Thread: sterilization

Gentlemen,

Before restoring a razor, I give it a good scrubbing with a soft toothbrush dish soap and hot water. The hair dryer on cold dries the razor thoroughly, especially the pivot area. After fixing the edge, if it needs it, setting the bevel and honing, I then rinse the blade thoroughly, dry it, strop it, and then submerge it (blade only, of course) in Barbicide for about 10 minutes. The blade then is dried, oiled and put away.

Theseus, in the past, I also have submerged the blade in alcohol for about a minute or so. I no longer do that, but I don't see a problem with it.

Folks, I've been a professional tattooer in street shops for more than 20 years. Been using a steam autoclave as a tool of the trade for all of that time and still do. I've taken state mandated blood borne pathogen courses requiring a test with a passing grade to be licensed. I have never yet sterilized a straight razor in the years I've been using them. I have hit grungy used blades with metal polish, scrubbing bubbles and the like. By the time the razor is cleaned in the fore mentioned manner, honed and stropped , it is good to go AFAIC.

Now, if you have a razor that someone else has used, and they may have gotten a nick or even weepers .... it is a different story. It is unlikely but bugs such as hepatitis can live for a long time on surfaces outside of the body. In that case, an ounce of prevention is in order, and I might resort to the barbacide and certainly throughly clean the blade before I used it. By and large, with vintage blades, what we do with them to get them in shaving condition eliminates any bad stuff. IMHO.

Ya know guys,,,,

The crap that lives inside the scales is way way more dangerous then what lives on a steel blade... If you want pics I have them

Every time I see one of these threads I giggle a bit, because unless you do a complete break down of the razor you are NOT even cleaning it, even soaking it, or the toothbrush and soaps/cleaners, doesn't get the buildup of greasy grimy skin/soap/blood etc: from inside the scales "Where the razor rests"

Anybody that restores razors know this, why do you think I started restoring razors to begin with

But you guys can believe what you want, and do what ya want, I have seen what is in there that goes unseen

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Ya know guys,,,,The crap that lives inside the scales is way way more dangerous then what lives on a steel blade... If you want pics I have them Every time I see one of these threads I giggle a bit, because unless you do a complete break down of the razor you are NOT even cleaning it, even soaking it, or the toothbrush and soaps/cleaners, doesn't get the buildup of greasy grimy skin/soap/blood etc: from inside the scales "Where the razor rests"Anybody that restores razors know this, why do you think I started restoring razors to begin with But you guys can believe what you want, and do what ya want, I have seen what is in there that goes unseen

This is how I know that I officially have a 27% failure rate of removing scales.

Originally Posted by Theseus

This is how I know that I officially have a 27% failure rate of removing scales.

HA !!!! I am sooooo glad I did not have a mouthful of Pop

lol I sterilize with a 1k or rubbing alcohol.

+1 on the Barbercide. Barbers have been dipping their razor edges in it for years.

Jerry

ARRRRG, this topic makes me meshugana,Unpin all your razors,soak the scales in Sodium Hydroxide (lye) for a mimimum of 30 minutes,this will destroy any vestage of protien,arobic.anerobic,HEP abcd and F,staph,herpies,crabs,StDs of all sorts including gone-to-Korea.ticks.lice, and no seeums and even mad cow preons.
Now we have to deal with the blade,barbecide,alcohol,bleach,is all B.S my friends,you see the bad guys all migrate into the steel,they intertwine with the atoms and no topical potions will get to them.
You Need FIRE to go on the attack on an atomic level,yes dear phobes,FIRE is the only way,Than repin and shave on.

The only sure way is to send them to me so that you can't catch anything.

All kidding aside, I'm with Glen and Obie. stop thinking so hard. if your not cleaning out the old scale gunk then it's a moot point.

Paul

Is Chernobyl a viable site for razor decontamination? Nuke It!!!