Lubricating adjustable razors?

Johnsons Baby Oil is a mineral oil, but of a type and grade suitable for putting on babies' skin. Normal household lubricants like 3-in-1, sewing machine oil, and so forth are designed for inanimate objects (and that's not me after Christmas lunch), and personally I'd not use them where there is a chance of contact with skin; and especially on my face when shaving.
You could of course lubricate with household oil and clean it off completely, which rather destroys the point of putting it on in the first place. So my vote is for baby oil.
I have a heated ultrasonic bath, which I use with a mild dilute ultrasonic metal cleaning solution, and that seems to do the job; followed by the baby oil.
 
Rather than throw the oil away, I poured it into a old jam jar, popped the Fatboy in, topped it up so the razor was completely immersed and then left it for 24 hours. I've just taken it out and cleaned off the oil, it seems to be working fine.

Thanks for the help everyone. :)
 
Hishg said:
Rather than throw the oil away, I poured it into a old jam jar, popped the Fatboy in, topped it up so the razor was completely immersed and then left it for 24 hours. I've just taken it out and cleaned off the oil, it seems to be working fine.

Thanks for the help everyone. :)
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I just love happy endings!
 
jds said:
One of my Digress razors was a little "sticky" so I asked Ian the Groom Room for advice.... which was a dab of vaseline on the thread. It worked very well and was easy, quick and cheap.
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Useful stuff for anything, that Vaseline. The other thing I almost always put on threads of 3-piece razors is a miniscule amount of silicone grease, which is fairly waterproof, stays on well and is a superb lubricant.
 
I would not use Vaseline or silicone as you actually want something water soluble. Grease will merely attract scum, hair, soap, etc., and in short time will look like a buttered muffin dropped on a sawdust floor.
 
Bogeyman said:
I would not use Vaseline or silicone as you actually want something water soluble. Grease will merely attract scum, hair, soap, etc., and in short time will look like a buttered muffin dropped on a sawdust floor.
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I always unscrew my 3-part razors and Merkur adjustable in the open air, and I have never had one show soap etc. on any greased part. If they did, then it wouldn't be a problem to clean them.
On the other hand, grease of any sort is not something I would use on Gillette adjustable and almost all butterfly razors. Apart from having to dismantle them to apply grease, such razors have nooks and crannies that are magnets to soap, limescale and the rest, and, if I have to use any, I find that liquid lubricant is best.
Most oils will fairly quickly emulsify in hot water and dissipate, and I do wonder if they have much long term effect, as opposed to freeing an immediate "stickiness". Keeping the innards of any razor as clean as possible seems the most desirable aim.
I'm sure that, if manufacturers such as Gillette recommended lubrication of any sort, this might be a good reference point. I can't recall offhand seeing anything much beyond advice to keep razors clean, but no doubt other members may know about this.
 
Ferrum, I should have stipulated adjustable razors as I personally never lubricate a three piece, even though they are screwed more than the average taxpayer. ;)
 
Bogeyman said:
Ferrum, I should have stipulated adjustable razors as I personally never lubricate a three piece, even though they are screwed more than the average taxpayer. ;)
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Great minds think alike.
Most 3-pieces don't absolutely need lubrication. All-stainless can get along just fine, but I like to put a smidgen of silicon grease on the threads of zamak razors and, most importantly, aluminium ones like Ikon Shavecraft heads with aluminium threads into stainless handles. I do so because I want to try to reduce the wear on the aluminium, and I also think easier lubed threading does slightly help to avoid cross-threading and b*******g up the thread.
 
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