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Gillette Toggle Questions

Hi Guys

I recently acquired a NOS Gillette Toggle Date Code D 1.
It's a beautiful razor. I haven't shaved with it yet, I will be this week. I never owned or used a Toggle before. I do have a fatboy and Slim that I use regularly and i'm used to how those razors work.
I have a couple of questions for the Toggle owners out there.

When opening the razor does it matter which side you flick the lever open? Mine flicks opens both sides.

When i adjust the razor with the doors open i noticed that the safety bar or base plate kind of moves and isn't straight after adjusting, so i have to straighten it with my fingers, or just close the doors and it straightens on its own. Is this normal or a defect? my fatboy and slim don't do this. Is something loose perhaps?

I appreciate any info you can give me.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Hi Guys

I recently acquired a NOS Gillette Toggle Date Code D 1.
It's a beautiful razor. I haven't shaved with it yet, I will be this week. I never owned or used a Toggle before. I do have a fatboy and Slim that I use regularly and i'm used to how those razors work.
I have a couple of questions for the Toggle owners out there.

When opening the razor does it matter which side you flick the lever open? Mine flicks opens both sides.

When i adjust the razor with the doors open i noticed that the safety bar or base plate kind of moves and isn't straight after adjusting, so i have to straighten it with my fingers, or just close the doors and it straightens on its own. Is this normal or a defect? my fatboy and slim don't do this. Is something loose perhaps?

I appreciate any info you can give me.
1. Either side is fine.
2. I’ve noticed that movement with the baseplate on several Toggles myself. It seems to be normal, if not expected.
 
R

romsitsa

Hello,
flipping the lever toward the red dot side is for cleaning, the other way is for opening.
The Toggle head has a completely different construction compared to the Fatboy/Slim, movement of the guard is normal.
 
Hi. Thank God I saw this. I got a D1 Toggle a couple of years ago. Shaved with it a couple of times. Very nice. Then sent it off to Razor Emporium to have it re-vamped in nickel. Came back looking wonderful. If you have not see fresh nickel it will surprise you. Anyway... That's when I notices that sometimes the base plate/guard would swivel. If I messed with it it could move. Would go back into plave when I closed it and would be in the right place after opening. But could be moved. I had talked with Matt at Razor Emporium before I decided to do the revamp from gold to nickel. I just did not want to contact him and tell him I thought sometime was wrong with his revamp. Your comments are a blessing. DEEP BREATH!! I will now shave on in the knowledge that all is right with my Toggle. Thanks very much.
 
Congratulations on acquiring your Toggle. The Toggle is my favorite shaver and my favorite razor. To me it gives the best shaves because of the blade mechanism, balance, weight, handle length, and overall dimensions. I sent one to Razor Emporium today for a revamp. I would be embarrassed to tell you how many I have. Some are pristine in the original cases with all of the correct literature, blade dispensers, price tabs, etc., and others have been revamped by Razor Emporium for use. Most razor shops will not work in Toggles (Razor Emporium will), so I want to have a reserve. The Toggle is not only to me the best razor, but it is a significant raazor in the history of shaving, which makes it even more special for a shave. Best wishes with your Toggle!
 
The Toggle is the only Gillette adjustable for which you are supposed to adjust it with the doors CLOSED. If you adjust it with the doors closed, the baseplate problem never arises.

As much as I hate to disagree with romsitsa, I believe that you can half-flip the Toggle to loosen for rinsing and full flip the Toggle to open the doors completely, and you can do both of these in either direction you want. I have never heard half-flip to the red dot side for rinsing and full-flip the opposite direction for opening. Pretty sure my Toggle performs both of these functions equally well regardless of which direction I flip the Toggle.

Congrats on your Toggle acquisition. Mine was tuned up and replated in rhodium over at Razor Emporium. It is one of my most treasured razors.
 
The Toggle is the only Gillette adjustable for which you are supposed to adjust it with the doors CLOSED. If you adjust it with the doors closed, the baseplate problem never arises.

As much as I hate to disagree with romsitsa, I believe that you can half-flip the Toggle to loosen for rinsing and full flip the Toggle to open the doors completely, and you can do both of these in either direction you want. I have never heard half-flip to the red dot side for rinsing and full-flip the opposite direction for opening. Pretty sure my Toggle performs both of these functions equally well regardless of which direction I flip the Toggle.

