Gutted! Wrecked my #15

[onotoman]

Hi Guys,

Just a warning to be very careful with trying to straighten comb teeth on any vintage razor - 'New' models are impossible to do as the brass is cast and brittle. I've just realised that Aristocrats like the #15 should not be touched either - I tried to gently nudge up an out of line tooth and 'snap' one wrecked #15

I left the razor in the workshop as I can't bring myself to look at it. It only arrived yesterday in original case with outer card box - the razor had had a lot of use - hence the bent tooth, but still a great loss

Best Wishes

Dave

 

[_MementoMori_]

That's terrible news. Is it possible to bend teeth back with heat applied to the area? Either way, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[onotoman]

Yes, in hindsight I probably should have heated the area I'm sure it would have helped - but that's what I get for being impatient..

That's terrible news. Is it possible to bend teeth back with heat applied to the area? Either way, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[polod]

I bent mine straight using needle nose pliers no problem, the teeth did not snap. I just took it nice and slow.

 

[Joe Edson]

That sucks to hear! Hopefully it can be salvaged to shave, but definitely never want to see a #15 go down like that!

 

[Deltaboy]

Sorry so you can try to JB Weld the tooth back on or sand the broken spot smooth and use it as it is.

 

[Jaymo]

I wonder how hard it would be to silver solder the tooth back on. I have a ball end Old that has one end tooth on both sides of the head (both on same end of head) bent slightly. I'm assuming it got dropped.
I've wondered if I can straighten them without breaking them. Guess I could try to anneal the brass before. Or, I may just have to live with it. They're not bent much. Not noticeable in the picture. Just barely noticeable in person. Just enough to bug me.

 

[cooncatbob]

Even heat and being very careful doesn't always work.
I've broke as many NEW teeth as I've straighten and I now won't buy a razor with bent teeth.
The only plus side id the caps come in handy as spares for ones that are heavily scratched and dinged up.

 

[pauls51]

Sorry to hear about that... I have managed to straighten a few and have also had a few snap on me, but nothing like a #15 though!

 

[johnmrson]

Someone put on a great post recently where they made a new tooth for their New and I think they silver soldered it on. Perhaps they'd be willing to have a look at your for you.

 

[Casey]

Couldn't you just file the broken tooth smooth and use it?

 

[krisvh]

i just got an old #15 with bent teeth and have been seriously considering straightening - might give it a miss now though seems likea real gamble

Sorry about ur loss

 

[Hagbardr]

Rather than trying to work the brass hot, I'd consider annealing it by heating it and letting it cool.

This brings a couple more issues into play though:

1. The metal is already stressed and may already have fractures in it.

2. You may damage any plating on the razor.

3. You may soften a larger area than you'd like to.

I worked mostly with copper and silver when I took a couple jewelry courses in college. I loved working with copper because when annealed to dead soft, it was super easy to bend or twist into any shape I wanted.

 

[antoine1]

After breaking a few teeth I bought a gas soldering iron. It produces a tiny hot flame that you can use to heat material locally especially around the "shoulder" of the tooth.

I've only practised on a few broken toothed razors but it seems to work.

 

[Slivovitz]

. . .I tried to gently nudge up an out of line tooth and 'snap' one wrecked #15

I left the razor in the workshop as I can't bring myself to look at it . . .

It's a rotten feeling, isn't it? At least you're not alone. I'd read about other people doing this and breaking off the tooth, but I still had to try it with the first C1 open comb magazine repeater that I bought, the only open comb Schick that I know of. The end tooth was very badly bent. Now it's missing. I felt really dumb.

Oh well. I got that one very cheap, and I was able to get a replacement, with an undamaged comb, at a reasonable price.

 

[Pioneer]

Bummer to hear, definitely. I know the feeling - snapped two in my time, although my pieces weren't quite as nice. But I can relate. (I can also relate to how you don't want to look at it again...)