Thread: Sanitation

Thanks for answering the strop question. I was just taking a guess at what could cause such a thing. Here is another guess mouth wash may disinfect the razor. Listerine was the first hospital disinfectant before it was mouth wash.

I put my money on the spider,,,

If it's pre-owned razor but new to me I give them a dip in 99% Iso Alcohol. After that and with everything else I just keep them clean and dry.

Not that it's really going to make any difference at all, but if you do want to attempt to disinfect with isopropanol, a 70 percent solution is the most effective. Also, it's the evaporation afterward that does the job, so you don't need to soak the blade and you certainly should not wipe the alcohol off of the blade.

My razor of the day is always spritzed and wiped down with 91% Isopropyl after the shave. Disinfects, combines with any unseen water droplets (to evaporate quickly) and removes any residual oils that eventually cause dulling (patina).

Per the Arizona barber regs, it is a legal disinfectant method for hard surface cutting implements. I just skip the disinfectant storage box and put them away in their fountain pen case after a silicone wipe for oxidation prevention.

When I get a new razor I spray it with alcohol and wipe. After that I just rinse in hot water after the shave and sometimes give it the alcohol spritz.

If you had some bacteria on the blade it could easily infect your skin. I'd recommend doing something, try alcohol it's cheap.

Barbicide users:

That stuff is only good for a day or so. State health regs call for a new solution every day.

For the OP:

With all the people reporting in to this forum, this is the first I have read about such a massive skin infection. I really wonder if SR shaving caused the infection. I think John may be correct - it was the spider jk.

I don't sterilize razors unless a bit of lip is still attached. After sanding, MAAS and other buffing and honing if needed, I do not see the need.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I put my money on the spider,,,

I think you'd lose your money. I'm pretty sure if that was a spider bite it would look worse today than it did yesterday. Yesterday it was red/purple, swollen, and scary looking. Now it's not even worth taking a picture of. Score one for Appalachian American surgery.

I find this an odd problem to have since I don't remember nicking that area, and all my aftershaves are splashes with an alcohol base. Oh well, stranger things have happened.

How about a little fire??? Thoughts...

The most likely vector for infection is bacteria already on your skin. Provide an opening and there you have it.

Spiders don't bite people for no reason.