I have been wet shaving ten years never had a failure I do have a few stainless handles. I know every one states Zamak is doomed to fail but I sure haven't seen the evidence to support failure. Why a stainless head other than wanting it.
Has anyone had a Zamak razor fail
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Lot's of failures are posted here from new Zamak razors. There are some members with more than one failure. It is pretty common when the plating gets worn through the moisture causes the Zamak to corrode and fail. Most modern razor companies are pretty good about making things right when this happens though.
And there is no need to buy stainless steel to keep this from happening. Brass and Bronze work perfectly well and don't have that particular problem. Zamak used in wet environments will fail when the plating fails. There is no way around that fact.
And there is no need to buy stainless steel to keep this from happening. Brass and Bronze work perfectly well and don't have that particular problem. Zamak used in wet environments will fail when the plating fails. There is no way around that fact.
I think the weight of a stainless head is preferable. I would think it would clean up easier as well.
Yes I have: A vintage Rotbart and Merkur Slant both when wrong.
Nope - but I have only had my EJ, Parker, Merkur, and Muhle razors since 2012. Plating on all 4 razors are still "like new". I do take them apart and dry them after each shaving.
That would seem to eliminate any chance of corrosion. I don't find disassembly / reassembly a hassle at all. It's my routine.
They fail with some frequency, but it takes quite a while. When they do you just get another. I have 5 stainless heads, but if the only reason you want one is because the cheap stuff doesn't last it will take you a great many years to break even.
Sort of... got a vintage Merkur Slant that was badly corroded. And one of the later Gillette Techs top cap that had already started to develop bubbles from zamak rot.
There are two kinds of Zamak razors. Those that have failed and those that will.
An all stainless steel razor will fail, too. In about 3000 years of normal usage*.
*YMMV
I haven't yet and have quite a few, but head here of some failing. Needless to say they won't have the lifespan of daily use that vintage, stainless, or all brass razors will.
The main problem is moisture, right? So if you were to coat a zamak razor with a thin layer of something waterproof it should help. Of course the top cap's screw is also more likely to break of you drop the razor.
The plating on my Merkur began to flake off after about a year. Once that happened I didn't keep it around long enough for the zamak to actually fail, but I'm sure it would have happened eventually.
Having had a boat with zamak fittings, I feel qualified to say that I hate zamak.
Zamak is a fairly soft alloy. There are some fairly soft stainless alloys, but none that I know of are as soft as zamak. Soft might not be the correct term as it is fairly brittle. Zamak will break where brass or stainless will bend.
If/when the chrome plating fails, zamak deteriorates rapidly. I'd stay away from a compromised material and look for brass, stainless or aluminum.
Zamak is a fairly soft alloy. There are some fairly soft stainless alloys, but none that I know of are as soft as zamak. Soft might not be the correct term as it is fairly brittle. Zamak will break where brass or stainless will bend.
If/when the chrome plating fails, zamak deteriorates rapidly. I'd stay away from a compromised material and look for brass, stainless or aluminum.
I have wet shaved daily since November 1952. I have never had a safety razor fail for any reason.
I do dry them slightly (without taking them apart) after each use, and I keep them in a separate room away from bathroom moisture.
I suppose 1% of 'most anything might fail prematurely. That's just life.
I do dry them slightly (without taking them apart) after each use, and I keep them in a separate room away from bathroom moisture.
I suppose 1% of 'most anything might fail prematurely. That's just life.
I've had an EJ 89 for four years and have used it a lot. Since new, I've been putting a single drop of 3 in 1 oil on the threads every time I pull it apart, which is only for blade changes. The threads still look and perform like new. I'm not a fan of pulling the razor apart after every shave, IMO that is greatly accelerating the wear on the threads, which is usually where failure occurs.
Way back in my early plating days, I popped a Merkur Slant into the acid stripping bath to remove the nickel and was shocked to find the copper wire on which it was suspended come out empty after a minute. The handle tube (which is not Zamak) was all that was left and had fallen to the bottom of the tank.
The rest had dissolved.
Luckily the razor was my own, so I didn't have any awkward explaining to do.
The rest had dissolved.
Luckily the razor was my own, so I didn't have any awkward explaining to do.
^This. Copper is really soft, but it's pliable, and very resistant to corrosion. Think of a blackened indian head penny, it'll clean up bright and shiny.
Zinc alloys tend to be brittle and chalky. Decent for casting decorative items, but not a good choice for tools and fixtures.
