Gillette Slim Adjustable 1 to 9 click spring

[RobG]

Hi,

I recently bought a Gillette Slim off Ebay which was in fantastic original condition apart from the fact that the adjuster click spring was snapped. I had the thought of finding a donor razor of lesser condition and swap the spring out.

However, it got me thinking what the original spring was made out of and could it be copied, given its very simple design. I still have the broken pieces of the original spring, so I can gather exact dimensions and thicknesses, but I don't know what it's made of, be it spring steel, tempered carbon steel or something else?

So my question to the forum is just that, does anyone know what the spring is actually made out of?

 

[dpm802]

Does the spring serve any actual function other than to make the numbers "click?" As long as the razor is fully adjustable and performs its function from 1 to 9, it seems like it would be fine to leave it alone.

 

[RobG]

Well, that's the thing, it does function as an adjustable, but the spring also acted as the adjustment knob stop. In that the knob is machined to float over the spring with a click on 1 to 9. The inner diameter of the knob, passed positions 1 or 9, is tighter so that it can't pass over the spring. As such, you can over adjust the blade either way passed the original factory settings.

The othere reason is, I love to rectify mechanical faults. This now a fault and my fingers want to get in there and fix it.

 

[BBrad]

We joke about repair parts for Gillette Adjustables being made of that rare element, unobtanium.

The index spring requires a complete disassembly in order to replace it. I've got a donor razor that I plan on taking apart to get the adjuster tang . . . but of course, I've been saying "one of these days" for the past year or so . . .

 

[Copierguy]

Welcome to B&B RobG.

Find the setting you enjoy the most, duct-tape the dial in place and proclaim you now have a travel razor....

I'm sure I have a fuctional Slim that has flaked some nickel on the handle. If Brad can not help you out with a part then PM me.

 

[BBrad]

Rob, I've got it apart . . . PM me with your mailing address and I'll drop the spring in the mail.

 

[RobG]

BRad,

That is very kind of you. I'm doing this from my android phone at present, so I don't have full access to the site features. I'll message you when I get home and can use my laptop.

Cheers

 

[RobG]

BBrad, sorry for the incorrect name earlier... predictive text took over.

As a matter of interest, I have found a possible source of metal to see if an index spring can be made. It looks like a bulldog clip, the black ones with the fold-over handles, is the same thickness and made from spring steel.

If it can be cut and fashioned into shape is another matter as spring steel is notoriously hard. Will keep you posted on that.

If it can be made, then it would be another use for these clips within razor renovation, considering the handles can be used to remove the end cap on the early Fat Boys.

 

[RobG]

I bet Wolff springs can make plenty.

If they could I doubt they'd be interested in ones or twos as they'd have to recoup any tooling/manufacture costs.

 

[RobG]

Welcome to B&B RobG.

Find the setting you enjoy the most, duct-tape the dial in place and proclaim you now have a travel razor....

I'm sure I have a fuctional Slim that has flaked some nickel on the handle. If Brad can not help you out with a part then PM me.

Many thanks for the offer. BBrad has managed to canabalise his slim and has popped it in the mail already.

 

[RobG]

If they could I doubt they'd be interested in ones or twos as they'd have to recoup any tooling/manufacture costs.

What we could do with is a man on the inside who appreciates Gillette adjustable razors. Wonder if any forum members work there or have a friend who does?

The slim is too good of a razor to be put in a drawer and forgot about, for the sake of a spring of such little value.

 

[RobG]

Well, I had my first attempt at making an index spring. I did the following in about 10 minutes as a proof of concept. The next one, I'll take longer, measure accurately and take photos. From this test piece, I believe it can be done:

