Has anyone taken one apart without damaging it? I just got a 30's era crat which I'm going to get replated. At times it feels like it catches when turning the mechanism to open it. I can feel a "click". I wanted to get a look at the shaft to see if there is corrosion causing it, but I don't see any obvious way to do this without trashing it. Is there a trick to disassembly or is it just out plain of the question?
Disassembling an Aristocrat?
- Thread starter deepcdv
- Start date
DON'T DO IT!
Try giving it a good long soak in scrubbing bubbles , and make sure you keep pouring it through the razor. Keep opening and closing the TTO know, and allow any accumulated gunk to flow out. Next, pour some mineral oil down inside the shave through the hole around the post inside the head (stand the razor on its tail when you do this) and allow it to run out the bottom...open/close/open/close/repeat, refill, etc. until it is smooth. Then give it another scrubbing bubbles cleaning, and once all the dirty oily stuff stops coming out around the knob, polish it up and you should be good to go. I "fixed" two of them this way...works great!
Try giving it a good long soak in scrubbing bubbles , and make sure you keep pouring it through the razor. Keep opening and closing the TTO know, and allow any accumulated gunk to flow out. Next, pour some mineral oil down inside the shave through the hole around the post inside the head (stand the razor on its tail when you do this) and allow it to run out the bottom...open/close/open/close/repeat, refill, etc. until it is smooth. Then give it another scrubbing bubbles cleaning, and once all the dirty oily stuff stops coming out around the knob, polish it up and you should be good to go. I "fixed" two of them this way...works great!
- Thread starter
- #3
Thank You! Yeah, disassembly didn't look real promising. I have run it through a few cycles in an ultrasonic cleaner with CLR and hot water and definately got some gunk out. I hadn't oiled it because I'm going to get it replated tommorrow but I'll take your advice and get it functioning then restrip the oil for plating. Thanks again, I appreciate your quick response.
No problem...since you're replating it, you probably don't need to worry about it too much. The acid bath will strip the crud away along with the old plating anyway. What plate are you going with, by the way? I was going to do one of mine in nickel, but I sold it instead. Good luck, and be sure to post some pics!
- Thread starter
- #5
That seemed to do the trick, it's a little loose but I'll baby it. I like the copper color where the gold has worn off on that barber pole design handle so I'm going to get the whole thing replated in rose gold. My wife has an older Swiss couple that she has been taking her jewelry to for years. The gentleman sounded interested and told me that if the razor fits into his plating jar that he wanted to do it. I'll post some pics (as long as it comes out OK). Thanks again for the help.
If there comes a point during your restoration that you feel you do need to break it down, it can be done. The photo is from this how to post.
I have cleaned and replated several aristocrats and a barber pole and the GoldenMonkey man just gave you the best advice. Do not dis-assemble that razor unless as a last resort. Keep cleaning it out and you can use the mineral oil with good effect to smooth out the action. I had all my razors replated without taking them apart and they all came out beautiful and they all worked just fine. You can flush the razor several times to get the mineral oil out but the main thing is to just keep cleaning it out until it loosens up, don't expect the acid treatment at the plater is going to do all the work, get it as cleaned out as you can yourself because no one will care as much about your razor as you do. Good luck, bc
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks to both of you, I have the mechanism working smoothly and it did take awhile. I used an ultrasonic cleaner with ammonia/water & CLR/water. Flushed and worked the TTO mechanism with CLR, dish detergent and oil . It's moving smoothly even though I have stripped out the oil for plating. The TTO knob does have play and needs to be pushed in flush with the handle to operate the mechanism smoothly, when pulled out, the mechanism runs roughly. I wondered how this razor was put together, that is good info to have just in case. I'll get it plated intact and then re-oil the mechanism, should be good to go. I just picked this razor up to replace my late '40's Aristocrat (which looks and operates like its brand new) that I'm sending to my son for his birthday along with everything else to get him into DE shaving. Thanks again!
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