Cracking open the Double Ring

[T Rick]

You may have read my earlier post, where I'd received a Gillette Double Ring, which was unfortunately locked up tight as I tried to open it.

I was in no hurry, wanting to see that I did no damage. I decided to try Kroil, a highly effective penetrating oil, which according to the website will creep into openings as small as one millionth of an inch.

Found some (not easy, it is only sold either direct or at some industrial supply houses, and even many of those do not carry it). Picked it up yesterday, and sprayed a bit into the hollow end of the handle, hoping it would seep down and free up the stuck threads below. After a few minutes, nothing. Let some sit in it overnight. Nothing. After a 10 hour absence today, I came back and tried it again. Nothing.

Okay, time to get serious. I took a rag made of an old sock (thick athletic type) and wrapped several thicknesses of it around the base of the nut. Cringing, I took my 9 in Channel Lock adjustable pliers, and gripped the nut through the sock. I grasped the head of the razor, and...
Bingo! It just barely resisted, so little I find it incredible I couldn't loosen by hand. Phew!

I am elated it is now fully functional again! Now, to get it cleaned up and shave ready (got to at least test drive it!). And to decide whether to remove the even grey patina, shining it to a brilliant white silver (I am inclined to do this, despite the fact that I really do like the grey appearance of it as is).

What do you think, polish, or patina?

Oh, BTW, I now know the razor is from 1905.

 

[luvmysuper]

Well, Polish it once, polish it many times. That's the drawback of silver.
I kinda like 'em with the patina too.

 

[john parker]

Kroil is sold in gun shops or companies that supply lubricants for firearms. I got a small can from Brownell's.

 

[blackfoot]

That is awesome! I personally like to polish things, but that may not be the best advice. Either way, it will look great.

 

[tom myers]

I know that many real antique collectors would tend to leave a silver razor with the patina on it. I guess I'm not that much of a purist. When I know that under that ugly gray or black is a beautiful silver razor, I need to see it.

Personally, I would polish it, preferably, with a mild polish specifically formulated for silver, or else very gently with a general metal polish such as MAAS. If the plating is still intact, that razor will look like a piece of fine jewelery. I would suggest, however, that you don't polish it too often since, of course, every time you polish it, some of the silver plating is removed.

Regards,
Tom

 

[beelzulbub]

It's great to hear you got it apart with no damage, and I would polish it up to bring back that lustrous original shine. That is certainly a beauty, and if it is from the auction that I think it is, you got a really good price on it. Enjoy it!

 

[redbike]

It's a hard decision to employ tools that could end up really damaging a razor as nice as that one. Glad it all worked out for you.

jim

 

[bythbook]

nice save!

I would (and did, with mine) polish it once to enjoy it in its original state - take pics, of course - and then let it tarnish until you just have to polish it again.

You are going to shave with it...?

 

[T Rick]

For clarification, if I do polish it (as I'm inclined to), it would be first (maybe only) the method as outlined by AsylumGuido in this thread on a Bulldog. AFAIK, this is the easiest on the finish, in terms of removing tarnish. It worked wonderfully on my 1912 Single Ring, though that was not as grey as this one.

Maas would be HUGE overkill on this (like driving a tack with a sledge hammer), especially with no difficult marks/stains. It is really pristine. Even my Single Ring had only a few small areas of some contamination that required additional cleaning, and a very light hit with Wright's Silver Cream (Walmart) on those spots did the trick.

I've also just received a 1910 Single Ring, and will be doing the same treatment there. And yes, I'll be shaving with it, though it will be in a rotation with many others, so it won't be used that often.

 

[Hughies_online]

They look better polished IMO

 

[ctakim]

Congrats on a true collector's piece!

 

[luvmysuper]

I gotta say that I have tried the Tarnx on silver plated razors with very good success.
A small amount in a plastic container, and a 10 second soak followed by a cold water rinse, examine and repeat as needed till the tarnish is gone.
It works really well. The problem with these types of cleaners is that people always overkill, if it says soak it for 10 seconds, they figure that 5 hours would be better.
(That's how we get from spraying with Scrubbing Bubbles to Boiling in CLR)
Anyway, aside from the stench of sulphur Tarnx works wonderfully.