Thread: straight blade disinfecting

bugger, i will have to up my dose to 200%, this should be common knowledge, might help to lower the price of razors on e-bay.

Anything lower than 200 degrees Celsius won't hurt the tempering in your blade...
Above that you will start to "soften" it.

I received you PM but figured I would answer here


First lets try and explain this

Originally Posted by miha

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edit: I am a bit confused since on one side autoclaving temperatures shouldn't do any damage to the hardness, but on the other hand people keep cooling the blade in water when buffing ?? Can anyone clarify?

When buffing it is NOT the sustained heat that damages the edge, it is a heat spike that takes the edge to red hot in an instant from improper buffing.. Dipping the razor is to re-start the blade at a base temp each time... If you approach buffing with fear and trepidation then you have few issues

Autoclaving a razor is pretty much a waste of time, the dirtiest part of most Vintage razors are the scales which you can't use heat on also cleaning the steel with abrasives takes off at least the top layer of steel so again the Autoclave is a waste of time..

I use Lucasol myself for a sterilizer, it is designed specifically for surfaces

This is also exactly why I started Restoring razors so long ago,, I do NOT like putting Dirty Rusty crap on my Hollywood face give me clean shiny steel and scales that are either new or have been cleaned in and out...

hey guys,

thanks for your replies. Let me try to continue discussion..

@gssixgun: I wasn't sure you are going to read this so I wrote you a PM, and I totally agree that it's better if you answer here

as I wrote in posts above I was thinking about a razor, and I can't agree that autoclaving is useless when comparing to ANY disinfectant, again I only had blades in mind (I usually try to make new scales). I completely agree using an autoclave on scales would end up in (to say the least) abstract scales .. and yes ANY Hollywood face should be treated with extreme respect and care !!!

Buffing,.. I wish,.. hand buffing is what I have, and I do it without fear , but if I had one, I don't really understand why shouldn't one have respect eg fear to it, especially as a beginner .. I do not understand exactly the expression "heat spike", does this mean that the outer surface of a buffing wheel generates more heat and if you don't press the blade hard enough you actually collect/transfer more heat to the blade?


again thanks for the help/discussion

Originally Posted by miha

Buffing,.. I wish,.. hand buffing is what I have, and I do it without fear , but if I had one, I don't really understand why shouldn't one have respect eg fear to it, especially as a beginner .. I do not understand exactly the expression "heat spike", does this mean that the outer surface of a buffing wheel generates more heat and if you don't press the blade hard enough you actually collect/transfer more heat to the blade?


again thanks for the help/discussion

In this thread you will find more info about Straight Razor Restoration including using all types of buffers and the ins and outs of using them then anywhere else...


http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html


Short answer = Improper Buffing is when you either destroy the temper, or eat the steel, once you get your hands, and that sharp as hell razor, close to that spinning wheel everything that we warn you about will make perfect sense..

Heat Spike = On Hollow Grind blades it takes about 1 second of improper buffing to heat the very edge to red hot and it will destroy the temper...


ps: Every 6 months or so a newb asks the same questions about Straight Razor Sterilization and the exact same discussion ensues, my standard advice since the discussion always devolves into Reductio ad absurdum with more and more super germs and super sterilization techniques is "Do what makes you feel comfortable


Then take your super clean razor and dip it in the sink of hot tap water after you strop it on leather, that your wife finished brushing her teeth in 20 minutes ago use a Brush and Soap that have been sitting in the Bathroom (Google bathroom germs) and tell me how clean the steel is

Putting the blades in an autoclave doesn't remove any of the tarnish, gunk, etc. whereas buffing does, it also depending on the grit you're using will remove a minute amount of metal and essentially getting past any point where you would need to sterilize.
The heat spike in buffing comes if you're not paying attention as you go along. When running a blade across the buffers I always keep a pot of cool water with me and as soon as I feel any heat building up on the blade I put it in the water and let it cool before starting again. If you don't pay attention you'll get too hot and change the temper of the blade..not a good thing

@gssixgun: I sense some irony there,.. I guess it can be a bit frustrating having to repeat your oppinions over and over again, but I think that neglecting the health hazard can end up pretty sadly, it wasn't my intention to bother you or making you repeat things, thanks for the links, I read most of them, but since I haven't found adequate answer regarding sterilizing blades I decided to make a post.

Regarding the presence of microbes (eg after someone brushes their teeth, btw I don't dip it in the sink, I put it under running tap water), sterility, microbes stability, mechanisms, microbial genetics, biochemistry etc,... I do have a liiiittle clue about it since I do usually repeat/explain these stuff to students over and over (and over )

"Do what makes you feel comfortable"--- I completely agree

@Catrentshaving&gssixgun: thanks fr the explanation on buffing and heat

As long we don't sterilize our skin I don't think it matters much... some nasty flesh eating things are all around you.
On the other hand I feel it is nice to start fresh without someone elses dirt on my razors.

Small small animals that you can't see and they can kill you?
Fool the other one!

Originally Posted by miha

I read most of them, but since I haven't found adequate answer regarding sterilizing blades I decided to make a post.

Just using the one word "Sterilization" plugged into the search box above

About 139 results (0.13 seconds) In which you can read almost this exact dialogue in many of them



It is not that I mind answering, Feel free to ask any question that you want that is what SRP is about


It is that this was your response

Originally Posted by miha

"Regarding the presence of microbes, sterility, microbes stability, mechanisms, microbial genetics, biochemistry etc,... I do have a liiiittle clue about it since I do usually repeat/explain these stuff to students over and over"

The bottom line is that it's safe to autoclave the blade but not most scales.

I am very comfortable using barbicide as a disinfectant.