Cleaning blood off the blade.

I had my first nasty cut today, and ironically it wasn't my face. I'd done a bit of stropping prior to a shave, and, with the blade still in my hand, I went to adjust the strop. I felt a string and looked at my thumb to see it, along with my hand, coated in blood. The actual cut isn't that wide or deep but it bled furiously. After patching myself up, I noticed my razor was soaked in blood too. I ran it under water, but is still blood on it. I've tried wiping it with a cloth, but there are small dots of blood that just refuse to come out.

I'm just wondering what the best method is to get this blood out.

Thanks :)

Out out damn spot

Sorry just having a Shakespeare moment ... have you tried Maas (or similar) ?

Barney

:OT My incredibly not funny English teacher tried to claim that this line was directed at the dog. NO ONE LAUGHED.

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Originally Posted by peas_and_corn

:OT My incredibly not funny English teacher tried to claim that this line was directed at the dog. NO ONE LAUGHED.

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:roflmao:roflmao Damn ... now I've got to clean my screen ... and back we come to "out out damn spot"

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Originally Posted by peas_and_corn

:OT My incredibly not funny English teacher tried to claim that this line was directed at the dog. NO ONE LAUGHED.

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Hah and I thought it was bad when we did that during a 9 minute production of Macky B at a ren faire. in the classroom I'd have to start throwing stuff.

If it will not wash off then it is not blood, but the corrosion caused by the blood. MAAS or Autosol should do it.

These guys might be right, you might need to polish the blade, but I think I'd give it a wash with hot soapy water first. Might just be stuck fast and not come out easily.

The best way to clean off blood is to wipe it off immediatly after extracting it from a body so that it does not have time to congeal. ;)

In your case, I'd raise a slurry on my coticule or belgian blue, put that on a piece of wet cloth and manually polish the blade.
That is gentle enough not to damage the edge or any etching or wshing, while still being abrasive enough to get rid of superficial spots or scratches.

"No, Son. The blood stays on the blade," Liam Neeson as the Priest in Gangs of New York.


Of course, if you actually sliced your cheek with a straight razor with the pressure exhibited in the movie, you wouldn't need to go outside and have a street fight with Daniel Day Lewis - you'd freakin' bleed to death! :)

BTW my worst cuts have been on the thumbs when making a careless transfer from one hand hand to another.

Ouch--both at the cut and the Shakespearean joke ... (which I have to remember so I can annoy my kids with it) ... but I have to say, Dan, this shows you're a true straight shaver, when the focus of your post isn't "Damn! I got such a cut!" but "How do I get the blood off my blade?" :D

I have not (yet) faced this exact situation, but what with raising five kids, you can imagine I've dealt with blood. Have you tried washing with cool-to-tepid water? Hot water actually tends to set blood. If you need to try one of the other methods given here, I guess my only addition would be, try doing it at a fairly cool temperature.

The other technique I've used with stubborn blood is adding salt to the water, but I'd be afraid to try that with a blade--it just seems like something that could do more harm than good.

~Rich

try peroxide

I think it's impressive that your thumb scarred your blade, usually it's the other way around

It's funny, but the cut itself looks pathetic now, but when it happened I thought I'd really done some serious damage. I think it's a tragic sign that I couldn't even be cool enough to get the nasty cut on my face. I mean, it's not very manly is it?

"Where did you cut yourself?"

"My thumb"

"..."

I'll try some of the suggestions, thanks. What kind of cloth should I use to wipe with or doesn't it matter?

I agree with Yorkshireman that it probably isn't the actual blood that is left there. Anyway, I wouldn't use salt water as "salt water" (ocean type) tends to corrode things fast. As for the cloth? If you have a microfiber, I'd use that. If not, maybe an old cotton shirt. It would just be annoying to use anything that "sheds".

If it is actual blood try different solvents. Try mineral oil, Break-Free(WD-40), peroxide, bleach diluted in water, acetone, and alcohol. Personally I think patina gives character to the blade, so if you want leave it on there, go ahead. As long as its not on the actual edge(cutting part) it shouldn't affect the effectiveness of the razor. Just don't let it rust.

If it is actual blood try different solvents. Try mineral oil, Break-Free(WD-40), peroxide, bleach diluted in water, acetone, and alcohol. Personally I think patina gives character to the blade, so if you want leave it on there, go ahead. As long as its not on the actual edge(cutting part) it shouldn't affect the effectiveness of the razor. Just don't let it rust.

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Originally Posted by Dan

I had my first nasty cut today, and ironically it wasn't my face. I'd done a bit of stropping prior to a shave, and, with the blade still in my hand, I went to adjust the strop. I felt a string and looked at my thumb to see it, along with my hand, coated in blood. The actual cut isn't that wide or deep but it bled furiously. After patching myself up, I noticed my razor was soaked in blood too. I ran it under water, but is still blood on it. I've tried wiping it with a cloth, but there are small dots of blood that just refuse to come out.

I'm just wondering what the best method is to get this blood out.

Thanks :)

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Don't panic but 'small dots' sound like rust. I've seen those before.:rolleyes:
Your preferred metal polish sounds like an option.
If they don't shift something slightly more abrasive might be necessary,

Os

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan

It's funny, but the cut itself looks pathetic now, but when it happened I thought I'd really done some serious damage. I think it's a tragic sign that I couldn't even be cool enough to get the nasty cut on my face. I mean, it's not very manly is it?

"Where did you cut yourself?"

"My thumb"

"..."

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:roflmao I can imagine the faces you get... :roflmao

I've found some metal polish in the house, and I have a scrub with that and it appears to have done the ticket. Thanks :)

If it is blood, drugstore hydrogen peroxide should lift it right off.

Be careful with any chemicals that may oxidise (rust) your blade.
A nice patina may result but does not sound like your intention. :D

Os