Thread: 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.