Question about sterilization

So I have a WD sight unseen razor on its way to me right now. I know he disinfects them with bleach and alcohol prior to honing but that only takes care of 99% of pathogens. I would like to sterilize the blade, but am I just being paranoid? Should I "ovenclave" it(gradually of course)? will taking a flame to it damage the edge? And I'm talking about a gentle flame quickly, not taking my MAP torch to it... Anyone else have a WD razor and want to weigh in?

And yes I have read through numerous threads regarding disinfecting and sterlizing razors.

Just wipe it down with some alcohol or something along that lines, or barbacide, your way over thinking this, if its cleaned a disinfected your good to go, those kind of things don't live long outside the body, Tc

yea I figured I was just being paranoid... Probably gonna grab some barbacide since my SO is a licensed cosmetologist and gets everything dirt cheap. Clean it up some more, wipe it down with a thin coat of CLP and place it on a window sill til I start to use it. I got a Parker SR1 and a 12 type blade sampler on the way to me as well so I'm gonna play around with those for a week or two...

BTW I havent read on here of anyone using UV sterilization...any reason? or just noone cares that much

Do you know for a fact that your blade will have been bleached?

If so, I would suggest that you pass on it.

I do not know for a fact, I was just told by Larry that he bleaches and then uses alcohol to disinfect all sight unseen razors prior to honing and shipment. If I dont see it I dont know for fact.

Ok, corrosive bleach on a steel blade is a really bad idea.

Gotta love these posts from the germophiles:)

thats funny because I could completely care less about germs in almost every aspect of my life and I have a strong immune system because of it. I'm just a little cautious when it comes to cutting myself with a blade that was used by 1 or more other people that I dont know...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Utopian

Ok, corrosive bleach on a steel blade is a really bad idea.

---

I'm sure he doesnt let it sit in the bleach for much time and he cleans it immediately afterwards, he seems to do a lot of business from what I hear around this forum and I havent heard anything bad, just recommendations...

But you have to consider how long ago that other person used it. Things, including cooties, do not live long on dry surfaces. I DO disinfect in Barbicide after my shave test and final strop to protect the final user on the off chance that I am carrying something, but you don't have to worry about an old unused blade.
If the blade you are buying ends up being shave tested or stropped after honing, then a pre-honing disinfection is pointless.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scottiemann

I'm sure he doesnt let it sit in the bleach for much time and he cleans it immediately afterwards, he seems to do a lot of business from what I hear around this forum and I havent heard anything bad, just recommendations...

---

If it sits in bleach long enough to disinfect, then it has been in long enough to cause corrosion. Dip a blade into bleach and look at it under a microscope--the effect is immediate.

good point, not completely sure what he does post hone, but I plan on wiping it down with some alcohol and stropping it prior to first use regardless

Hepatitis Treatment News : Dried Hep C Can Live on Surfaces for Up to Six Weeks

"Exposing the blood spots to one minute of an antiseptic was 100 percent effective in the case of bleach diluted at a ratio of 1:10,..."

I use MAR-V-CIDE on my blades. Spray it, wait a little bit, wipe it off. Done. Germs all gone......lol
Most germs on old razors don't exist. Good old fashion soap and hot water will do the trick.
But each to their own.
I wouldn't use bleach. Bad for metal and it stinks too!

Actually, I bought some Barbicide a while back and still haven't used it. If I'm going to use a blade I just use soap/water, dry it, and cover the blade with alcohol. I doubt that oil and cleaners with rust inhibitors I use are going to be very germ friendly either.
IMHO though, I think that WD should be using something like Barbicide or UV Sterilization instead of bleach and alcohol.

UV Sterilizers
If the blade isn't being used for different people, or you aren't buying a LOT of used razors, I don't really see the point in buying something like a UV sterilizer. They take up a lot more space than a jar of Barbicide too. Another possible reason they aren't mentioned much (or ever) is that a lot of guys prefer the 'old school' way of doing things when it comes to straight shaving.

PM SENT

To answer the OPs question, before this gets derailed into the germaphobe rabbit hole...

Don't use flame on your blade. The edge is very, very thin and flame will make cause that edge to warp so that it has to be rehoned.

Don't "oven kiln" it either. To kill stuff you need to hold the temperature above 212 F for 15 minutes. That will pretty much ruin scales and unless you do a slow cool down will probably make the blade warp.