Congrats on your Toggle acquisition. Mine was tuned up and replated in rhodium over at Razor Emporium. It is one of my most treasured razors.
With respect to operating the toggle, both you and romsitsa are correct!!

Serial numbered Toggles have a red dot on the toggle. The instructions for serial numbered Toggles shows individual photographs and captions of the toggle being manipulated as romsitsa described. With the red dot facing the user, the toggle lever is “snapped” outward to insert or remove the blade; and inward for cleaning (rinsing). The instructions for D1 and F4 Toggles say to snap the toggle (in either direction) to the horizontal position to insert or remove the blade; and snap the toggle (in either direction) to the halfway position for cleaning (rinsing).

(instruction photos from gilletteadjustable.com)
 

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With respect to operating the toggle, both you and romsitsa are correct!!

Serial numbered Toggles have a red dot on the toggle. The instructions for serial numbered Toggles shows individual photographs and captions of the toggle being manipulated as romsitsa described. With the red dot facing the user, the toggle lever is “snapped” outward to insert or remove the blade; and inward for cleaning (rinsing). The instructions for D1 and F4 Toggles say to snap the toggle (in either direction) to the horizontal position to insert or remove the blade; and snap the toggle (in either direction) to the halfway position for cleaning (rinsing).

(instruction photos from gilletteadjustable.com)
Learn something new every day. Thanks for sharing that information.

Should have known, because romitsa is rarely, if ever, wrong.
 
I agree with kingfisher and others - B&B is a wonderful source of information, most of which might not otherwise be available to most of us. This information about the Toggle helps me to further enjoy my favorite razor. Thank you to Boyd and others.
 
The Toggle is the only Gillette adjustable for which you are supposed to adjust it with the doors CLOSED.
~snip~

So, if I am understanding this correctly, you should not adjust any other Gillette variable razor with the doors closed?

Only asking because my Slim didn't come with instructions. 🙂
 
With respect to operating the toggle, both you and romsitsa are correct!!

Serial numbered Toggles have a red dot on the toggle. The instructions for serial numbered Toggles shows individual photographs and captions of the toggle being manipulated as romsitsa described. With the red dot facing the user, the toggle lever is “snapped” outward to insert or remove the blade; and inward for cleaning (rinsing). The instructions for D1 and F4 Toggles say to snap the toggle (in either direction) to the horizontal position to insert or remove the blade; and snap the toggle (in either direction) to the halfway position for cleaning (rinsing).

(instruction photos from gilletteadjustable.com)
It's stuff like this that made me want to be a contributor to keep this site going. Thank you!
 
So, if I am understanding this correctly, you should not adjust any other Gillette variable razor with the doors closed?

Only asking because my Slim didn't come with instructions. 🙂

Never mind. I read some old instructions at Mr Razor and found my answer...and doing a search here finds the community divided, though not equally.

Since the Gillette instructions don't explicitly state that the doors must be open while adjusting, I'm not going to worry about it.
 
Never mind. I read some old instructions at Mr Razor and found my answer...and doing a search here finds the community divided, though not equally.

Since the Gillette instructions don't explicitly state that the doors must be open while adjusting, I'm not going to worry about it.
Most people believe that for the Slim and the Fatboy, it is preferable to not adjust the razor with the doors all the way closed (including the final quarter-turn lockdown).
Prolly not the end of the world, but given the way the razor works, I think it ls a good idea to loosen the doors at least the final quarter turn before adjusting the razor. It is easy to do. Just loosen slightly, adjust, then tighten it back down.
 
Most people believe that for the Slim and the Fatboy, it is preferable to not adjust the razor with the doors all the way closed (including the final quarter-turn lockdown).
Prolly not the end of the world, but given the way the razor works, I think it ls a good idea to loosen the doors at least the final quarter turn before adjusting the razor. It is easy to do. Just loosen slightly, adjust, then tighten it back down.

I absolutely agree with @kingfisher and remember these razors are well over 50 years old now. It just makes sense to go easy on them.
 
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