Apollo-Mikron Education (zinc alloys disaster)

[Dyllern]

Apollo-Mikron Education​

• This is a thread to show people why zinc alloys (pot metal) in general are a bad choice for razors and especially if the razor has an "advanced" construction.
• I was recently given another Apollo-Mikron 2.gen razor for free because it wasn't functioning(first pictures). The corrosion of the metal was obvious though and I didn't expect much.
• Nevertheless I tried to use some lime scale remover and it cleaned the razor somewhat on the outside. That being said this razor was a total lost cause and it was corroded a lot which made it more or less impossible for me to take it apart in a gentle way.
• I therefore decided to take it apart using some different tools and some more force. I succeeded and I'm glad I did because I wanted to see how the 2.gen Apollo-Mikron looks inside compared to the 3.gen.
• The 2.gen is clearly not meant to be taken apart because some of the construction is press fitted together unlike the 3.gen where it's screwed together with threads.
• It's clearly to see where the manufacturer made some improvements and constructed the razor in a more optimal way with the 3.gen model. No wonder the 2.gen and I assume 1.gen will totally clog up with time and not work properly if not used wisely.
• The pictures shows the different parts after they have already been partly cleaned, so you can imagine what kind of disaster I was met with when I first got it opened
• Hopefully this thread will provide a little material to those interested in a bit of product development.
• These German tanks will always be awesome, but the overall condition is paramount, so be careful when looking for one for your collection.

 

[Dyllern]

 

[abies]

Thanks for sharing! This is very informative.

I was just thinking a couple of days ago about the Mikron, how I had read about it when I first started wetshaving and then didn't hear about it again. At the time it was interesting to me because it was one of the small number of DE adjustables that were available, outside of Gillette, Merkur, and Gibbs/Personna models.

I didn't realize they were made of zinc alloy; I just assumed they were plated brass for some reason.

I've steered away from zinc myself after a razor that was gifted to me by my mom broke in two. In some ways though that was what got me into DE shaving, so maybe I can't complain.

 

[Old Hippie]

• This is a thread to show people why zinc alloys (pot metal) in general are a bad choice for razors and especially if the razor has an "advanced" construction.

This got me to go check out something I "knew." I had a memory somewhere that somebody told me once that using a zinc alloy for casting was good because the zinc expands as it cools, thus capturing all the fine details of the mould. But science, as they say. Doesn't appear that's the case, which totally stands to reason.

Evidently the real reason zinc alloys or zamak are often used for casting is that it melts at a lower temperature than aluminum, hence saves energy costs. This is quite aside from whether such alloys are good and useful, as they are. Returning to the original premise, though, it does appear they're not ideal for razors intended for long-term use.

O.H.

 

[BigJ]

Great photo essay!! Thanks for posting.