Are the slim adjustable handle made of copper? I know the head and the lock down knob are made of brass, but I think the main handle is made of copper. I'm talking about the slims from 1962-1968 (before they started making black handled aluminum handles). The reason for my assumption is, I've noticed that on a few well worn slims I own, the nickel plating has worn off exposing a copper color underneath the plating.
1960's Slim Adjustables handle material question.
- Thread starter polod
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I'm not a vintage razor expert, but I know when you plate metal, a base layer of copper is first applied to help the adhesion of the final nickel layer. That's at least my understanding and that's probably what you're seeing. My guess is that underneath the copper is brass.
Not sure about the entire handle, neither of my slims have plate wear in that area but I do recall reading somewhere that the adjustment ring on slim and fatboy adjustables was copper. Can't remember the source but it was some reference to not using the boiling in vinegar method of cleaning on those models because it would cause the copper adjustment ring to discolor the rest of the razor.
They are all brass
Yeah, copper is too soft. Most of the old (better quality) razors are brass with nickel, and sometimes gold or silver over that.
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Had a broken slim that was a write off, so I hacked sawed through the handle and I can confirm that it is solid brass. I guess the handle is brass plated with copper and then nickel. But I think the nickel plating is very thin since I can see the copper plate underneath. BTW I measured the thickness of the handle wall and it is 1.1mm-1.2mm.
Please don't boil ANY razor in vinegar!!!
Don't boil any Razor in anything period. They were made to shave with not boil them like an egg 
/ Whats a a matter with you guys p
Best thing is to get some gunk out of it is to let it sit in some really good soapy and i mean soapy water for a few hours, then heat up the water again "Microwave" and then watch that gunk come up floating, Also repeat process as needed)
/ Whats a a matter with you guys pBest thing is to get some gunk out of it is to let it sit in some really good soapy and i mean soapy water for a few hours, then heat up the water again "Microwave" and then watch that gunk come up floating, Also repeat process as needed
)
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Oh wow yeah, I should've clarified in my first post - I wouldn't recommend boiling a razor either - scrubbing bubbles cleaner and warm soapy water is sufficiently clean for me! Thanks to polod for the experiment on the broken razor, interesting stuff! I haven't worn the plating away on my adjustable gillettes yet, interesting to hear that there is copper under-plating.
Does nickel plating adhere to brass, or does it require a layer of pure copper? After all, brass is already mostly copper. I know you have to copper plate steel before you nickel plate it.
I think brass can be directly plated with nickel. Only metals which oxidize easily are treated with a copper coating first, and then nickel.
Afaik the Gillette Slim and Fatboy razors are brass, with a nickel finish. Modern Razors, suck as Merkur, EJ and Mühle, have a chrome finish.
Afaik the Gillette Slim and Fatboy razors are brass, with a nickel finish. Modern Razors, suck as Merkur, EJ and Mühle, have a chrome finish.
I didn't know Merkurs were plated in chrome. I do know that the razors themselves are zinc or pot metal (mostly zinc). Most chrome plating is chrome over nickel plating over the substrate, but sometimes there is a copper plated layer in between the substrate and the nickel, depending on what the substrate is.
Chrome is whiter and brighter than nickel, which has a touch of a yellowish cast to it. I think chrome is also harder than nickel.
Can chrome be plated directly onto zinc?
Chrome is whiter and brighter than nickel, which has a touch of a yellowish cast to it. I think chrome is also harder than nickel.
Can chrome be plated directly onto zinc?
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