The adjustment collar on one of my Slims (Code H-2) would not move beyond the 4 setting. It moved freely from 1 to 4, but would not budge beyond. I found a few threads that addressed the problem and tried lots of things - hot water soak, Scrubbing Bubbles Soak (5 overnights), mineral oil soak, etc. One thread suggested pushing in the spring above the collar with the end of a paper clip. I did that and, lo and behold, the knob turns freely from 1 to 9 and clicks at each stop. That's the good news. Bad news is that the collar has come down from the neck and will not go back up. It also appears that the adjustment bars do not move as the collar turns. I would love to hear suggestions if anyone has any. I posted a picture below. The razor on the left is the one with the problem. The one on the right is another that works fine (Code H-3). The doors on the left razor are slightly open, that is not an issue.
Have I Wrecked My Slim?
- Thread starter NJBob
- Start date
I don't know if this thread will help: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...ix-my-Fatboy?p=3901182&highlight=#post3901182
Did the adjustment bars move before? Are you able to push them up and down? I've seen a gap like that on a FatBoy when the adjustment bars didn't lower, but when I closed the razor it pushed the bars down. Other thing could be the adjustment knob needed to go the opposite direction when the spring was pressed. Just some ideas, maybe someone else has some other suggestions.
after reading through the link on Gillette adjustable disassembly and the pitfalls of the process, I'd suggest a long cleaning (at least 10 minutes, probably longer) in a commercial ultrasonic cleaner with a good watchmakers or jewelers soap in the tank to try to loosen everything inside the handle up without having to take it apart. you might find a local jeweler who would do this for you for a nominal fee (or free if they're nice) since any good jewelry shop has an ultrasonic on premise and ready to go.
I think that the issue is just a gunked up or corroded adjustment bar sleeve, at least if I am interpreting the pictures of the torn down fatboy correctly...
if your slim is the same as mine the end closure is a crimp like the late production fatboy pictured on the link, so taking it apart is hard and reassembling it is harder.
I think that the issue is just a gunked up or corroded adjustment bar sleeve, at least if I am interpreting the pictures of the torn down fatboy correctly...
if your slim is the same as mine the end closure is a crimp like the late production fatboy pictured on the link, so taking it apart is hard and reassembling it is harder.
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- Thread starter
- #5
That was a most helpful thread, and I tried lots of what's there. I have NOT tried tapping the adjustment plate up and down with a wooden block. That may be my next step.
If you can move the bottom plate up and down with ease you probably don't have to do this. I've saved a many Slims with this method.
- Thread starter
- #7
Good suggestion about the jeweler. I have a home ultrasonic cleaner and ran the razor through it 4 times (32 minutes total) to no avail. I'm hesitant to disassemble the razor but may have to if all else fails. The end closure has the four crimps in a square pattern. I'm projecting great difficulty putting that back properly.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks, Larry. Interesting thought about the direction of turn when depressing the spring. One way frees up the knob; actually looks like unscrewing the handle from the top (lefty loosy comes to mind). The other way it goes back up (and locks again at the 4). It really looks like I can tap the adjustment plate down. That's also suggested in another thread. I'm a little hammer-handed so I've been chicken to do that. Looks like that's the next thing to try.
The little home use ultrasonic cleaners don't create anywhere near the cavitation force that a serious commercial unit does and the soap makes a big difference too, I blasted the corrosion out of the knurling on my recently acquired red-tip in about five minutes...hot water, detergent, toothpaste and lots of scrubbing with each hadn't made any impact on it (I work in a jewelry shop, so have easy access to a serious u/s machine).
- Thread starter
- #10
Update. Thanks to all for the great suggestions. I got up the nerve to gently tap the adjustment plate up and down with a hammer and a small piece of wood. Looks like it did the trick - the gap is closed up. I still can't see that the adjustment bars are moving, though. Should that be visible to the naked eye? If I wanted to check the adjustment with my spark plug gappers, where do I take the measurements? Between the blade and the bottom of the silo door looks like it should stay constant, so I would measure the gap between the blade and the safety bar?
look in the side of the razor; adjust the setting with the doors open, then close the doors, repeat this process up and down the scale, you will see the side of the plate move up and down in the opening between the door tops and the hinge base. you can also see it looking at the blade opening straight on, but it's harder to see IMO.
remember to adjust only with the doors open, or at least with no tension on the blade (no blade required to see the movement though).
remember to adjust only with the doors open, or at least with no tension on the blade (no blade required to see the movement though).
Good job. I think you fixed it. I used my watchmaker's hammer with a plastic end to tap the plate.
You probably won't see the difference between adjacent settings, especially without a blade in.
If you load a blade and compare 1 to 5, 5 to 9, it should be obvious if the adjustment is changing.
If you load a blade and compare 1 to 5, 5 to 9, it should be obvious if the adjustment is changing.
I had a flea market found Fatboy that was so gunked up the adjustment wouldn't turn. I cleaned it for an hour and then forced it with two pairs of channel locks. Don't worry gentlemen, I protected the finish with rags. Worked like a charm, but I wouldn't in good faith recommend it to anyone.
Sometimes this is the only way to get a dial to budge. Good call on the rags btw
I don't know if you've seen my documentary thread, but out of all the fatboys I've fixed, there was only 1 that was corroded beyond saving. And oddly enough, it was one of the ones in the thread.Similar threads
