# Why Are There Razor Blades in My Walls? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476 "2003-11-16T00:35:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/21 "2003-11-16T17:49:21Z")
Are they cursed? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/22 "2003-11-16T17:54:57Z")
**t-keela** : He was using “antique” in the sense of “old and worthless” (as opposed to “valuable collectable”). I informed him that A) It’s only a few years old; B) It was not exactly cheap (I don’t remember how much it cost, but it wasn’t a $5 item I picked up at a drug store); and C) It was a gift that I gave to dad, so I’m taking it. I have to say that it feels very smooth when I’m using it. But since it’s bulkier than modern razors, I have a little trouble getting up in the tight spaces around my nose. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/23 "2003-11-16T18:33:25Z")
The one reason I would be leery of this practice is that there’s wiring in between the walls. I wouldn’t want to be dropping sharp metat things randomly into a space that has electrical wires. True, the odds are that you won’t hit a wire, and that even if you do, you won’t cut through the insulation. But when you’re throwing one in every day or two, those odds add up. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/24 "2003-11-16T18:46:16Z")
In my experience, the conduit (or the wires themselves if really old) run high on that wall because the light is above eyelevel. I have never run into any circumstance where the wires were behind or below the medicine cabinet. Even for a plug, they are usually either on the high light source, or the wire is dropped from the attic. If there are low plugs, they’re usually to the side of the sink which is centered with the mirror of the cabinet. In that case, there is a stud (or two) between the medicine cabinet and the plug location. Of course, if some yahoo built the house, or there was no inspection, that all goes out the window anyways. Fortunately, most places are built according to standards and rules. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/25 "2003-11-16T19:52:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lissa \* > **The toilet seat is determined to be a ceremonial fertility necklace** What!?, you imply that it isn´t so??? :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/26 "2003-11-16T20:14:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Una Persson \* > \*\*This is incredible - I had no idea such a practice existed! The things you learn on the SDMB… \*\* Word. I can’t believe this is common knowledge to a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/27 "2003-11-16T20:21:58Z")
> [@](#): > > every day or two ? I’ve got a pretty heavy beard and when I was using safety razors daily, one would last several weeks, at least. Sometimes a month or two. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/28 "2003-11-16T20:46:17Z")
We have been dropping our used razor blades and X-Acto blades into the walls for years. Didn’t know there used to be a special slot for them, though! Now that our house is getting more and more finished, though, and there are fewer and fewer open slots in the walls, we’ve been taking our blades to the basement and dropping them down into the open tops of the cinder blocks. ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/29 "2003-11-16T21:03:12Z")
Do you have your tetanus shots? 😮 ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/30 "2003-11-16T21:47:40Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Blade Slots.” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/31 "2003-11-16T21:59:17Z")
How hard would it have been to create a steel `pouch’ for the blades to fall into? Because it sounds like they’re just hitting studs, plaster, and the odd insulated wire. At least with a steel canister, they’d have something to fall into and not be a huge problem to the people who had to maintain the building later on. Plus, for a little bit more engineering, you could have made the canister removable from the opposite side of the wall. Simply remove a panel and ease the thing out, with a lid stowed convieniently to one side or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/32 "2003-11-16T22:50:37Z")
We found a bunch when we remodeled our bathroom too, I know someone said “remodelers know they’re there”, but what about do-it-yourselfers like us? It was a surprise, and I wasn’t very happy to have to clean them up. What I do with razor blades I use (not for shaving, but for crafts and stuff) is I wrap the blade in masking tape and then throw it out. ---
**Author:** ![Kempis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kempis/32/19248_2.png) [@Kempis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kempis)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/33 "2003-11-17T05:52:46Z")
I’m absolutely amazed that this went on in the days before the cartridge razor. I guess living in California, most of the buildings were constructed after the safety razor went out of style. Wow, disposing sharp rubbish by hiding it in the FRICKIN WALL!!! Wow! Who came up with that? I can’t imagine the huge pile of razors that might accumulate over the lifetime of someone living in the same house. -k ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/34 "2003-11-17T06:03:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ale \* > \*\*What!?, you imply that it isn´t so??? :eek: > > 😃 \*\* Hey, whatever turns you on, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![Extraneous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@Extraneous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Extraneous)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/35 "2003-11-17T06:16:27Z")
For those who have never encountered a razor slot: a. a razor blade does not have enough mass to come close to nicking the insulation on a wire, and, even if it did, a bare wire is not a risk until something conductive (and connected to either ground or neutral) touches it. b. when those medicine chests were made, blades were made of mild steel - and rusted away into nothingness pretty quickly. Bluing came later - and even blued blades rust within a couple of years. Stainless wasn’t even on the horizon. IOW: chill. as potential mantraps, these don’t even come close ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/36 "2003-11-17T07:09:48Z")
Why would you want to line the cavity with steel? Wood is a nice, soft, silent material that it’s perfect for the job. And if you do the math, you find that the space will easily store enough blades to last the life of the building. It’s a simple solution to a tricky problem (especially then). Excellent design. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/37 "2003-11-17T10:56:03Z")
Slight hijack: are these razor blade slots used in other countries besides the US? It strikes me as a very “American” idea - crude and simple but effective. I don’t remember seeing them in Europe, but then again I wasn’t even old enough to use razors the last time I was there. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/38 "2003-11-17T12:03:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > **Slight hijack: are these razor blade slots used in other countries besides the US?** I can’t say that they don’t exist, but I have never heard of the custom. None of my DIY books has ever mentioned the fact. I think it’s probably “only in America…” ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/39 "2003-11-17T15:01:09Z")
Once you remodel homes and need to buy respirators to deal with all the mouse or rat poop or old insulation… and when you take various measures to ensure your good health against the stuff that lies behind walls, you’ll realize that the razor blade disposal is nothing to be concerned with. Many of your are sleeping next to a lot of rat and mouse poop, and you aren’t in arms over that. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476/40 "2003-11-17T16:15:56Z")
I’ll second what **Extraneous** and **Sam Stone** said, with the additional comment that a receptacle would not have made sense because it was reasonable at the time to assume that the volume of blades over many years could exceed the receptacle’s capacity. And an accesible behind-the-wall receptacle is way, way too much engineering and expense for something that was simply not considered a problem. Having grown up in a house with these slots, with my father, brother and myself using them, I figured everyone knew what they were. But of course, it’s human nature to think “everyone knows” what you know, and “no one knows” what you don’t know, so I understand the surprise of those who weren’t aware of them and their purpose. What I don’t understand is getting into a dither over the blades in the wall. People didn’t build those houses with the assumption that the walls would be torn into to satisfy some future design whim, and it’s really not difficult at all to deal with it if you do get inside the wall. I don’t see where it’s a situation that merits even one tenth of the whining and criticism exhibited in this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-razor-blades-in-my-walls/213476.md?page=3)