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Help with Gillette TTO's

Hello all,

I went to some antique stores today and picked up 3 Gillette razors for $5 a piece. It looks like one is a 1959 Fatboy adjustable and the other two are 1969 slim adjustables with black handles.

I have never owned nor used a safety razor before and am not familiar with them and how they function. My question is, on all three of them when I turn the knob to shut the butterfly doors, the doors close flush together. But there is still about another 1/4-1/2 more to turn on the handle and then the doors separate a little bit. Is this normal? Can I fix this?

Im also attaching a pic of the safety razors so maybe some kind person can tell me what models they are. I hope I didn't get ripped off!!! Thanks guys
 
Fatboy, Black Handle SuperSpeed, Super Adjustable. $5 each is a great price. Well done!

The Fatboy and the Super Adjustable each have a little extra turn of the handle after the doors are closed. The Black Handle SuperSpeed should not.
 
Fatboy, Black Handle SuperSpeed, Super Adjustable. $5 each is a great price. Well done!

The Fatboy and the Super Adjustable each have a little extra turn of the handle after the doors are closed. The Black Handle SuperSpeed should not.

But is it normal for the doors to go from flush to slightly separated when I make that extra turn? Will it still perform as normal?
 
But is it normal for the doors to go from flush to slightly separated when I make that extra turn? Will it still perform as normal?

You know what - I never looked that closely before at mine. You do need to do that quarter-turn to make it tight. Whatever it does, my guess is - is what it is supposed to do.

You've got a nice set there to start with (you may never have to buy another razor again, in fact).
 
What do you mean by slightly open? I just checked my 4 TTO razors, a slim, 2 rockets and an aristocrat and all of them the doors separate a very small amount. About 1mm but they don't lift at all, if that is what you are talking about I think it is normal.
 
As per above.

1. Yes the adjustables do have the extra 1/4 turn at the end
2. Yes it's quite common to have a bit of a gap once you've done the 1/4 turn however this MAY disappear once you lock it down with a blade in it. If it doesn't don't worry too much :001_smile
3. See my wiki from my sig for an article of slim versus fatboy idenfication
 
Very nice pickups for only $15. In today's resale terms, you have about $60 worth of razors laying there. Don't worry you certainly didn't get taken. The task now is to get them cleaned up and ready for duty!

BTW, all of my slims and fatboys do actually separate again just a hair after you tighten the knob that additional 1/4 turn. I think it's normal.
 
Scrubbing Bubbles (a bathroom cleaner), and an old toothbrush will clean and disinfect these classic razors. With the two adjustable razors, start on a lower number for your first shave, then work your way up till you find your sweet spot for a close yet comfortable shave. The non adjustable Super Speed is a mild shave and some users look no further.

Enjoy.........
 
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