Is using W/D sandpaper on the steel of my razor safe indoors?

[nicepatina]

My wife swears that steel particles are going everywhere and its making our the room a hazard for eating and breathing. I am confident that using W/D sandpaper for like a 10 minute session on a single razor indoors is totally safe as long as I wash my hands and wipe down the area I sanded. She does not believe me and is absolutely sure that what I am doing is very dangerous for our health. Whatever I say, she wont believe me. So I am asking in here because most of you are professionals about this. Is what I am doing dangerous? or are the dangers of using sandpaper on a single razor not that big of a deal indoors as long as I wash my hands and wipe off the area? And this is by hand btw, not a rotary tool or anything.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

I don’t see how this can be more dangerous than using steel knives to cut food. Those steel particles contaminate the food and we ingest them. As far as I know, pretty much everyone in the world is using steel knives and there is no concern about it. Same applies for pans.

As for particles being suspended in the air, they are far too heavy to float and then inhale them.

Bottom line is if we wash our hands after we sanded the steel and we do not lick our dirty hands, it should be ok.

 

[nicepatina]

I am sorry in advanced, I know how stupid this question/issue is, but it has cause a big argument in our household and I really need to know to settle this thing between us. Sorry again.../head down in shame.

 

[mycarver]

I’m not sure slicing food releases more metal into the food as much as sanding grit and metal particles from razor prep.
Just a thought . I made a larger version of this using a box fan and furnace filters. This small table top filter is used to capture dust from sanding nails in salons . Run it pst her and she if it would make her happier?

 

[Darth Scandalous]

The way I see it you have 4 options.
1. Sand your razors on top of a big magnet
2. Sand your razors outside
3. Get a new wife
4. Ignore your wife which may actually speed up the process for option 3

 

[nicepatina]

I don’t see how this can be more dangerous than using steel knives to cut food. Those steel particles contaminate the food and we ingest them. As far as I know, pretty much everyone in the world is using steel knives and there is no concern about it. Same applies for pans.

As for particles being suspended in the air, they are far too heavy to float and then inhale them.

Bottom line is if we wash our hands after we sanded the steel and we do not lick our dirty hands, it should be ok.

Thank you, you verified my thoughts exactly. I showed this to her, and she seemed to believe me more than before, but at the end, she still said, "but I still dont like it" lol, so I just gotta tell myself, happy wife, happy life. But thank you sir!

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

I’m not sure slicing food releases more metal into the food as much as sanding grit and metal particles from razor prep.

I am not saying that cutting/cooking with steel tools does release more particles in the food, same with putting a spoon or fork in our mouth. Of course, the amount of particles is a lot lower but it is somehow constant over time as those particles are released every day.

 

[nicepatina]

The way I see it you have 4 options.
1. Sand your razors on top of a big magnet
2. Sand your razors outside
3. Get a new wife
4. Ignore your wife which may actually speed up the process for option 3

Showed her all of your replies, and she finds them all so hilarious and says this community has a lot of sense and wit. I have to agree. This place is the best community that I have been apart of so far online.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

To my mind it does not matter whether it is dangerous or not. If my wife was that bothered by anything I was doing, I would stop doing it or do it elsewhere. I cannot imagine arguing over something quite so trivial

 

[nicepatina]

To my mind it does not matter whether it is dangerous or not. If my wife was that bothered by anything I was doing, I would stop doing it or do it elsewhere. I cannot imagine arguing over something quite so trivial

My wife says you are the man lol. You put things in perspective. You're right. That is a problem I have, I try to be right all the time, and even though I may technically be right, is it worth it? thanks for the perspective.

 

[cotedupy]

I was about to reply to the question here (with indignation, and science!) but then read @EclipseRedRing's completely perfect take. So I'm going to change my answer to that instead.

 

[Legion]

Firstly, if you use the sandpaper wet at the sink you will eliminate a lot of the issue.

Second, iron/steel isn’t really poisonous. Hand sanding a blade, about the worst I can imagine happening is you hands getting dirty. Sure, we wear a respirator when we use power grinders that are throwing up clouds of material. You don’t really want to huff any foreign matter if you can avoid it in quantity. But the tiny bit that falls when you hand sand is nothing, and not toxic. You should be more worried about what is coming off some scale materials than steel.

Also, some tout the health benefits of using cast iron teapots and cookware precisely because ingesting a tiny amount of iron is good for the blood. I am not sure if that is a wives tale or not, but it doesn’t hurt you.

 

[cotedupy]

Also, some tout the health benefits of using cast iron teapots and cookware precisely because ingesting a tiny amount of iron is good for the blood. I am not sure if that is a wives tale or not, but it doesn’t hurt you.

Def not just a wives tale... see this old advert I found, which proves it beyond all reasonable doubt:

 

[Frank Shaves]

I hand sand over a sheet of newspaper - if you can still find some - and then toss the sheet with the spent sandpaper, vacuum and/or wipe with a damp paper towel. I have never noticed dust outside of the immediate work area. And then wash my hands with Dawn.

 

[luvmysuper]

Are you kidding? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!
This is the perfect opportunity to get those handyman juices flowing!
Design and install a dropping vacuum hood like the Cone of Silence in Get Smart.

 

[Steve56]

Are you kidding? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!
This is the perfect opportunity to get those handyman juices flowing!
Design and install a dropping vacuum hood like the Cone of Silence in Get Smart.

View attachment 1652463

WHAT?

 

[ctr]

First duty is to take your wife's concerns seriously. Even when they are not your concerns or don't align with your thoughts on the subject. Put her needs first. Fight for your wife not against your wife.

Just go outside to complete the job. Problem solved. Btw, long term exposure to airborne metal dust will cause health issues.