I have heard some people say to soak it in barbicide, but what kind of container should I use?
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I have heard some people say to soak it in barbicide, but what kind of container should I use?
I dunno. After a shave I wipe a razor with a clean damp washcloth, wipe it dry with a pretty clean towel, strop it 10-20 laps and put it on thr shelf for the next day. Zero infections in two years.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/misce...barbicide.html
Covers it pretty good.
When I get a new on or one from the bay I clean it real good and use alcohol all over it then wipe dry and use a thin coat of oil. after that when I shave I dry strop the lightly oil the blade and hinge pin the put away. On the blades that only I use I don't worry about disinfecting the blades. just keep them from rusting.
Attachment 202446
This is my set up glass jar deep enough for the blade only
note I only do this when I first get a straight or when sending a blade to others
I have heard some use Lysol spray. Sspray the blade wait 30 seconds and wipe dry.
Barbicide covers it all. Short of that I would soak some folded paper towel with alcohol and gently fold the razor in it. Leave it in the towel for 10 minutes.
I do not have barbicide in Brazil. When the razor is new (to me), I let it soak (blade & scales) in 10% formalin for about an hour , so I dry it with a cotton swab and hairdryer. DNA and proteins are all destroyed by formaldehyde, that turns into gas form and fully dissipates when the water dries out. I know... this is probably an overkill method.
91 percent Isopropyl Alcohol. Walmart $2.98. You can watch it evaporate. Use this Windex product for no evap while waiting to use Push pump.Attachment 202453 dump the product an pour in the 91% good stuff no waste. IMHO
There's an article on the web accessing the merits of 70% and 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol for killings germs. Based on their study the 70% worked better than the 90 percent. Also the germ killing takes places as the alcohol evaporates from the surface. So after the alcohol application, allow it to evaporate naturally and do not wipe it off. All this has to be true "Because I Read It Previously On the Internet" :D
I only disinfect blades that are new to me or that I am sending out because I have honed them or sold them. Rubbing alcohol is cheap, available and effective.
I use a plastic 100ml graduated cylinder. This minimizes the volume of Barbicide needed to to submerge the blade. Even though do not believe I carry any transmissible cooties, I still disinfect all blades for others, as a courtesy. I do not disinfect my own blades, as I see no need to protect myself from myself.
All are good answers as to what to use in place of barbicide. But only one person answered the original question.
Substance
A tall glass, jar, container or Pyrex measuring cup. Deep enough to submerge 3" of the bade. The nature of the container is to be non porous. You can clean the jar and reuse for whatever purpose, but if I was trying to remove the possibility of Hep-C, HIV or the likes. I wouldn't use it for anything but.
Go to a local thrift shop and pick out something for $2 or spend $25 on a barber jar. Your choice.
Also only soak the blade as some scales will stain blue
If I were going to use Barbicide or another disinfectant, I'd get one of the Barbicide jars, just because they're kind of cool looking.
But unless someone is a professional barber, I don't really see a need to use a disinfectant on a straight at all. A steel blade is a lousy host for bacteria if it's kept reasonably clean and dry, and anyone who cares about their straight should be keeping it clean and dry. There might be a very small potential for some types of scale material to harbor germs, but disinfectants could potentially discolor or otherwise damage some scales, and so routinely dunking your scales isn't a good idea. Best bet is just to keep all your gear clean and dry, and then not worry about it.
I think Barbercide is a fool proof disinfectant for razors, if you follow the directions. There are several warnings here on the forum about the scales and the possibility of color/shape/texture distortion.
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At Sally's Beauty Supply, and likely other cosmetology supply stores, you get a 16oz bottle of Barbercide for free when you buy the Barbercide jar. Probably cheaper to rig up your own container & buy the concentrate outright. But that jar sure is snazzy in the shave den!
Gonna actually use mine once my project razors are restored enough to shave with, or if I loan one out. Like others said: not all that necessary, unless it is a "new to you" razor, or it will change hands (loaned/sold).
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I do like the "antirust formula". Thats just good SR shaving peace of mind. In one thread here, a member said they give their blade a quick dip (literally, not soaked in it) as the last step before air drying after every shave. I might adopt that once I mix up a jar :).
The reason I use the low volume container is so that I don't have to use as much of it. Disinfectants lose effectiveness over time after dilution and this one is supposed to be made fresh daily. With my container, I only need to make 45ml per day of use.
Barbicide in a container that admits the blade and lets the scales hang out and be dry.
