A Gillette Restoration...

[velvetgoldmine]

I'd been looking for an old open comb razor for some time, so was pleased to spot this amongst a display of antique microscopes and sundry medical equipment at a Scientific Instruments fair in London recently. On the face of it, not too impressive, but with potential, I thought. The seller was asking £5.

Closer inspection revealed a crack at the top of the handle. A small crack, but it meant that the shoulder wouldn't stay in place - the whole head would fall off in use. I decided to leave it, and began to walk away. At which point the vendor called me back and said: "Here. You can have it as an early Christmas present". Cool!

I took it home, and with the aid of some Araldite Turbo, and some vigorous cleaning - this is the result! Yes, the crack's still there, but the whole thing holds together nicely. I've used my partner's aluminium tech in the past, but generally prefer a heavier razor. This is solid brass, so has some nice heft to it. Great shaver too!

 

[Go West Young Man]

Almost every Gillette of that era has a cracked handle, the only difference being the extent to the crack. Even though we think of the "good old days" of high quality goods, these cracks are due to cheap-out shortcuts they took in the design process. Even so, you can probably still shave with that razor for another 100 years, those cracks stabilized a long time ago.

 

[bigfoot83]

I picked up an Old style open comb with cracks like that on both ends of the handle. I simply make sure it's pressed together well before starting, and since I'm not using any pressure, it works like a dream!

Enjoy many pleasurable shaves with that razor!
Dave

 

[americanarmsdealer]

Wow! That polished up nicely! Enjoy!

 

[velvetgoldmine]

Almost every Gillette of that era has a cracked handle.

Any idea exactly what era that would be?

Thans for your kind remarks, gents!

 

[BBrad]

Any idea exactly what era that would be?

Thans for your kind remarks, gents!

Your NEW head dates back to the 1930s. All Gillette razors from 1904 through the end of Old-Type production (~1928) suffer from this malady. Some of the early "NEW" razors (~1929) and Goodwill razors (1931) were assembled using leftover Old Type handle components.

The cracking is the due to stress on the metal tube which was the result of the production method used - in other words, a force fit! It has nothing to do with use, misuse, temperature changes, or phase of the moon.

Rare is the razor that does not have at least a hairline crack showing. About the only ones from that era that are not affected are the Gillette American Button Company (ABC) Pocket Edition razors, who's handles are of a different design and were not actually produced by Gillette.

Many folk have repaired their OT handles using a clear marine-grade epoxy. Sometimes we find razors where the previous owner did their own handle replacement from non-Gillette razors such as Star or Durham-Duplex. Even the Gillette Tech handle was used to replace broken OT handles.

Either way it is a good razor that is enjoyed by many!

 

[velvetgoldmine]

Thanks BBrad! That's very interesting.

 

[DEvangelist]

Hey guys,
I actually have a Gillette Goodwill #162 that has the same problem (crack is only a hairline about 1/2 inch), exactly what kind of epoxy should I use (brand name)?
I'm assuming I just line the inside of the handle and then press in the head, and viola.

 

[BBrad]

Hey guys,
I actually have a Gillette Goodwill #162 that has the same problem (crack is only a hairline about 1/2 inch), exactly what kind of epoxy should I use (brand name)?
I'm assuming I just line the inside of the handle and then press in the head, and viola.

I haven't actually done one yet . . . got a drawer full of them that need fixing, though!! I know some guys here have, however.

A "marine grade" epoxy is needed to stand up to the wet environment. A clear epoxy won't show as badly. It is important to get the surfaces clean and dry first, and you may have to clamp the handle while the epoxy cures. Of course, use sparingly because it may ooze out of the crack and make an unsightly mess.

This fix is designed to return a broken piece to shaveable functionality. It is not intended to be a technique for restoring cosmetic perfection to a collector-grade piece.