Barbicide works well. If you are really paranoid wipe it down multiple times.
Personally I use Hibicleanse and after it dries I wipe it down with rubbing alcohol.

Now back down the rabbit hole.
UV sterilizers also heat up the blade. I'm not sure if it is hot enough to mess the edge up or not because I haven't tried it.

I can understand using bleach water or even straight bleach on a rusted blade before restoring it. The damage caused by the bleach will be removed during the restoration process. I wouldn't put it on a blade after it was restored though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by criswilson10

UV sterilizers also heat up the blade. I'm not sure if it is hot enough to mess the edge up or not because I haven't tried it.

---

I don't believe they all produce heat.

Sunlight also has UV light. If you are not in a rush, wrap the scales with a cloth and leave each side of the blade exposed to sunlight for a day or two.

Thats my plan, clean it up good and give it sunlight for a few days. I wouldnt buy a UV sterilizer as I have absolutely no need for one. I still have to order a strop so its almost useless until then... I'm sure its useable but I'd rather have a strop for it before I start using it.

Not sure about whipped dog , but no razor hone guy wants you to strop before you use it first , that way you can judge the edge. They hone then strop and send it out for you to shave ready to go. Try that before you strop , in the meantime practice stropping to get the muscle memory going, a butter knife and you pants leg will do till you get a strop, or any flat surface or a belt hung on a hook , your just trying to learn the move and not roll your first good edge. Tc

My x wife wanted me sterilized but I refused. Anyhow seriously most bacteria and viruses don't live to long on metal once it is exposed to an agent. Barbasol is all you should need. They also hate direct exposure to sunlight as well. Run the blade under hot water before using.

I use to work in microbiology years ago I think you are fine. Even common soap will wash away most pathogens off a metal surface. One more thing to ponder dilute concentrations of alcohol and bleach kill germs better than full strength or concentrated. It needs the water to enter the cell wall to kill the organism.

My 2 cents on the soap box.

10% formalin for 10 minutes and all will be denaturated.

Hey I never thought of that for use. God knows I have inhaled enough during my 30 years of lab work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scottiemann

So I have a WD sight unseen razor on its way to me right now. I know he disinfects them with bleach and alcohol prior to honing but that only takes care of 99% of pathogens. I would like to sterilize the blade, but am I just being paranoid? Should I "ovenclave" it(gradually of course)? will taking a flame to it damage the edge? And I'm talking about a gentle flame quickly, not taking my MAP torch to it... Anyone else have a WD razor and want to weigh in?

And yes I have read through numerous threads regarding disinfecting and sterlizing razors.

---

Yes you are being a little too cautious , or paranoid as you say, alcohol is the best preventative, and yes a flame will affect the temper of the blade so stay away from that.

Thanks guys for all the feedback, I have many women in my life that either work in hospitals or are licensed cosmetologists so they tend to invoke unnecessary fear especially my SO who is a germaphobe. Personally I dont worry much about such things but I wasnt completely sure what you guys do when purchasing or restoring used razors of unknown origin...

And to clarify I wasnt going to strop before first use, I just wanted to HAVE the strop.

Geek alert! I have a Barbercide container like you see in barber shops. And yeah, its filled with Barbercide. :)

I soak every blade I get in Barbercide for about 10 mins before I do anything with it, including hone it. While I dont consider myself a germaphobe, I do feel "better safe than sorry". :)

Now what did I do with Ethylene Oxide capsules and shop gamma radiation unit??? :)

I wish I still worked in a chemical manufacturing lab... toluene and various other solvents as well as various UV ovens...

I unwrapped my WD sight unseen razor and shaved with it. No wiping down, no this, no that. I rinse the blade off with with water and one wipe with a hand towel and I'm good. No rust, no build up, or nothing growing. I've been using it that way for six months and no problems.
Don't overthink this. You are just shaving. If it wasn't perfect under the microscope today, they will grow back for tomorrows shave.
Don't think everything has to be perfect because you are setting yourself up for letdowns. It is a daily chore for most, except for our bearded brethren, so why create stress on a chore? I straight razor shave to relax myself. I must concentration on the shave else a bloodletting will occur. That is experience speaking. I will get several "Amen's" on that.
This is becoming longer than I wanted so I will reiterate the main point:
Just shave and enjoy it.

Are you hear for the feeding? your early, its on saturday. you should come back its gonna be a bloodbath.........

no stress in this head...