Thread: Sterlizing, Cleaning and Polishing a Straight

Hope someone can help. I recently won an ebay used straight, carbon steel. I need some advice on sterlizing, cleaning and polishing a used straight razor. I don't think you boil it because of the handles, same thing with alkahol. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks

Originally Posted by vincebell

Hope someone can help. I recently won an ebay used straight, carbon steel. I need some advice on sterlizing, cleaning and polishing a used straight razor. I don't think you boil it because of the handles, same thing with alkahol. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks

I use MAAS to polish it and rubbing alcohol to disinfect.

I use starsan (a sanitizer that I use for my homebrewing) or cheap vodka (I keep the vodka around because it's what I fill my fermentation locks with) on my razors when I get them.

-- Gary F.

Originally Posted by gfoster

I use starsan (a sanitizer that I use for my homebrewing) or cheap vodka (I keep the vodka around because it's what I fill my fermentation locks with) on my razors when I get them.

-- Gary F.

Where can you get this stuff, and how does it compare to Iodophor?(that's what I use)

Oh, and I use a little moonshine and a q-tip to sanitize my razors.

Just about any homebrew shop carries it. I buy mine from http://www.morebeer.com

If doesn't stain like iodophor and it doesn't smell like funky iodine. It also does a log 9 kill on contact, so you don't need to soak the stuff. I actually keep a spray bottle full of it. The product MSDS lists a 30 second contact time, but that's the shortest time they are allowed to claim by law. The manufacturer has stated repeatedly in interviews that it is MUCH more effective than they are allowed to put on the label, they already list the fastest kill time that any product is allowed to list.

It also breaks down quickly below a pH of about 3.2 or so (from memory, that number might be off a bit), and is foodgrade. I rack my beer straight into the foam without worries, and as Joe can attest my beer tastes pretty darned good

I keep the spray bottle handy and spray down my razors occasionally too, it won't stain the scales, won't harm the blades and doesn't leave anything behind. I'd trust it over clippercide or barbicide, myself.

-- Gary F.

clippercide or Mar-V-cide spray

kills everything from athletes foot to HIV

Originally Posted by gfoster

I use starsan (a sanitizer that I use for my homebrewing) or cheap vodka (I keep the vodka around because it's what I fill my fermentation locks with) on my razors when I get them.

-- Gary F.

Gary,

How does it affect the flavor of the vodka?

Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

Gary,

How does it affect the flavor of the vodka?

.............

Originally Posted by Howard Wallace

Gary,

How does it affect the flavor of the vodka?

Well, it's really cheap crappy Popov vodka, so it can only improve it...



-- Gary F.