Thread: Alcohol Dip

Originally Posted by JGS

Thanks;
I was thinking of a razor that I might get from ebay....do you sterilize?

Absolutly...even before I start restores I worry more about cutting my fingers than anything else. I have some of the dip sanitizer and just dip it and leave them to dry just like the instructions say. I have had no adverse reactions to any of the scales YET......

MY GOODNESS !....There's a lot to reply on here !.......but, (being a "newbie"), I'll play it cool......

#1 - I can buy 91% alcohol at the drug store, but I don't think they sell "99%" stuff.

#2 - You really can't "sterilize" a razor every time you use it........disinfect might be a better word......and disinfection is perfectly good for shaving.

Being an embalmer,(and Home-brewer of GREAT beer), I understand completely the difference between "Disinfection"....and "Sterilization".

#3 - Alcohol DOES displace water, and encourage evaporation.

#4 - Alcohol will not "rust" a blade. Rust is caused by oxidation when air comes in contact with steel. Coat a blade with oil (where the air can't get to it), and it won't rust......Wipe a blade with alcohol (thus removing all protective oil), and it will rust pretty quick !

Marko........

Originally Posted by Markopolo

Being an embalmer,(and Home-brewer of GREAT beer),

Marko........

As long as you are not a brewer by profession. and a home embalmer I guess I can live with that, but boy. I don't think I can look at a beer the same now that you have permanently entwined the two in my mind!

I'M SORRY JMS ! ! !.......I didn't intend to leave a "lasting memory" for anyone !

Let's do this:......FORGET MY PROFESSION ! .....(I shouldn't have said anything).

When you think of "Marko" .......I want people to think of a good-looking, fun-loving, good-natured, happy-go-lucky, "new to straight shaving" guy !

Marko........

Originally Posted by Markopolo

I'M SORRY JMS ! ! !.......I didn't intend to leave a "lasting memory" for anyone !

Let's do this:......FORGET MY PROFESSION ! .....(I shouldn't have said anything).

When you think of "Marko" .......I want people to think of a good-looking, fun-loving, good-natured, happy-go-lucky, "new to straight shaving" guy !

Marko........

It's OK! Its not your profession that bothers me, it's just that I have had a few beers in my time that I am sure tasted like embalming fluid, now, top that off with an embalmer who makes his own beer...!

Don't worry. It was suppose to be a joke!

Originally Posted by Markopolo

#4 - Alcohol will not "rust" a blade. Rust is caused by oxidation when air comes in contact with steel. Coat a blade with oil (where the air can't get to it), and it won't rust......Wipe a blade with alcohol (thus removing all protective oil), and it will rust pretty quick !

Marko........

Try leaving a razor totally immersed in alcohol overnight.... I know someone who did this I am not saying who, but he told me all about the rust that he had to remove from a new polished blade..... from the alcohol that doesn't rust a blade....
Like I said in the post earlier this probably will not affect razors at all, for the amount of time we normally immerse a blade, just don't think, that if you happen, to make a mistake, and leave it in there longer, it won't rust...
To answer the original question in the post, NO alcohol is not the best way to sanitize and 20-30 minutes would not make it more sanitary, 5 minutes in alcohol kills most bacteria, and it is ineffective on spores, and most viruses, period..... This has been discussed in other threads also, so you might try a word search on the forums for more info......

Originally Posted by Markopolo

MY GOODNESS !....There's a lot to reply on here !.......but, (being a "newbie"), I'll play it cool......

#1 - I can buy 91% alcohol at the drug store, but I don't think they sell "99%" stuff.

#2 - You really can't "sterilize" a razor every time you use it........disinfect might be a better word......and disinfection is perfectly good for shaving.

Being an embalmer,(and Home-brewer of GREAT beer), I understand completely the difference between "Disinfection"....and "Sterilization".

#3 - Alcohol DOES displace water, and encourage evaporation.

#4 - Alcohol will not "rust" a blade. Rust is caused by oxidation when air comes in contact with steel. Coat a blade with oil (where the air can't get to it), and it won't rust......Wipe a blade with alcohol (thus removing all protective oil), and it will rust pretty quick !

Marko........

(ethyl) Alcohol doesn't displace water, they are miscible liquids. It dilutes it, or vice versa.

I have discussed this with 3 doctors and this is what I was told. Germs don't live on surfaces very long, but some have a longer life span than others. Most germs are killed with just soap and water or sanitizers of some kind. Aids is a weak virus and dies quickly, like within a day. So the only real threat is hepatitis which can live on surfaces where there has been blood contamination for a longer period of time, like a week or 10 days. They all told me that the best protection was to give things time to die. On old razors that no one has used in years and you are sure that no one has cut themselves with, no problems. 0n razors that have been restored and test shaved with, or sent out for sharpening there is more risk. Ask yourself, would you feel comfortable using a tattoo gun that had been used on someone you did not know and then wiped down with alcohol? I am not trying to alarm anyone as this is not a topic that should cause alarm. It is a topic where good information and common sense will make it a no brainer. The routine that I came up with, with the help of my doctors is that I soak my blades down with chlorhexidine( this is a solution used by physicians to sterilize their cold pack surgical instruments) for 20 min., then wipe them down with Clippersol to make sure they don't rust, and then I give them a rest for a couple of weeks before I add them to my rotation. A lot of you guys will probably consider this overkill & maybe it is but I sleep well at night & have enough razors that I can wait 2 weeks for a little piece of mind. Take this for what it's worth it's just the best information I could come up with. My suggestion to everyone is that you get information from your doctor on your next visit, so you can make an informed decision.

Originally Posted by JMS

It sounds like a waste of perfectly good alcohol to me! I would prefer to drink it over getting my blades soused as they are pretty mean drunks!!

For general note, Rubbing Alcohol is NOT for consumption! Do NOT drink it!

Originally Posted by BenMVermont

For general note, Rubbing Alcohol is NOT for consumption! Do NOT drink it!

I think our members here are smarter than that, but apparently not all the members think I am smarter than that!