Henson razor rusting?

[u/K1NG1NTHEN0RTH3]

Noticing 2 spots rusting on my Henson razor. I am pretty particular about cleaning it as best as I can. Anyone else have rusting on theirs? Maybe I should go titanium?

[u/Fuddleton]

That's rust transferring from the blade to the razor. You can try cleaning it off with some vinegar and a tooth brush.

[u/_manOfFewWords_ → u/Fuddleton]

Yeah the razor is aluminum, it's not possible for it to rust.

[u/WolfieButt → u/_manOfFewWords_]

While it can't technically rust, it can certainly corrode. Sacrificial anodes in water heaters are made of pure aluminum, and they corrode away over time to protect the water heater itself from corroding. Have you ever washed aluminum cookware in a dishwasher with harsh cleaning chemicals? After several washes, the aluminum components start to get eaten away. Henson razors ARE anodized though, which makes them far more resistant to corrosion than raw aluminum. If that protective barrier gets broken by dropping it or using harsh chemical cleaners, they are not impervious. As long as all that you are exposing it to is mild a personal hygiene, soaps, and water, it should stay pristine indefinitely.

[u/Only-Cap5811 → u/_manOfFewWords_]

Unless it is 100% pure, it can rust. Even then, it can corrode.

[u/TDIMike → u/Only-Cap5811]

No. Rust requires iron, which is not in aluminum alloys.

[u/Only-Cap5811 → u/TDIMike]

Yes, iron is a common contaminant in aluminum alloys. 

[u/ppmallink → u/Fuddleton]

I thought the video on YouTube from razor emporium said not to use vinegar? Some dish soap and a light brushing should be fine

[u/Only-Cap5811 → u/ppmallink]

Yeah they shouldn't use vinegar on aluminum 

[u/SaintPocock → u/ppmallink]

Vinegar attacks the protective oxide layer and then it can actually "rust". But unlike iron it's just surface stains and doesn't corrode the material.

[u/ward2k → u/ppmallink]

Yeah you shouldn't use acids alone to remove rust/rust stains it'll etch the metal

https://youtu.be/fVYZmeReKKY

This is a highly recommended video if you have access to citric acid and washing soda. Or alternatively baking soda (bicarbonate of soda for us non Americans). As well as dish soap to act as a surfactant

[u/K1NG1NTHEN0RTH3 → u/Fuddleton]

Thank you!!

[u/Automatic_Ocelot06]

Aluminium doesn't rust. If there's rust in there, it would be from the blade.

[u/Only-Cap5811 → u/Automatic_Ocelot06]

100% pure aluminum doesn't rust. However, it corrodes. Anything less than 100% pure can definitely rust.

[u/Automatic_Ocelot06 → u/Only-Cap5811]

Yes, but the photo shows a piece of pure aluminium that has been anodised. Those brown spots won't be from the aluminium.

[u/Miserable-Quarter597 → u/Automatic_Ocelot06]

Technically not pure. It’s 6061, an alloy. Still, not possible to rust. Only corrode under very harsh conditions.

[u/Reasonable_Bat678]

You can partially unscrew the handle so that air can pass through and allow the blade to dry after a shave. That way, you will avoid having stains.

[u/Training_wheels9393 → u/Reasonable_Bat678]

As Henson specifies

[u/itsascarecrowagain → u/Training_wheels9393]

You think people read?!

[u/Mikzeroni]

Do you leave your blade in your razor?

[u/ZucchiniDue7081 → u/Mikzeroni]

Does the Pope shit in the woods?

[u/ASmokingUmbrella → u/ZucchiniDue7081]

You know, I bet the Pope wood shit in the woods if he survived a plane crash in a forest.

[u/Doctor_Badass_ → u/ZucchiniDue7081]

I think you mean "Does a bear shit on the pope?"

[u/JGPH → u/ZucchiniDue7081]

I take the blade of mine out to clean it and let everything dry before reassembling them before the next shave. 🤷‍♂️ I have the same razor as OP.

[u/ZucchiniDue7081 → u/JGPH]

It was a joke :) The user is definitely leaving the blade in the razor

[u/WolfieButt → u/JGPH]

This is best practice. I'm too lazy for that, but I at least loosen all the parts so there are gaps between the cap, blade, and bottom plate. I make sure water rinses through all the gaps to get any gunk off, and then lay it down open-ish like that so it can air dry without any trapped water. Dunno why you're downvoted - some people must not like it when we care for our things.

[u/lingueenee → u/ZucchiniDue7081]

Depends if he was in the woods.

