Rusting

Is it possible (through normal use) for a solid stainless steel razor to rust? If so, any particular things to avoid? Thanks

Ali,
I hope you are well...I thought I would share our thoughts. But to answer your question all stainless steel will eventually corrode/rust but the speed at which this happens is heavily impacted by 2 big things, 1) Grade of stainless steel used and 2) Surface finish.

1) Grade of stainless steel -
In terms of grades, below are a few of the common stainless grades used in DE razors, I have ranked them by high resistance to corrosion/rust to least resistant:

316L
304 & 17-4
303 (Least resistant)

Source:
https://www.clintonaluminum.com/what-are...ess-steel/

2) Surface finish -
"A polished surface is less likely to rust then a rough or badly polished surface." This is why beer brewing tanks, medical devices, knives, marine fittings, etc...are polished. Some manufacturers also "electro-polish" their stainless(including us), it is the only/most effective way to polish inside threads with out destroying them, this process uses acid, chemicals and electricity to remove "free iron" and contaminants from the surface(not be confused with "passivation" which is similar but far less effective at corrosion resistance).

On a side note, another benefit of a polished surface, is the ease to clean and keep sanitary, less small spaces for debris and bacteria to grow. This includes implants, where corrosion resistance, reduction in friction and cleanliness are important.

Source:
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=16546
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/effe...ce.782548/
https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/stainl...g-options/

Feel free to leave your blade in our Cx-316L...rust will wipe off the polished surface. We have dipped our Cx in heated ferric acid with minimal corrosion, while destroying 304! If your razors do not have a polished surface (#8 or "True #8" Finish) or it is of a lower grade you will need to take more care of it to prevent rusting and to keep it clean....

An benefit for dissembling the razor, for us, is more for sanitary purpose, if that is also a concern.

Other notes-

-I wouldn't worry about using the threads too much either on any stainless...there is a lot to wear before it fails. I think the bigger risk is stripping the threads by using a different handle with a different thread count or cross threading.

- Grade 5 Titanium only has .25% iron so virtually no risk of rust.

Stay well...

Sean

Thanks Sean! Very helpful. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into my Carbon razor and there is little I have to worry about on this front. Have a great holiday break.

“So unless you sit on the couch threading and unthreading your razor like a fidget toy ....”

Until the very moment I read this language, I had never considered this as a something one might do. To quote Mr. Spock: “Fascinating.” !

“So unless you sit on the couch threading and unthreading your razor like a fidget toy ....”

Until the very moment I read this language, I had never considered this as a something one might do.  To quote Mr. Spock: “Fascinating.”      !

It sounds more fun than a fidget spinner