Blade Bank

When I first started with DE shaving I was unsure of how to dispose of my blades. Searching the internet I came across many people on forums saying that the just throw them in the trash. I could not believe I was reading this! This puts your trash collectors as well as local children, pets and wildlife at an extremely high risk of cuts and potentially blood borne illnesses such as Hepatitis and HIV (If the shaver is infected) and even Tetanus. In my opinion the best solution to this is to make your own blade bank. Not only does this protect those around you from potential injuries and sickness but it can also be recycled which reduces your environmental impact.

A blade bank is very easy and inexpensive to make. Next time you're out grocery shopping, pick up a can of soup broth (it is important it is just broth and doesn't contain anything "chunky"). Take a well made chef's knife or other wide bladed knife and with the cutting edge facing the middle of the top can (and away from you) gently tap on the butt of the knife. After a couple of taps the knife should break through the top of the can. Continue to tap on the butt of the knife until the opening is wide enough to fit a blade in. Next empty the can down the sink, I would advise against eating it as it could now contain metal shavings. Rinse the can with some hot water to remove any remaining broth to prevent it from stinking. You could also fill the can with water and put it in a pot of water and boil it, this will ensure that the inside of the can is clean and will help remove the label and glue. Be careful handling after you boil as it will retain its heat for longer than you expect it to. To remove the rest of the glue from the can just use a cotton ball and some nail polish remover. If you want to decorate your blade bank i would suggest either spray paining it or finding an old Gillette advertisement on Google and printing it off and covering it with packing tape. Another option is to use the "Olde Time Boxer" meme and putting a joke on it (Razor blades? Oh you mean breakfast!) and printing that out and sticking it on the outside of your can. If you have any other tips for making a blade bank share them in the comments section below. Happy shaving.

Old Time Boxer Meme Generator: http://memegenerator.net/Old-Man-Boxer