Barbicide has wipes too: https://www.barbicide.com/products/barbicide-wipes/
Many strong disinfecting agents are trouble for the scales of razors so minimize
soaking the scales.
The issue of disinfecting a blade is a tangle.
NEVER share kit! .... important not the razor, not the brush, note even soap.
Shaving is a blood sport as it were so sharing is a big no no.
Having said that, and because you do not share any problem is much diminished.
Barbicide brand has wipes... The instructions for solution require
a very short application so any glass container that has a good tight lid will work.
Use a timer... as per the instructions.
After a disinfectant dip or wipe, wipe clean, let it dry and then lightly oil.
Strong disinfectants leave the steel bare and open to rust so do protect from rust.
And always put the solution away with a tight lid no longer than the instructions advise.
Dispose of spent solution correctly...
For an individual, kitchen Lysol wipes make a lot of sense because they are so available.
Most of us wipe our razor with clean tissue and air dry...
Remember soap and water are good at cleaning and we shave
with soap and water!
Sanitation -- the most important seven day set a shaver can buy is
a seven day set of towels. A towel that was wadded up damp will
culture all manner of risks. Use a fresh clean towel each
time you shave.... Many kitchen towels are the right size for shaving.
Towels that you can wash hot, bleach and dry hot in the dryer.
The active ingredient in Barbacide is also in many household cleansers and sprays. heres a link showing which ones Household Products Database - Health and Safety Information on Household Products Im sure some of these products listed can be used in a pinch If you dont have barbacide. you probably have at least one of them in your kitchen. Good luck. Important note dont use a product that also contains bleach because it will rust up your steel if you leave it on and rinse the blade well with water after sanitizing.
I just fill the sink with water, add the barbicide and soak the razor. Never had an issue.
That is an extremely excessive volume of disinfectant to make each time, especially if you are using the proper dilution ratio.
Sorry for my english :)
I didn't meant "fill to top". I just put some water, the right amount to let the razor be covered by water.
I guess is half a liter or something around it. Sometimes I disinfect more razors at a time.
Amen, Can we see the MSDS for that product? Especially at those concentration levels.Doesn't the 70% isopropyl alcohol and mineral oil mix safe and disinfect?
Simple and not wasteful is my modus operandi.
Dip the blade in betadine and call it good if they are OCD. Dont call it staining, call it patina.
Barbicide is the stuff you need. Forum a less bit of money you canvas buy the container thats belong to Barbicide look real neat imo
Propane tourch:)
So I have to say it's always a good idea to disinfect your blade before sending it out to another but there are certain things people need to understand. First of all what are your concerns? If you're talking about blood born pathogens such as HIV or Hep. C then you need to understand that the virus cannot "live" very long outside of a host and cannot live at all outside of bodily fluids. I put live in quotations as there is quite the debate about whether a virus is actually considered alive but I digress. That being said the first thing you should do is remove any blood from the blade. Once the blood is removed then a simple wipe down with LIGHT coating of alcohol (70% isopropol works best) and allow the alcohol to dry. Alcohol is bacterostatic on human skin however its bacteriocidal on inorganic materials. Alcohol kills via drying so you don't want to soak the blade in alcohol. Once the alcohol dries off you should be good to go
Also don't ever put any bleach products near steel. Bleach will cause heavy oxidation and rust rapidly.
Guess you could if not using something like Barbercide boil water then pour gently over the blade then use maybe a cotton ball soaked in 70% Iso Alc. to rub across the blade then dry with a clean papertowel. Then apply whatever oil you use to protect the blade from rust.
I personally have not used any type of disinfectant to put on my razors to date and no issue. That being said, if I ever bought a razor that was used I would certainly do it out of peace of mind.
Do NOT get a razor anywhere near boiling water!!! Remember, the steel is tempered. Applying any amout of heat beyond a comfortably warm lather runs the risk of ruining the temper. After that, the razor won't hold an edge worth a darn.
At least, time + temp = increased likelihood of ruined temper. Rinsing the blade with warm water won't do a lot to the temper. But the time it takes for boiling water to disinfect is way more than I would subject such a thin piece of metal to.
I'm not claiming to be an expert. But pouring boiling water over the thin blade of a straight razor sends up a huge red flag to me.
A blacksmith's anvil isn't tempered. But through the course of it's life, the edges often become tempered by the hot steel that never touches it more than a minute or two at a time. That is often the reason the edges of an anvil chip. Like I said: temp + time can affect the metal.
Am i taking some huge risk ?
Haven't disinfected any of "my" razors in 30 years of straight shaving.