor maintenance" session.

Great stuff, that Ballistol!
 
It can't hurt to oil it, but the 6S is made from stainless steel (what grade I don't know), and I think you'd be (or perhaps are) unlucky if the razor itself started producing rust spots; at least in normal use. Mine certainly hasn't, and it's the original Kickstarter production. My own experience is that all the stainless (and other metal) razors I have that show rust spots in the heads, do so because I haven't disassembled, washed and dried them after every use, and the "stainless" blade has rusted and transferred the stain to the razor.

From time to time I clean rust spots and stains off the razors with Peek or similar, usually as part of a ultrasonic "razor maintenance" session.

Great stuff, that Ballistol!
Ferrum, many thanks for sharing your expertise on this thread.
When you suggested an ultrasonic cleaner I had no idea what you meant. Nonetheless onto Amazon and one arrived today. Grandads 1930s Gillette already looking nice and shiny.
Next stop my tool box with a few pieces already looking better.
Thanks again
Paul
 
Returning to the OP's original query - I read elsewhere that baby oil will do the job, at least it will be skin-safe.

Wahl Clipper Oil (£2 a bottle) is very light and I use this on hair clippers and the blades of my electric Panasonic.

I've only ever cleaned my DE razors with liquid hand soap, hot water and an old toothbrush.
 
Back
Top Bottom