Is it okay to shave when the razor (not the blade) is a little rusty?

Just tiny bits of rust. Nothing gross.

Assuming that the razor has been sanitized, it should be fine. After all, blood is red because of iron oxide, which is rust.

If it's rusty enough to be rough, it may feel draggy when shaving with it. I had a badly pitted and scratched Aristocrat TTO that was not pleasant to shave with. Then I sanded and polished it down to the bare brass and now it's one of my favourites.

Waiddaminnit - is this a slightly rusty straight razor you're talking about? 
If so, then ignore what I said. I have no straight-fu.

If this is a straight razor, may be mead of carbon steel and it can rust. If the rust does not affect the edge, you are OK. If it does affect the edge, then you need to hone it out.

Since you mentioned a blade, I presume you are talking about a DE or SE razor. Since these razors are not made of steel, what you are seeing is not rust. Razors are typically made of brass or a Zinc alloy that might be coated with chrome or nickel. If you are seeing corrosion, you probably have zinc alloy razor. Once the outer coating is pitted, the zinc underneath will start to corrode. If the corrosion affects the alignment of the razor blade, that could be an issue. If the corrosion is on the safety bar or edge of the cap, it might irritate your face. If the corrosion is elsewhere, it is primarily a cosmetic issue.

You can prolong the life of your razor by cleaning and drying it after your shave. If it is a three-piece razor, lubricating the threads with mineral oil or petroleum jelly can help protect the threads as this is often the point of failure.

Thanks John. No, I wasn't talking about straight razors.

Thanks Ray. I was referring to a DE. And I already take apart and clean and dry my razors. But I don't do the mineral oil lubing yet. That will be up next.

I have an actual example. I got this Merkur 41C used. It shaves great. What's circled is the only issue. (The brownish stuff around the center post is just due to the play of light.) Do something about it? If so, what? Forget about it? Thanks.

Just load it and shave, you'll be fine

Dave gives himself a Tetanus shot booster prior to each shave

Dave gives himself a Tetanus shot booster prior to each shave

This Jewel came in a Lot Purchase awhile ago and just saw it again. Thought of this thread. I have it soaking in soapy water........we'll see if I can get it to hold a blade secure with all the missing metal and yes I keep my tetanus shots up to date 

PS- I just checked and it won't hold it secure against the stops.........I'm disappointed

I said "nothing gross." lol