What is the best way to sterilize a blade? I would certainly appreciate any suggestion anyone might have. Thanks.
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What is the best way to sterilize a blade? I would certainly appreciate any suggestion anyone might have. Thanks.
All I do is give it a quick dip in rubbing alcohol and let it air dry. If I pick up a blade at an antique store and it is really dirty, I give it a wipe with Clorox bleach free anti-bacterial wipes.
Like Theseus, I also use rubbing alcohol. However, I pour the alcohol over the blade, then let air dry. I like his idea of the Clorox wipes :D
I spray alcohol on my blade, then wipe gently with a microfiber cloth, and finally squirt a drop of oil on the scale hinge before storing in a silicon impregnated sock.
Sterility is probably not achievable or necessary for daily shaving.
But cleanliness is probably wise. :)
I used to let the blade soak in hot water for a few minutes until I almost irrecoverably marked the Finish on a razor I bought, now no matter where I get the blade from I use the hand sanitising spray which is a mix of alcohols in a gel form, and a quick rinse under warm water with a soapy sponge, then onto an air dry and light coat of mineral oil (baby oil)
Here's a link to what I did using hot water to sterilise, turns out that the acid in the fingerprints on the blade etched it slightly with the hot water when I soaked it
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=77218
Soap and water,nothing more needed.people need to get over this unwarranted germophobia B.S.
Agree with Pixelfixed. A complete waste of time and energy. :)
My girl got me a Barbacide jar and liquid, I use that. If I didn't have it I would probably just use some alcohol or something.
I'm not sure how a half second dip in alcohol can qualify as a waste of time. Especially when, on more than one occasion, I've seen the person I was buying the razor from open it up and cut themselves with it.
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 :p
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 :rofl2:
But you guys can believe what you want, and do what ya want, I have seen what is in there that goes unseen :p
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.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/fire.jpg
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!!!
At least we won't need a flashlight and six tall indians to find it!
for those that mentioned alcohol, i'm told alcohol works by drying.. you need to let the alcohol dry on the blade, not dip it and rinse it or anything like that.
I don't use alcohol any more, and never would when working with a sharp razor. I will, however, enjoy a fine cigar from time to time. ;)
I agree with you on this one, I've depinned two antique blades and some of the crud in there is just nasty, I even depinned my 12 month old invisible edge dovo to sort out rust and it was surprising how it had started to build up, I thought I was keeping that razor in a very clean condition, but it's surprising where the crud gets...
With regards to the fire to clean the blade please don't take this the wrong way but are you being serious about heating the blade? Surely this would take the temper out of the metal or change its properties ?? Possibly ruining the blade, Or am I barking up the wrong tree.
I had the feeling that was the case but didn't want to go charging in saying that was a crazy idea in case there was some way todo it without murdering the blade :)
Bad bit of humor on my part,was just a joke,sorry
I am in the wipe-off and never clean crowd for the most part. If I were to sell a razor I would probably just give it a dunk in alcohol.
Wouldn't want to catch the Herpaghonnasyphilis!!!!!
No Issue, they have drugs for that stuff,But now you bring up a whole differant quandry for the germophobes,can STDs be transmitted via your razor to your face?
Well,I for one do not want to take any chances,I now wear a Condom when I shave,I find the forex brand to be the best whilst shaveing,have tried them all,trojens being the worst,just cannot seem to get a BBS 8 pass shave with them.
Only thing I have gotten from straights is RAD
During a trip to my local barber/beauty supply store found: Hydrox HYDROCIDE . Professional disenfectant and germicide that costs a third of what Barbacide costs. It's an approved professional product that can save me a few bucks.
Hepatitis (b,c etc) HIV. Are std's also.
Heat. Heat, man. It really kills those germs. For people who want to be really sure, nothing works like a good torch.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ing.af.ncs.jpg