Thread: Sanitation question on vintage razor

So after straight razor shaving for over a year, I inherited 4 straight razors from my girlfriend's grandfather (yay!). Two of them are in bad condition, 1 of them is a mustache razor I do not plan on using, but the last one seems great. There is some slight discoloration, especially around the metal near the pivot pin, scales, a few on the spine and a very few amount near the edge. I tried shaving some of the hair on my arm to have a quick and dirty shave-ready test and it appears to be good. I've done a lot by just reading things online but this I am having issues finding an answer to.

The new blade appears to be honed, so I was just planning on stropping it and shaving with it. I'm slightly concerned with how unsanitary it is though, since I do not know the history of this razor, and the fact that its been in a drawer in a basement for the last 50 years. I do not want to spend the money on getting it restored since there is very little to make it look better than it already does.

What needs to be done to an inherited straight razor to make it sanitary to use?

Does honing a blade make it sanitary to use?

Edit: I have a small amount of experience honing the two blades I had already purchased to shave ready condition (after making numerous newbie mistakes).

soap and hot water,good to go

I would think a mild bleach solution would do it, but some veterans here may have a better suggestion or warning.

GOLD..

You need not worry unduly, simple cleanliness is usually sufficient. I clean them with dish soap and water, taking an old toothbrush to the jumps. If you wish, you can dip the blade only in alcohol or apply hand sanitizer (which is typically 60% ethanol) being careful not to get it on the scales since it will attack some materials. Steel is not very porous so a good cleaning should do the job. I put a drop of Ballistol on the pivot pin since it displaces water but there are many other products that will work just fine.

rs,
Tack

[edit: the bleach idea sounds good too.]

Scrubbing Bubbles (yeah, the bathroom cleaner) works wonders as well and will remove 99 and 44/100% of the bacteria

I personally use marvicide which is bssicly the same as barbercide.... The same stuff your barber uses to clean their instruments. I can assure you this is overkill and just plain soap and water / alcohol would do the trick just as well. However as a creature of excess I sprung for the specific product. If you are in to collecting straights a marvicide jar and solution will prob cost around 25$ looks great in your shave den and serves various other purposes. I clean my brushes in the stuff and it get them nice clean and smelling fresh! YMMV

Thank you everyone for the quick reply. I figured it was a simple solution since it is never really brought up anywhere. I will make sure it is nice and clean. Thank you all so much.

I would be more worried about mouse turds or cockroach footprints that who used it last! After 50 years in a basement drawer.

Clean with soap and water, hone and/or strop and go for it.

Originally Posted by GOLDD3000

Thank you everyone for the quick reply. I figured it was a simple solution since it is never really brought up anywhere. I will make sure it is nice and clean. Thank you all so much.

Actually it has been brought up several times. But since the only bad question is the unasked question keep asking any you can't find yourself.

Short answer; bleach/oxidizer bad, 5 min soak in alcohol/barbercide/soap good. Also takes care of mouse cuties. Sterilization - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Long answer; homework.
Longest virus can [live|survive] outside the human body
Popsci How long do microbes like bacteria and viruses live on surfaces in the home at normal room temperatures?
Wikipedia - Virus


Jonathan

The really nasty bacteria you won't find on your razor but on you own skin!
Soap and water can kill more than people think.