Do You Loosen The Handle Lock On A Gillette Adjustable Before Changing The Setting?

[Alum Ladd]

Is it less wearing on a Gillette Adjustable mechanism if you loosen the handle lock before changing the setting?

I have seen a couple of references explicitly recommending loosening the mechanism before upping or downing the setting.

However, I have never seen any mention of it in contemporary instruction leaflets.

Any thoughts Gents?

 

[silverlifter]

What I have picked up is that it can't hurt to unlock the doors by backing off the half turn. I do it because a) it is not a hassle, and b) I want the razor to last at least as long as it already has (not that I will be around for that length of time).

I also only typically change the setting once per shave (if that), so I'm less inconvenienced than someone that might be dialing it up and down every pass.

In any event, I'm in good company. 85% of B&B'ers agree

Gillette Adjustable: Open or closed operation?

Just curious, do most of you open your adjustable prior to adjusting? This is kind of like the dry the brush up or down argument in my opinion. I have never seen any definitive instructions from Gillette stating that the mechanism will be damaged if you do not open the razor first. What say...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[brucered]

Yes. After my shave too.

No reason not to loosen it.

Instructions don't mention it while adjusting but do recommend after you're done shaving.

 

[srqshaver]

I do if for no other reason than it seems like it's a bit easier to turn when the bottom is loosened.

 

[bdehne]

Yes i do if they are vintage. I adjust a Fatboy 3 times during a shave. Since they are already over 60, I figure they deserve the special treatment. I don't loosen my Rex as it does not need to be.

 

[emwolf]

I loosen as well

 

[stone and strop]

Absolutely, If you just barely loosen it when on say 2 or 3 and twist to 9 you will see that the knob has become tight again.
This is the strain you put on the mechanism if you do not loosen it well.

 

[nemo]

No need to loosen the TTO knob. If it wears out the razor when you change the setting without opening up then I must have a lot of worn out adjustables.

It doesn't matter according to guys who work on them like Captain Murphy.

Gillette Fatboy Cleanup|Before and after w/commentary

So that's two who like the idea, Cool! What would be the easiest way to do this gentlemen? What would be the most convenient for y'all? I don't think B&B has a podcast section, do they? If not, it would all be Youtube stuff, linked to these threads. I will certainly list the ingredients and...

www.badgerandblade.com

If they needed to be open to prevent damage, I'm sure Gillette would have warned in the instructions against changing the setting with the blade clamped down fully. And there would be many broken and worn Fatboys & Slims out there.

It probably wouldn't hurt to loosen the knob if you're worried about it though, it's your razor. To me, it seems like repeated tightening and loosening of the TTO knob could be more wearing.

 

[romsitsa]

Not needed, the threading is massive and the crimp of the knob will wear out earlier.

 

[KeenDogg]

I do not, for reasons nemo has stated above.

 

[Doc Dan]

Interesting. When I started shaving in the late 60's no mention was ever made of loosening the top before adjusting, not even in the instructions. The suggestion to loosen the top after shaving was in order to get out the remaining hair, soap, and water, if any.

Cool thread. I've enjoyed the discussion.

 

[Quaznoid]

YES!!! Gillette instructions read that you must loosen the handle to avoid damage to the mechanism

 

[nemo]

YES!!! Gillette instructions read that you must loosen the handle to avoid damage to the mechanism

Really? Love to see these instructions, can you please show us?

 

[timetofly]

Doesn't affect me as it is set where it is set. Although when stored, all my TTO's are stored with doors open.

 

[Phil Dumont]

I always loosen when changing setting (slim 1961, first production year i think). But i never loosen for storing between shaves. It seems the instructions only say to loosen after shaving to clean out i guess. This thing gets confusing for me now.

 

[Doc Dan]

The instructions for that 1.95 say to loosen so it can be rinsed out and the moisture shaken out. Maybe there are some instructions for another razor that say the head must be loosened before adjusting? Could it have been a non-Gillette at some point that got transferred over to Gillette in the popular consciousness? I have no idea.

 

[razorfool]

Is it less wearing on a Gillette Adjustable mechanism if you loosen the handle lock before changing the setting?

I have seen a couple of references explicitly recommending loosening the mechanism before upping or downing the setting.

However, I have never seen any mention of it in contemporary instruction leaflets.

Any thoughts Gents?

I always loosen before adjusting and I always leave my adjustables unlocked, after cleaning, until the next shave. I think it might keep the strength up in the spring, but physics wise, not sure if it matters at all.

 

[lasta]

I changed the setting twice during the past 17 years! Switched from 7 to 6, then to 5.

IIRC, I changed while the doors are open.

 

[Old School TSD]

There's one thing we know for sure, it can't hurt. Or can it?
I personally loosen. The dial does move with less resistance that way.

 

[Chumango]

Thanks Nemo for bringing up that post by Captain Murphy. I was going to do the same.

The instructions for the Fat Boy, Slim, and Superadjustable never mentioned a requirement to loosen the doors to adjust it. It has become internet lore that you should do it, but it is something that someone dreamed up contrary to any instructions from the manufacturer or any reasonable sources to support that position, and repeated often enough that it is taken as the truth.