Gillette vintage adjustable metal smell?

[FreddyG]

Hello Gentlemen of B&B,

Just ordered a vintage Gillette Slim adjustable from Ebay and received it today ($26 bucks shipped ) The razor is in very good condition with miminal wear. TTO function is smooth. I love the looks of it and this is my first vintage razor. I only have one complaint/issue that I am hoping someone can help me out (or understand). The razor itself has a weird old metal type of smell to it. Almost like the smell of an old coffee can if that helps at all. I figure this is somewhat normal due to the fact that this is a 50 year old used razor. So the question of the day is...Is there any way to minimize this smell or clear it completely?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. B&B is the best

 

[inspiringK]

Congratulations on the purchase - I bet many a member would rate the Slim as the best razor ever made and most certainly many would call it the best adjustable ever.

I have many vintage razors and none smell like old metal. There is a good chance, if I had to venture a guess, that the previous owner used something like WD40 in an attempt to make the mechanism run more smoothly or clean out the gunk. If this is the case, a good soak in hot soapy water should fix the problem overnight. Thereafter, a few drops of mineral oil (since it has no smell) can keep the mechanism smooth again.

 

[bryan1980]

+1 on what inspiringK said. Give it a good soaking right off the bat.

I own two Slims, and my other razors are probably feeling mighty neglected these days. They're just so good I keep reaching for one of them week after week. They're my cure for RAD (though a Fatboy might make me relapse).

 

[Mojo88]

Give it a good cleaning with scrubbing bubbles and a soft nylon scrub brush,then see where you are at. It might take a couple times, but that should help with that odor. After cleaning with scrubbing bubbles , I always clean the razor with some type of anti-bacterial hand soap and a soft tootbrush. Many like to use a final step of barbicide, it's an extra step in the disinfection and that can also help with and odor. Time will also help, it was probably packed away without any ventilation. If you want it to shine like new Maas will do the trick,just make sure to rinse after the Maas..

 

[A28]

maybe old shaving cream?

 

[FreddyG]

So I soaked it in a Dawn/water solution overnight and then used the old toothbrush with Scrubbing Bubbles. No more smell and looks brand new. All thats left to go is a little bit of Flitz metal polish and it'll be better then brand new Thanks for the advice gentlemen!

 

[Dalejr]

Hello Gentlemen of B&B,

Just ordered a vintage Gillette Slim adjustable from Ebay and received it today ($26 bucks shipped ) The razor is in very good condition with miminal wear. TTO function is smooth. I love the looks of it and this is my first vintage razor. I only have one complaint/issue that I am hoping someone can help me out (or understand). The razor itself has a weird old metal type of smell to it. Almost like the smell of an old coffee can if that helps at all. I figure this is somewhat normal due to the fact that this is a 50 year old used razor. So the question of the day is...Is there any way to minimize this smell or clear it completely?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. B&B is the best

I know exactly what your talking about since I have had a few razors with the "smell" but just attributed it to them being well used and dirty. If cleaning doesn't help maybe a replate is in order?

 

[Planbee]

The first thing I do with a razor (other than checking for an installed blade) is to "make a cup of razor tea". I rub it down with liquid dish washing soap, pop it in a coffee cup and add boiling water. Let sit for an hour, scrub with a toothbrush, dip in Barbicide, rinse and enjoy!

 

[BBrad]

The first thing I do with a razor (other than checking for an installed blade) is to "make a cup of razor tea". I rub it down with liquid dish washing soap, pop it in a coffee cup and add boiling water. Let sit for an hour, scrub with a toothbrush, dip in Barbicide, rinse and enjoy!

Absolutely the best thing to do first, second, and third if needed!

This method will never harm a razor and will clean 99.9% of all dirt, scum, filth, and dead cooties.

 

[FreddyG]

Also got my mother to run the razor through an autoclave at the dentist office to sterilize it. It's sitting at home now waiting to go

 

[FreddyG]

Just curious....where do you even get Barbicide?

 

[Jakpro]

You can get Barbicide and Hydrocide from Amazon or most any beauty supply store.

I could not say what the smell is on this razor, but several razors that I have purchased smelled of metal polish. I would be willing to bet that is the smell that the OP is smelling. It usually will go away with a hot water bath.

 

[BBrad]

There is a peculiar "old brass" smell that is hard to describe but easy to remember. If you have ever removed an old trumpet from its case you know what that smell is.

I've smelled well-brassed razors like that as well, but never one with intact plating. If a well-plated razor has an odor, chances are it is something on the razor, like soap, crud, gunk, or other yuck.

 

[FreddyG]

There is a peculiar "old brass" smell that is hard to describe but easy to remember. If you have ever removed an old trumpet from its case you know what that smell is.

I've smelled well-brassed razors like that as well, but never one with intact plating. If a well-plated razor has an odor, chances are it is something on the razor, like soap, crud, gunk, or other yuck.

Yeah I think it was some old soap or some kind of crud. There is no significant signs of any wear on the plating

 

[inspiringK]

So I soaked it in a Dawn/water solution overnight and then used the old toothbrush with Scrubbing Bubbles. No more smell and looks brand new. All thats left to go is a little bit of Flitz metal polish and it'll be better then brand new Thanks for the advice gentlemen!

Well done, enjoy the razor. I also personally feel that Flitz is the best polish you can go with for razors.

 

[mharris127]

There is a peculiar "old brass" smell that is hard to describe but easy to remember. If you have ever removed an old trumpet from its case you know what that smell is.

I've smelled well-brassed razors like that as well, but never one with intact plating. If a well-plated razor has an odor, chances are it is something on the razor, like soap, crud, gunk, or other yuck.

Having been a French Horn player in an orchestra in junior high school I remember that smell well. Between the horn oil to lubricate the moving parts and the old brass smell I remember after all those years.

 

[FreddyG]

Well done, enjoy the razor. I also personally feel that Flitz is the best polish you can go with for razors.

The flitz polish made the razor shine like new. Funny thing is I had a sample of it just laying around from a car care kit I bought in the summer. I might try the stuff out on my rims if it does that good of a job on the razor.

 

[OkieStubble]

Congratulations on the purchase - I bet many a member would rate the Slim as the best razor ever made and most certainly many would call it the best adjustable ever.

I have many vintage razors and none smell like old metal. There is a good chance, if I had to venture a guess, that the previous owner used something like WD40 in an attempt to make the mechanism run more smoothly or clean out the gunk. If this is the case, a good soak in hot soapy water should fix the problem overnight. Thereafter, a few drops of mineral oil (since it has no smell) can keep the mechanism smooth again.

+1 on this advice. Except they make a Lavender scented mineral oil which makes my razors smell nice.