Razor Blades in Crawlspace - InspectionNews

Kent Keith · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:01 PM

Hello all,
I've been following this site for a long time, thought I should be contributing as well. I visit all the inspector forum sites and get more out of this site than any. Rick Hurst always keep me laughing and Jerry Peck....well.... I wanna be just like him when I grow up! Other than introducing myself, I wanted to remind everyone to be so careful, especially in crawlspaces. I had an experience a while back when I was under a house dated back to the 1940s. While I was crawling under the bath, checking out the sub flooring, I kept feeling something strange under my body, not quite like dirt and when I looked down, I realized that I was laying on a thick bed of double edge razor blades! I carefully rolled over and away from them and took this pic. The only ones you can see are the ones that slid down, there were literally hundreds more above the view of the pic. I have always heard about the slot in the back of the medicine cabinet that people used to dispose of the blades, but never ran across this before, I'm sure some of you have. And to think that I sometimes I get lazy and don't bother putting on my gloves...I'm glad I did this time. I have an appointment Monday to get my tetanus shot updated. They said you should get a booster every 10 years and I can't even remember having one. Getting a booster is not something you think of often, so it may be a good idea for everyone to consider getting one.
Pay special attention to the bath areas and stay safe.

Kent Keith

Ted Menelly · #2 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kent Keith

Hello all,
I've been following this site for a long time, thought I should be contributing as well. I visit all the inspector forum sites and get more out of this site than any. Rick Hurst always keep me laughing and Jerry Peck....well.... I wanna be just like him when I grow up! Other than introducing myself, I wanted to remind everyone to be so careful, especially in crawlspaces. I had an experience a while back when I was under a house dated back to the 1940s. While I was crawling under the bath, checking out the sub flooring, I kept feeling something strange under my body, not quite like dirt and when I looked down, I realized that I was laying on a thick bed of double edge razor blades! I carefully rolled over and away from them and took this pic. The only ones you can see are the ones that slid down, there were literally hundreds more above the view of the pic. I have always heard about the slot in the back of the medicine cabinet that people used to dispose of the blades, but never ran across this before, I'm sure some of you have. And to think that I sometimes I get lazy and don't bother putting on my gloves...I'm glad I did this time. I have an appointment Monday to get my tetanus shot updated. They said you should get a booster every 10 years and I can't even remember having one. Getting a booster is not something you think of often, so it may be a good idea for everyone to consider getting one.
Pay special attention to the bath areas and stay safe.

Kent Keith

They probably had one of those bathroom medicine cabinets with the slot in the back to put your used razor blades. They did a remodel and they all fell into the crawl.

They left them there so if you were to get bit by a poisonous snake you could just slice your throat and end it all

Rick Hurst · #3 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:20 PM

Kent,

Welcome to the board. Appreciate your comment.

I actually grew up in a home that had the slot in the medicine cabinet just as you mentioned.

Never did I realize that the used blades actually fell into the crawlspace. I figured they just fell in betweeen the wall voids. My dad used to place in the slot but not me.

After slicing my fingers wide open the first time, I went to the Schick disposable razors that had just come out. I can remember the smell of that High Country cologne by Avon after those shaves.

As for as being like Jerry? He's not a real person but something kind of like OZ that Brian Hannigan built into the site to answer everyones question. Sorry to ruin the image of supposedly great one out there.

Rick

Ron Bibler · #4 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:36 PM

Wellcome Kent.

Be it glass, Schick disposable razors, Dog stuff, Cat stuff, Rat stuff and yes other stuff!!! Rusty nails, snakes, spiders and frogs. in the mud, pools of water and limited access. we will inspect on.

For we are Americas HOME INSPECTORS.

Best

Ron

Kent Keith · #5 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:37 PM

As for as being like Jerry? He's not a real person but something kind of like OZ that Brian Hannigan built into the site to answer everyones question. Sorry to ruin the image of supposedly great one out there.

Rick

No!!!!

,
Don't tell me that! Now I have no reason to live!

Now where did those razor blades go?........

Jerry Peck · #6 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:25 PM

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain ...

YouTube - Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Ted said "They probably had one of those bathroom medicine cabinets with the slot in the back to put your used razor blades. They did a remodel and they all fell into the crawl."

Another way is that many older homes had balloon framing, where there was no bottom plate. The studs went all the way down to beams carrying the load of the walls, which typically also carried the roof load. So, instead of the razor blades falling harmlessly into the stud cavity and staying there forever, the razor blades fell all the way down to the ground, harmlessly ... until a home inspector ... plumber ... electrician ... etc. crawls in under that area.

Is that asbestos I see on that pipe? And over on the left, with the flash reflecting off it?

Brian Thomas · #7 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:33 PM

I didnt even realize there was a slot on medicine cabinets to dispose of baldes. Was that slot specifically for razor blades? Or was it just a convenient place to dispose of them?

Why not just throw them in the trash?

I am already afraid of spiders in crawl spaces, I dont wanna have to worry about slicing my hands up on someones used razor blades too

Kent Keith · #8 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:35 PM

Jerry,
No, I didn't see any asbestos anywhere. There was that old cloth covered pipe insulation on the pipes, which were rusting and in bad shape.
BTW, I'm honored to speak to the Great Oz....hey, I thought no one can speak to the Oz!

Kent

Jim Robinson · #9 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:42 PM

I've got one of those medicine cabinets, and there are lots of them in my town. About once a year I'll see a pile of razor blades in the crawl space. The good old days, I guess.

Billy Stephens · #10 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Thomas

. Was that slot specifically for razor blades?

Why not just throw them in the trash?

.
Yep.

Safer than throwing them into the trash.
.

Jerry Peck · #11 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kent Keith

No, I didn't see any asbestos anywhere. There was that old cloth covered pipe insulation on the pipes,

Kent,

That is what I am referring to.

If not asbestos, what type of insulation was it?

Oz's inquiring mind is curious.

Rick Hurst · #12 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 09:19 PM

Sure looks like asbestos don't it Jerry?

rick

Jerry Peck · #13 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Sure looks like asbestos don't it Jerry?

Does to me, but you really cannot tell from photo, so being there is the best place to judge whether or not to raise the alarm, but ... it sure looks like it to me.

Rick Hurst · #14 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:24 PM

This thread of hazards below the house reminded me of a horrific sight several years ago.

Dont' have a picture and you'll thank me latter.

While belly crawling across the crawl space I notice this pile of white something ahead of me. As I'm shining my light across this I realize what I'm looking at was a pile of used condoms.

Seems this fool was dropping them through a hole in the floor where a gas line had been prior to an old Dearborn heater. Didn't want to stop up the toilet I guess.

I guess you could call it a sementary for the little ones that didn't make it.

rick

Nolan Kienitz · #15 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:28 PM

Kent,

Glad to see you posting here at IN.

Rick Hurst · #16 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:33 PM

Kent,

By the way, I read your biography on your profile.

Major kuddos to you.

rick

Ted Menelly · #17 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:40 PM

Kent

I hope as a fellow Fort Worth Home Inspector you were wearing a mask as you crawled across and crushed up that asbestos.

I see by your license number you received you license the same year I moved to Fort Worth and got mine. I have not seen another inspector on hear from Fort Worth.

Welcome

Hope to see you around.

Nolan Kienitz · #18 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

Kent,

By the way, I read your biography on your profile.

Major kuddos to you.

rick

Kent - ditto from me as well.

Rick - I met up with Kent at a CE class early this year and this was after we had been trading messages and referring some clients back and forth. He's a great guy and supportive resource.