I hate to be Mr. squeamish, but I have been intrigued by wet shaving. I couldn't bring myself to do a vintage safety razor, luckily I discovered brand new merkur are very well priced. But, I would like to try straight, which seems all the worse, and yet, vintage seems to be the way to go for a first razor. So I guess my question is, is this safe? Are there any dangers to using a vintage straight?
Is this sanitary
- Thread starter superpacker
- Start date
not when cleaned properly...
you let the barber use a tool he;s cut hundreds of other peoples hair with, because he uses barbacide, lots of straight razors are sanitized and clean,
many come shave ready, i recomend a starter set or straight from the BST
you let the barber use a tool he;s cut hundreds of other peoples hair with, because he uses barbacide, lots of straight razors are sanitized and clean,
many come shave ready, i recomend a starter set or straight from the BST
You'll find that many of us who buy ourselves razors have also bought the Barbicide/Mar-V-cide/Hydrocide to soak them in before they approach our faces.
Risk management.
- Chris
Risk management.
- Chris
Where do you guys find barbicide? I've been searching but to no avail 
Barbicide/mar-v-cide/whatever will do wonders.
If you soak a blade in barbicide, it's clean. Barbicide is probably the absolute best, but the other stuff will do fine too. I would also add that while lots of people buy razors from other people who claimed to clean them, it's probably still not a bad idea to do it yourself. A word of caution with straights though, some scales do NOT like the treatment.
If you soak a blade in barbicide, it's clean. Barbicide is probably the absolute best, but the other stuff will do fine too. I would also add that while lots of people buy razors from other people who claimed to clean them, it's probably still not a bad idea to do it yourself. A word of caution with straights though, some scales do NOT like the treatment.
Where do you guys find barbicide? I've been searching but to no avail
See if you can find a Sally Beauty Supply store nearby.
[There are six around El Paso area]
That is where I went yesterday, they didn't have it. The only supplies they had were a single bottle of Clubman AFS, 3 Boar brushes for 4 dollars a piece, and maybe one more thing if that. I can't remember. Its a tiny... tiny shop here. Mostly female hair coloring supplies to be honest.
If you are squeamish about a razor, how many mouths have used that fork you use at a restaurant? Did they really clean it well? Did the waitress wash her hands after she sneezed before she handed you that fork?
Our body can handle germs, that's what it is made for. I am not saying don't sanitize that vintage razor, I'm just saying after it soaks or boils, its safe.
Our body can handle germs, that's what it is made for. I am not saying don't sanitize that vintage razor, I'm just saying after it soaks or boils, its safe.
Your local Sally's should be able to order it for you to pick up at the store.
Otherwise you can get it from their web site.
Otherwise you can get it from their web site.
Yeah it was pretty far away from where I live. I was just in the area. I think I will end up ordering it online.
Any realy difference between marv-a-cide and barbicide?
*Very* strange.
Remember, it won't be considered a shaving product. I found it in a dark corner of a bottom shelf. You might try calling the store (or one of the others in the area) to save yourself the gas and hassle.
If all else fails, you can order it on-line.
Remember, it won't be considered a shaving product. I found it in a dark corner of a bottom shelf. You might try calling the store (or one of the others in the area) to save yourself the gas and hassle.
If all else fails, you can order it on-line.
Boiling is overkill. I can't imagine most scales would appreciate that treatment, and I don't know that I would want to risk heating the blade either. Unless we're talking about safety razors in which case I know some people boil them although I still wouldn't.
Otherwise I agree it's not worth stressing over it. I know some guys routinely give their stuff an alcohol scrub every few months or so to protect themselves from their own germs
. Overkill... 
I would definitely clean/sanitize the razor.
As a substitute you could use a solution of 70% Isopropyl alcohol (also called propan-2-ol, 2-propanol, iso, isopro, isoprop, rubbing alcohol, or the abbreviation IPA).
I agree with above. It's pretty strange that Sally's wouldnt have it. It is in a totally different section than the shaving stuff - it is a common item used by barbers/hair stylists.
Marvicide vs. barbicide - I've heard people go both ways on this. Last time I bought barbicide, I actually checked the ingredients of the two to compare. They have very different ingredients. My thought, when in doubt, just get the stuff that works for everyone else. I bought the barbicide.
Marvicide vs. barbicide - I've heard people go both ways on this. Last time I bought barbicide, I actually checked the ingredients of the two to compare. They have very different ingredients. My thought, when in doubt, just get the stuff that works for everyone else. I bought the barbicide.
+1. If you didn't ask someone there, there is a very good chance that you just were looking in the wrong place. I went all over the store with no luck before the lady had to help me find it. Also, I read the ingredients of what Barbicide protects against, I decided that it was plenty good for me. I'd stick with it over the Marvicide out of familiarity if nothing else.
Chances are that any nasties the razor has been exposed to have long since died. Yet I know exactly where you are coming from. So I sanitize all my razors. You don't need Barbicide, just a hospital grade disinfectant - germicide, fungicide, and viricide which also nukes HIV and Hepatitis.
Oh, and by the way, vintage blades are great to find, acquire and use.
Oh, and by the way, vintage blades are great to find, acquire and use.
The closest shop has only 3 isles. I asked her about both shaving supplies and barbercide and thats all she showed me.
Here's a pretty good resource. Link
They have better prices than where I bought mine. I also got the big glass container. It looks awesome in the shave den!
Awesome! Thank you very much.