1. Remove the handles from a small bulldog clip.
2. Hold the clip in a pair of vice pliers and using a bench grinder, gently grind the bottom off the clip. This will separate at least one of the sides from the clip.
3. Take the side and grind off the loop ends which held the silver clip handles. This will leave you with a small oblong piece of the clip.
4. Using pliers to hold it lightly by a corner, heat it up to a dull cherry red. A cigarette lighter is capable of doing this.
5. Set the metal aside and let it cool (anneal/soften).
6. When fully cool, use the vice pliers to grip it by approx 1mm along the long edge. Using the smooth grinding wheel, grind it down slowly until you have a 1mm wide strip of metal. Let it cool.
7. The original index spring has a pressed 'elongated dimple' in the middle of the spring. This locates within the inner groves of the number dial, to make the ‘click’. This dimple can be replicated using a small flat-bladed terminal screwdriver, to punch an indentation from the reverse side of the spring.
8. Just above the dimple, there is a half-round bend in the spring. This bend sits within the grove above the number dial and holds the spring in position. The bend can be fashioned with a pair of needle nose pliers.
9. Using your fingers put a slight curve into the strip. This will give it a bit of compression when pushed flat in the razor.
10. When happy, heat the strip up to a dull cherry red again and drop it into a small container of oil. This will quench and possibly case harden it slightly. This gives it sufficient ‘spring’.

 

[RobG]

To any members interested in stripping a slim, I think I may have simplified the GreekGuy's method and removed the 'fear' factor of damaging the razor. I believe the method can be used for Slims and Fatboys. To keep information all in one place, I've added a post the the GreekGuy's strip down at...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ly-Documentary

 

[TRXnMe]

Well, I had my first attempt at making an index spring. I did the following in about 10 minutes as a proof of concept. The next one, I'll take longer, measure accurately and take photos. From this test piece, I believe it can be done:

1. Remove the handles from a small bulldog clip.
2. Hold the clip in a pair of vice pliers and using a bench grinder, gently grind the bottom off the clip. This will separate at least one of the sides from the clip.
3. Take the side and grind off the loop ends which held the silver clip handles. This will leave you with a small oblong piece of the clip.
4. Using pliers to hold it lightly by a corner, heat it up to a dull cherry red. A cigarette lighter is capable of doing this.
5. Set the metal aside and let it cool (anneal/soften).
6. When fully cool, use the vice pliers to grip it by approx 1mm along the long edge. Using the smooth grinding wheel, grind it down slowly until you have a 1mm wide strip of metal. Let it cool.
7. The original index spring has a pressed 'elongated dimple' in the middle of the spring. This locates within the inner groves of the number dial, to make the ‘click’. This dimple can be replicated using a small flat-bladed terminal screwdriver, to punch an indentation from the reverse side of the spring.
8. Just above the dimple, there is a half-round bend in the spring. This bend sits within the grove above the number dial and holds the spring in position. The bend can be fashioned with a pair of needle nose pliers.
9. Using your fingers put a slight curve into the strip. This will give it a bit of compression when pushed flat in the razor.
10. When happy, heat the strip up to a dull cherry red again and drop it into a small container of oil. This will quench and possibly case harden it slightly. This gives it sufficient ‘spring’.

Hi, do you have any photos of this process? I have aquired a black beauty that has a damaged spring and would like to try and emulate your repair. Sadly the spring is so badly damaged I've not got a template to work from, and don't really want to strip my perfectly good slim adjustable, just in case I can't get it back together perfectly

 

[bezner]

Hi, yes pictures or even hand drawings would help dramatically. I wasn't careful enough during disassembly of my old slim and damaged the adjuster spring. I'm desperate to replace it however not sure about the shape nor dimensions. Please post some visuals. Thanks, Arthur

PS.
If someone could provide close pictures of the undamaged original spring please do. Both sides and aside would help a lot. Thanks

 

[bernnieg]

Hello.

Does anyone have a spare adjuster spring for a Gillette slim? I picked up a very destroyed one at a yard sale. This was my first disassembly. Th Spring was in pieces when I got it. While it will never be a beauty, I'd still like to have a successful reassembly.

Can an I make one?

Help?

thanks.

Bernnie

 

[Highspeedlane]

I have some spring steel stock I bought from Brownell's to make a lock spring for an 1850's era Parker percussion double gun (original had broken). In the process of learning how to temper spring steel I followed the instruction of an old English gun maker featured on one of Brownell's Youtube videos.

If you have access to spring steel stock of sufficient dimension to fabricate a duplicate, I would temper it by heating to a cherry red (propane torch for such small stock would be more than adequate), quench in warm motor old, then burn off the oil residue for several seconds with the torch, then quench once more, then repeat burning off and quenching once more, then let air cool.

Using the above, I made a lock spring that worked like a champ, and there is no doubt the same can be done to replace razor springs so long as its shape can be replicated. If I ever lose a razor spring due to breakage that's what I would attempt to do.