Sanitation

I see a lot of threads pop up here regarding razors, strops, hones, brushes, shave soaps, aftershaves, and shaving technique. But one thing I never see anywhere is any mention of straight razor sanitation. So, what prompts this topic?

Well about 2 days ago I noticed a little hard spot just below my lip on the left side of my face. It was tiny, and not unlike an ingrown hair. I figured I would root it out later. The next day it had about quadrupled in size. This morning it was about the size of a dime, and I could feel it throbbing. Needless to say I lanced it (I.E. cut it with a straight razor before I really thought it through) and drained out the white and yellow goo. The throbbing is gone, the swelling is down, and I have an access point to get rubbing alcohol under there to fight the infection. So far it's clearing up quick, but I'll be keeping an eye on it in case a visit to old saw bones is warranted.

I can see this as one of 3 scenarios. Either this is literally the worst ingrown hair I've had in my life, I got bitten by a spider in my sleep, or there was bacteria on my razor and I got a sub-dermal infection the last time I shaved (3 days ago). If I was a betting man, I would put money on bacteria on my favorite straight razor that I literally never sanitize. I hone it, strop it, rinse it and put it away, but never truly sanitized it even though it was an Ebay find. Food for thought ladies and gentlemen, an alcohol bath once in a while is not a bad idea. I'll post a picture tomorrow when the lighting is better.

Side note: I'm not saying it was dirty because it was an Ebay find, I suspect were that the case I would've found out last year when I obtained it. It's probably gunk the razor picked up while under my care in the passed year.

Gee, I don't know, but I would certainly rinse the razor off in hot water after lancing that! ;)

I don't plan on shaving with any of them until this thing on my face is healed and they've all been bathed properly. In the meantime, let the drinking commence! :beer2:

I don't have one new razor, Mine are all Vintage razors and I've never sanitized any of them. They all get polished with metal Polish, and then sharpened to shave ready which reveals metal that has never ever seen the light of day. Call me crazy... Different strokes for different folks. Nothing wrong with doing a little sanitizing

I have a Barbercide jar, filled with a heavy mix of about 2/3 barbercide and 1/3 water (which is heavier on the Barbercide then typical). Any new razor I get from ebay, or from the classifieds, always gets about a 10 min bath in the stuff before I do anything with it... just in case.

Brushes get a nice wash several times with dish soap and water before use.

I have never thought about doing anything with used strops, creams or soaps... Not sure how I would sanitise those things, anyway. :)

There have actually been many razor sanitation threads. If you do a simple search you will find many options for reading.

In reality an alcohol bath every once in a while is not going to be of any use.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

There have actually been many razor sanitation threads. If you do a simple search you will find many options for reading.

In reality an alcohol bath every once in a while is not going to be of any use.

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Really? I thought alcohol was a fairly good disinfectant. It's usually my go-to for wounds and the like. I had a feeling I may have just overlooked them, since it (was) low on my list of priorities.

I'll have to look into obtaining some barbercide. I can't imagine you'd need to do anything with creams or soaps...the strop is somewhat suspect, but mine was recently given a thorough cleaning so I have my doubts that's where the problem originates.

All I've ever used to disinfect a razor is alcohol. When I get a razor I clean in soap and water and a water mix of bleach. then rinse thoroughly and soak in alcohol for a few minutes. after that I do what I need to do to the razor.( sand buff hone ect.) then I shave with it. I rinse with hot water wipe dry with tissue re-oil the blade and put away. never any problems. now over the years I have had bumps that did as you describe and I have had 1 or 2 ingrown hairs that also was quite painful. I know barbercide is what they use in barber shops and my niece uses it as a beautician but I talked to a Doc. Friend of mine and he told me straight alcohol would take care of most anything I would encounter. After all the only blood I will encounter after the clean up I do will be mine.

This is just a thought but did you strop on the linen ? The linen help capture any loose flakes of microscopic metal lightly hanging on the cutting edge. That part of your face you probably shave against the grain. I am guessing because I do under the bottom lip. One of those tiny microscopic pieces of metal can cause a pimple. The blade might not be dirty. Just a thought ! I always strop on the linen side before the leather. :beer1:

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Originally Posted by AlienEdge

This is just a thought but did you strop on the linen ? The linen help capture any loose flakes of microscopic metal lightly hanging on the cutting edge. That part of your face you probably shave against the grain. I am guessing because I do under the bottom lip. One of those tiny microscopic pieces of metal can cause a pimple. The blade might not be dirty. Just a thought ! I always strop on the linen side before the leather. :beer1:

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I always hit the linen before leather. Never occurred to me to skip that step truth be told. And I never go against the grain. I've learned my face does no appreciate that action, so if there's a second pass it is xtg.

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. :beer1:

I put my money on the spider,,,Attachment 220202

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.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

I put my money on the spider,,,Attachment 220202

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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.

I've never had a problem, I've always just used dish soap & hot water on my vintage razors. After each use, I just rinse them in hot water. My skin comes into contact with a lot more unsanitary things in a day than my razors.

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Originally Posted by Splashone

Spiders don't bite people for no reason.

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Well this is a little off topic and I don't know what motivates a spider regarding "reason," but I have seen medically confirmed spider bites on people who woke up with them.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Well this is a little off topic and I don't know what motivates a spider regarding "reason," but I have seen medically confirmed spider bites on people who woke up with them.

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Bingo. To the best of my knowledge spiders don't grasp the concept of personal space. Beds are not off limits to them, and people do tend to roll over in their sleep - possibly onto a spider 'provoking' a bite. Considering Black Widows and Brown Recluses are both common here, it's best to pay attention when you get a small swollen/discolored blotch on your skin. An untreated bite from those little boogers can be nasty, even when it isn't fatal.

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

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

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Autoclaves are expensive. And I wouldn't want to deal with cleaning the carbon soot off the blade. :rofl2:

I believe I recently got bit on the sole of my left foot by a spider. It was only occasionally uncomfortable and only developed a small postule. I was cleaning out my garage and believed I stepped on one or two barefoot. All spiders have some poison on thier bite. This one was in the arch where the skin is soft.

My point is that spider bites can be very mild

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

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

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I'll assume this was in jest, but if not, here is a little reminder for beginners.

:rant:

Do NOT use any sort of flame in a lame attempt to disinfect your blade. You will end up with a clean and useless razor shaped object.

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Originally Posted by Splashone

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

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+1

I clean my razor edge with soap & water every use. :D