Razor blades, oil, and rust...

iwishtofish · 12/19/2007, 08:25 PM

I bought a pack of razor blades to scrape my coralline. They seem to have been coated with some kind of oil - presumably to inhibit rust while on the shelf.

Two questions: Will washing the razor blades with dish soap and then thoroughly rinsing adequately remove any contaminants? If the razor blades begin to rust a little bit, will this rust be toxic to a reef tank? Thanks

stevelkaneval · 12/19/2007, 08:29 PM

i do that but i dont use soap, i use boiling water. then i just rinse again after use and dry completly, my blades never rust unless i dont rinse and dry them.

WI Reef Lover · 12/19/2007, 09:57 PM

I use razor blades to clean the sides of my tank as well, nothing works better. I've had a little rust on mine and have used them and has never affected my tank. i've got a big box of them so when they start to get too rust i just toss it and use another.

iwishtofish · 12/19/2007, 11:32 PM

Thank you both for your help!

MalHavoc · 12/20/2007, 05:35 AM

I just want to add that we're talking about scraping coralline off of GLASS here, not acrylic. For those of you just tuning in, never use a razor blade to scrape an acrylic tank. you will scratch it all to heck.

I also use razor blades to clean my glass tanks. They get a little rusty after a while, but they still work well.

McTeague · 12/20/2007, 06:07 AM

I never use a razor blade more than once. Also, I have found thatthe blades that are made in the USA are the best ones for some odd reason.

cabbage0709 · 12/20/2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by McTeague
Also, I have found thatthe blades that are made in the USA are the best ones for some odd reason.

Its because its the USA BABY! And im proud to be an american...

rustybucket145 · 12/20/2007, 10:55 AM

I squirt a little vinegar on them prior to use and wipe the oil off. Little vinegar after use keeps them nice and clean. I won't use one more than a couple of times b/c they begin to dull and etch.

hybridgenius · 12/20/2007, 11:39 AM

Thats strange... my razors never rust and I use them every week.

coast2coast7390 · 12/20/2007, 01:17 PM

just make sure that you rinse then dry them after use

coast2coast7390 · 12/20/2007, 01:17 PM

i didnt do this one day and they rusted within24 hours

seapug · 12/20/2007, 02:28 PM

Water won't remove the oil. That's why it's there. Boiling water + oily razor blade = boiling hot oily razor blade. Rubbing alcohol and a paper towel will clean all the oil off in a jiffy, but I often use them right out of the package with nothing more than a quick wipe of a rag with no trouble.

12/19/2007, 08:25 PM	#1
iwishtofish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 4,949	Razor blades, oil, and rust... I bought a pack of razor blades to scrape my coralline. They seem to have been coated with some kind of oil - presumably to inhibit rust while on the shelf. Two questions: Will washing the razor blades with dish soap and then thoroughly rinsing adequately remove any contaminants? If the razor blades begin to rust a little bit, will this rust be toxic to a reef tank? Thanks

12/19/2007, 08:29 PM	#2
stevelkaneval Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: oshkosh wisconsin Posts: 633	i do that but i dont use soap, i use boiling water. then i just rinse again after use and dry completly, my blades never rust unless i dont rinse and dry them. __________________ "I live too serve you lord Megatron." "Were is the cube?" "The humans have taken it." "You fail me yet again Star Scream, get them." Current Tank Info: 20 long,korilia 1,and small ph,aquaclear70 moded fuge,coralife pc's,aqualight flouresent,seaclone skimmer,35lbs lr,green mushrooms and red and blue,and dragon eye zoas,assorted hermit crabs,nassarius snails,turbo snail,

12/19/2007, 09:57 PM	#3
WI Reef Lover Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 100	I use razor blades to clean the sides of my tank as well, nothing works better. I've had a little rust on mine and have used them and has never affected my tank. i've got a big box of them so when they start to get too rust i just toss it and use another. __________________ Vicky, Wisc Current Tank Info: 46 gal bow front, reef with soft corals, lps, zoos, gorgonia, inverts, fish

12/20/2007, 05:35 AM	#5
MalHavoc Infinitely Prolonged Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 10,850	I just want to add that we're talking about scraping coralline off of GLASS here, not acrylic. For those of you just tuning in, never use a razor blade to scrape an acrylic tank. you will scratch it all to heck. I also use razor blades to clean my glass tanks. They get a little rusty after a while, but they still work well. __________________ Jason "Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet. Because, ultimately, the empathic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated." -- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K Dick

12/20/2007, 10:55 AM	#8
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	I squirt a little vinegar on them prior to use and wipe the oil off. Little vinegar after use keeps them nice and clean. I won't use one more than a couple of times b/c they begin to dull and etch. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

12/19/2007, 11:32 PM	#4
iwishtofish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 4,949	Thank you both for your help!

12/20/2007, 06:07 AM	#6
McTeague Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Posts: 501	I never use a razor blade more than once. Also, I have found thatthe blades that are made in the USA are the best ones for some odd reason.

12/20/2007, 11:39 AM	#9
hybridgenius Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 435	Thats strange... my razors never rust and I use them every week.

12/20/2007, 01:17 PM	#10
coast2coast7390 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Garden Grove Posts: 3,627	just make sure that you rinse then dry them after use

12/20/2007, 02:28 PM	#12
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	Water won't remove the oil. That's why it's there. Boiling water + oily razor blade = boiling hot oily razor blade. Rubbing alcohol and a paper towel will clean all the oil off in a jiffy, but I often use them right out of the package with nothing more than a quick wipe of a rag with no trouble. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.