Peracetic acid to sanitize vintage straight razors?

[Bjornvetr]

I have recently acquired a nice batch of six vintage straight razors from e-bay.

I usually give them a good scrub with warm water, dish soap and a toothbrush, then I proceed to work on them with sandpaper, abrasive paste and sharpening stone(s), and call it a day.

This time I'm feeling a little nervous, because I have no idea where they have been.

A friend of mine, a dentist, heard about it and gave me some Sekusept powder: high-power, broad-range, medical-grade disinfectant, peracetic acid based, made specifically for metal, plastic, elastomer and/or glass surgical instruments. It's not safe on aluminium, chrome-plated or nickel-plated stuff.

The label says it's for "primary decontamination, disinfection and cleaning of surgical devices in hospitals, dental offices and clinics". It kills bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, virus (HVB, HCV, HIV, Papovavirus, Adenovirus, Vaccinia virus, Rotavirus, Poliovirus. A 2% solution kills bacteria in 5 minutes, Polio and mycobacteria in 2 hours, the rest is in between this range.

More info here on the product website.

I'm also reading that the powder produces oxygen (that kills the cooties, I guess) and the solution contains surfactants (to clean organic residues, probably).

Would it be safe for my straight razors? And what about plastic or horn scales?
Thanks, guys.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Might make a patina on carbon steel, (not necessarily a bad thing) but just guessing. Should be okay for stainless.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

A friend of mine, a dentist, heard about it and gave me some Sekusept powder: high-power, broad-range, medical-grade disinfectant, peracetic acid based, made specifically for metal, plastic, elastomer and/or glass surgical instruments.

Seems like overkill to me. But it's your anxiety. Do what you have to do.

 

[Try em all]

Most vintage razors are made or nickel or silver/gold coated brass. Or they are made of chromed Zamak.
In either case, that stuff is going to take the plating right off.

Peracetic acid - Wikipedia

Benzoyl peroxide much better for sterilizing razors.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Most vintage razors are made or nickel or silver/gold coated brass. Or they are made of chromed Zamak.
In either case, that stuff is going to take the plating right off.

Peracetic acid - Wikipedia

Benzoyl peroxide much better for sterilizing razors.

I have never seen a straight razor made out of brass or zamak, or plated with anything at all besides a gold wash here or there.

 

[Bjornvetr]

Most vintage razors are made or nickel or silver/gold coated brass. Or they are made of chromed Zamak.
In either case, that stuff is going to take the plating right off.

The straight razors restoration process includes sandpaper and abrasive paste, and I guess those would already take any plating right off. Are you sure you aren't thinking about DE razors?

Benzoyl peroxide much better for sterilizing razors.

I guess I'm going to buy some blue Citrosil, an italian surgical disinfectant (Benzalkonium chloride).

 

[Try em all]

The straight razors restoration process includes sandpaper and abrasive paste, and I guess those would already take any plating right off. Are you sure you aren't thinking about DE razors?

Mea Culpa. Yes, I am.
I didn't read the part about the razors being straights.
For straight razors, the stripping of any plating will still apply.
Obviously, straights are not made of Zamak...

 

[Slash McCoy]

Mea Culpa. Yes, I am.
I didn't read the part about the razors being straights.
For straight razors, the stripping of any plating will still apply.
Obviously, straights are not made of Zamak...

Well, after all, this is the Straight Raxor Shave Clinic forum. Sokay. I done that myself, on occasion.

 

[paintflinger]

What happened to good ole Isopropyl Alcohol? Not sure what could survive a dunk in that and can live on the surface of a razor especially after you sanded/polished them. People go way too crazy with the whole disinfecting thing.

 

[Bjornvetr]

What happened to good ole Isopropyl Alcohol? Not sure what could survive a dunk in that and can live on the surface of a razor especially after you sanded/polished them. People go way too crazy with the whole disinfecting thing.

Would it be enough and, most importantly, would it damage the razors somehow? I have just sanded and polished my first two razors, but I have way too many doctor friends who think that is not nearly enough. It's their fault.

 

[M14Shooter]

I would just use Barbercide wipes .

 

[Slash McCoy]

You realize, of course, that the carts you buy at Walmart aren't sterile, either, right?

 

[Bjornvetr]

I would just use Barbercide wipes .

Thanks for your suggestion!

You realize, of course, that the carts you buy at Walmart aren't sterile, either, right?

Walmart still has to get a foot in the door, here in Italy. And I'd like to see them try [shakes fist at Walmart]!

As I wrote, I'm not looking for sterilization: to be completely clear, I just want to sanitize a bunch of straight razors before selling them, because in my experience buyers (mostly beginners) almost always demand it.

And as I also wrote, I have just scrubbed, sanded, polished and honed my previous straight razors.
I hope it clarifies the matter!

 

[Fairwind]

I get what you're getting at, but it will be wasted on the buyers. Once they get their new used razor they'll be here in the forum asking how to clean it. Just note what you've done to the razor and that's good enough. You clean them up to make them look nicer and have the buyers not think you're a slob.

On the other hand I've got some killer deals because bidders didn't want to bid on dirty razors.

 

[AJG45]

I realize I'm very late to this discussion and presume that you've solved your issues by now, but wanted to respond for the benefit of people who may find this discussion in a search.

Before you worry too much about sterilizing your newly acquired prize razor, consider the life expectancy of the viruses, etc. that you are concerned about. Few viruses survive outside of the human body for more than a few days at most. HIV can survive in dried blood for up to seven days under ideal conditions. Hep B and C for a few days. Hep A may survive, under good conditions, in fecal matter (or live oysters) for several months but is spread through a fecal - oral route. Few bacteria can survive for more than few hours or days at most, MRSA and c-diff being two notable exceptions.

Finally consider using your beloved's pressure cooker as an autoclave. https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/adint.sit...cookers_for_.pdf?hhSearchTerms=%22pressure%22. It is probably more effective than about anything else you can do.

 

[Twelvefret]

Do some research on how long bacteria grow lingers with out growth media. Professionals keep their combs in barbacide. Hospitals use an alcohol base sanitizer. Any infections most likely will come from you local flora entering a cut.

 

[Bjornvetr]

Thanks for the provided info.

I ended up using some ortho-phthalaldehyde disinfectant, the kind used by hospitals and clinic to sanitize surgical instruments. They even keep those instruments in this disinfectant, apparently, because it contains some kind of corrosion inhibitor.

Finally consider using your beloved's pressure cooker as an autoclave.

I'd have to unpin my razors to use a pressure cooker, and that's exactly what I wanted to avoid.

 

[Twelvefret]

Thanks for the provided info.

I ended up using some ortho-phthalaldehyde disinfectant, the kind used by hospitals and clinic to sanitize surgical instruments. They even keep those instruments in this disinfectant, apparently, because it contains some kind of corrosion inhibitor.



I'd have to unpin my razors to use a pressure cooker, and that's exactly what I wanted to avoid.

Expecting some C Diff huh??

 

[Bjornvetr]

Expecting some C Diff huh??

Razors do their work in our bathrooms, after all!
Jokes aside, my local medical clinic was so kind as to give me that stuff for free, and who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

 

[Twelvefret]

Razors do their work in our bathrooms, after all!
Jokes aside, my local medical clinic was so kind as to give me that stuff for free, and who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

Like toothbrushes.....