Adjusting a Gillette Adjustable w/o unscrewing 1/4 turn? What may break?

[GarageBoy]

My Slim is set on 3 all the time. As I went to clean my razor, I loosened the knob 1/4 turn (on 3) decided to cycle the knob back and forth to clean around it. Well, the 1/4 turn isn't enough, apparently and I felt some tension around 7. Question is, which part did I potentially over stress and how do I check to see if its ok?

Thanks

 

[ieschwoch]

I think the biggest danger is if you adjust to a higher setting without loosening the doors; too much pressure may bend the butterfly doors and make them not close correctly. Adjusting to a lower setting without loosening the doors shouldn't cause damage, but could leave the blade too loose. I don't think that doing this 1-2 times would cause any damage, though. As long as the butterfly doors still close and you can shave with the razor, you should be fine.

 

[Mick]

If you find that the adjuster does not spin freely at all numbers loosen the doors a little more. The slim is built pretty rugged so the chances of hurting it by not loosening the doors enough one or two times is rather slim (no pun intended). It's not unheard of, but not likely to happen.

 

[GarageBoy]

Thanks
So I should worry about the doors?
I didn't go too far, I was just turning it really quickly and noticed tension for about one or two clicks. Was worried that I'd break the main shaft

 

[The Kiwi]

Let's take a trio of Gillette adjustables that I know all of the history from new through now, I bought them between 1965 and 1972, and held onto them. I can't remember what I did about adjustments the first few years, just as I can't be certain any more why I have more than two (one at home, and one in a travel kit). I used a couple of them on a very regular basis for thirty years, and I never paid any attention to the main door lock on them when making the very rare adjustments during the latter part of that period, whcih I can recall.

Basically, the Slims stayed set to "7" 99% of the time, and the SA to "8" until it became the only DE in occasional (weekends) use, after I felt forced to switch to a Sensor for my daily razor, in order to shave more quickly, although far less closely, most times. None of the three are any worse for this mistreatment, and if Gillette had included anything in the cases with them to tell me to be more cautious when / how I changed adjustments, I've no memory of having seen it.