Fat Boy Dissassembly?

[Dennis]

A friend of mine picked up the grungiest looking 1958 Fat Boy adjustable in a grungy, nasty case at an estate sale for me. I boiled it for about 20 minutes, hit it with the soap and a toothbrush then with the Maas and toothbrush. The silo doors work fine. It cleaned up really quite nicely as did the case. The ring goes from 1-8 but does not go to 9, and moving the ring seems to have no effect on changing the exposure, ie even though I get clicks on the adjustment, nothing seems to move in the bars in the head. Any suggestions for what do do? Can these razors be taken apart to poke around?

Dennis

 

[Jim]

On a '58 you can slide the doors and control rod out- That will not get you any access to the rest of the razor. Blade exposure is controlled by the 4 bars that raise and lower beneath the blade (Actually the blade deck moves)Can you see them move when you turn the adjustment ring? The fact that you do not have complete movement in the adjuster leads me to believe you still have crud in there.
I would boil for 1/2 hour on low with a splash of vinigar in the water then throw the razor in a can of kerosene or penetrating oil for as long as you can stand it at least over night or a couple of days, if still no good repeat. These razors cost a buck when new and were not meant to be repaired. Good luck.

 

[Dennis]

Thanks Goose. I will boil it again and soak it as suggested and see what happens. It does not look like the deck is moving at all - like it is stuck or stripped. The razor was really nasty before I worked on it so gunk even after a long boil would not suprise me. -- Dennis

 

[cooncatbob]

On a D-1958 I believe you have a locknut on the bottom that you can remove with a pair of needlenose pliers, once the nut and spring are removed form the bottom the silo doors and shaft will pull out of the top. The hollow handle can contain a large amount of solidified shaving cream and whisker scum (bleah). Once this is cleaned out soak in oil and work the dial back and forth until it goes form 1 to 9. Gillette didn't make their razor to be field stripped but that doesn't mean it can't be done. The later razors have a crimped on fitting that so far I haven't been able to remove. (I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good razor).
Good luck and post some pics.