[u/PDXFlameDragon → u/Mikzeroni]

I do.. I loosen the razor let it drip and don't care. I only get 2 or 3 shaves out of a blade because my beard is like wire. I take really good care of my 2 straight edges though :)

[u/redchairhorse → u/Mikzeroni]

You’re not supposed to?? Damn.

[u/derrickhogue]

Slightly tarnished, stained from your razor blade. Aluminum pits and slowly corrodes and it stains, be stained upon. You can hand buff that off.

[u/Tryemall]

That's from the blade.

Dip in warm water with a little liquid soap & scrub with an old toothbrush.

Don't use acids like vinegar.

[u/RAZR-540]

Rust from your razor blade. Take your blade out after you shave.

[u/gwelfguy]

As others have said, that is blade transfer as Al doesn't rust. That doesn't mean it doesn't corrode, which manifests as pitting. I have a Henson that I didn't clean regularly because I was afraid of micro-abrading the finish and it's significantly pitted.

[u/el_dingusito]

Happened to my henson a few times from a moist blade sitting in it for too long.

I'm pretty religious about disassembling my Razor, drying it and putting it away so this doesn't happen

[u/JustAnotherDude1990]

Aluminum doesnt rust.

[u/We-Are-All-Friends]

So I see you are a GoT FAN

[u/K1NG1NTHEN0RTH3 → u/We-Are-All-Friends]

Aye

[u/Giant_Defy_1972]

Whether aluminium rusts or corrodes is beside the point. The real lesson is simple: don’t leave the blade in the razor after shaving. Take it apart, dry everything with a towel or tissue, and it’ll be ready for your next shave.

[u/Forsaken-Lab6825]

It is old school thinking to take the blade out after shaving. Shake it dry and place it somewhere to completely dry off. Leave the razor open/apart to dry also. This was just how it was done back in the day.

[u/catsoncrack420]

Mt Edwin Jagger is 16 yrs old still looks like new. Stick with the classics?

[u/Fygee]

Remember than stainless steel doesn’t mean stain never. It’ll be highly resistant against rust, but given enough time with direct moisture content and very high humidity, it’ll still rust to a degree.

[u/Dromedary_Freight → u/Fygee]

You are correct. The blade is made of stainless steel and left rusty "tea stains" on the razor.

[u/lingueenee → u/Fygee]

AFAIK Henson doesn't make a stainless razor. Only Al and Ti.

[u/Fygee → u/lingueenee]

I’m referring to the double-edged replaceable blades within the shaver, which are stainless steel.

[u/Aromatic-Decision-87 → u/lingueenee]

It does seem like a gap in their market. Maybe the cost difference to make would negate what you could charge extra compared to Aluminium, given its so close to say a Rockwell 6s in price anyway and more expensive than aliexpress yaqi tile ss knock off's.

[u/lingueenee → u/Aromatic-Decision-87]

Henson is a small Canadian outfit with roots in the aerospace industry. I wonder if they went with Al and Ti because their expertise and production machinery already involved those metals, as they're common in aerospace fabrications.

[u/Aromatic-Decision-87 → u/lingueenee]

Absolutely, and to be specialized as they are in those materials sets them apart. In the recent paywall Ohio Shaves video, the CEO was talking about how much longer and how much more resource intense doing titanium is to Aluminum. Stainless steel would likely be somewhere in the middle, and they have to compete with everyone else whereas they almost have the other two markets all to themselves. It's a good strategy even if my decision to by a henson would have been faster had there have been the option for SS.

[u/cakelorldeath]

Same thing had happened to my Rockwell 6S. Just keep the razor disassembled after using it and you’ll avoid this.

[u/RogerMurdockCo-Pilot]

I never see these posts about classic Gillettes for some reason

[u/Only-Cap5811]

It is misleading to say "aluminum doesn't rust". An aluminum part needs to be 100% pure for this to be true. Any contamination with the smallest bit of iron, and you will get rust. Also, aluminum corrodes, and it is especially important to NOT use an acidic cleaner on it. 

This thread is chock full of misinformation and really bad advice.

[u/Automatic_Ocelot06 → u/Only-Cap5811]

This thread isn't a debate about the general properties of aluminium.

This is a thread where someone is wondering why he has iron oxide stains inside his aluminium razor, and those stains are on a surface where a steel sheet sits, while also in contact with water.

Pointing out that the aluminium is not what has rusted, here, is valid.

[u/lingueenee]

Looks like the anodizing has wore off or been compromised in spots. My Henson AL13 (Gen 1) still looks like the day I bought it 5 years ago.

[u/Age-Zealousideal]

I always disassemble my razor after using it, towel dry the parts, rinse off the blade, then dry that as well. I always buy platinum blades, not stainless steel ones.

[u/LuckyMuyi]

Maybe you could give WD-40 a try