How does a Gillette slim work?

[Vince_A]

I've been curious about trying a double edge razor for a couple of years now, ever since I read an article on how great it's supposed to be. Today I was at a flea market and came across a razor that looked pretty clean and not all grungy like most that I see. It was only 25 cents, so I bought it. After doing a little research online, it appears to be a Slim adjustable from 1967. My question is what is supposed to happen when you turn the numbered dial? It makes a click for each number, but I don't see anything moving that would change the blade angle or height.

Also, my brother works for Wilkinson as an engineer and he gave me some double-edged blades last tme I was visiting him. Would these be good to use in this razor? Thanks.

 

[Triad]

Its supposed to adjust the blade gap 1 being lowest to 9 being the highest. If you open the doors the two little bars on that on the inside should go up and down its not a big movement but youll notice it when you shave!! Wilkinson blades are not the sharpest but you can sure shave with thim!!

 

[Vince_A]

Now I see it. Thanks. It sure isn't much movement, but when I put a blade in, I can really see how it flexes.

 

[Triad]

Its a great razor i like it cranked up to 8-9

 

[CorCat87]

its really is an awesome razor!

 

[Coda_]

The Slim is a great razor. And Wilkinson blades are my everyday go to...not too sharp, not too dull...a good medium range blade...

 

[Go West Young Man]

Blades are a very personal thing, the same brand will feel completely different to different people.
Your best bet would be to buy a sampler and try a couple different brands........ and of course before doing ANYTHING read the tutorials here.
If you just try to whack away at your face with a DE you'll tear yourself up and never try again. There are specific techniques, and the learning curve is a couple months long, so you need to be patient

 

[Debrushman]

How does it work?
You rub the razor on your face and it removes your facial hair.

 

[Slash McCoy]

How does it work? Works just fine, for me!

 

[dcobranchi]

The usual advice around here is to open the doors just a bit when turning the adjustment dial.

 

[Clutch Cargo]

Vince_A, like any razor, your shaves will improve the more you practice with it and develop your own technique with it; but you will find that the Gillette Slim Adjustable is one of the finest razors ever made. Good luck.

 

[rwdflynavy]

25 cents for a working slim is a great price! Congrats!

 

[Threeme2189]

The usual advice around here is to open the doors just a bit when turning the adjustment dial.

I agree. It takes a bit of force to turn the dial when the doors are firmly shut. I'm scared to even try it!

 

[The Kiwi]

I remember thinking, two different times, how "heavy" the Slim Adjustable was, in the first case, compared to the Schick Injector razors, and in the more recent case, compared to my Gillette Sensor with the "ordinary" two-blade cartridges (no "Plus" strip, when I can find the plain ones). Only six months after my reconciliation with traditional shaving products, the Injectors feel "too light".

I'm certain our OP in this thread will love his razor.

There are heavier razors, and there are closer shaving razors, but in my hands, with my longer than average fingers, either a Slim or the shorter of the two Super Adjustables "feels right", moreso than most anything else available from among my own small selection of bladed shaving instruments. I have my very first large order of blades on hand, a 100-blade package of Astra SPs, and haven't tried those with my adjustables.

I also haven't tried the ordinary DE blades I've been using since December, the Platinum Chrome from ASR, in the little Super Speed Black Tip that literally gave me a touch of razor burn yesterday, when I had an Astra in it for my first test of that razor (I barely have five o'clock shadow a day later).

 

[Vince_A]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I tried it out this morning and it seemed to work fine for my first go. I'm anxious to try it again. One other question though. When you close the wings or doors over the blade, are you supposed to really crank the handle down, or just turn it until they are gently closed?

 

[Triad]

1/4 turn past closed

 

[ERVARGASNY]

I agree. It takes a bit of force to turn the dial when the doors are firmly shut. I'm scared to even try it!

Never Do That, just adjust the setting with the Doors open or Slightly Open, Then pop blade in and close the doors, but never adjust the dial with the Doors close or doors tighten, you may just damage the Adjustment Mechanism, But this bad boy should out last your life time, just take good care of if, keep it nice and clean and you will be ok )

 

[Unadan]

Never Do That, just adjust the setting with the Doors open or Slightly Open, Then pop blade in and close the doors, but never adjust the dial with the Doors close or doors tighten, you may just damage the Adjustment Mechanism, But this bad boy should out last your life time, just take good care of if, keep it nice and clean and you will be ok )

Sound advice. Odd that the original Gillette manual for these makes no mention of having to have the doors open or slightly open when making adjustments.

Question: when adjusting the blade do only the two bars on the inside (on the same side as the adjustment notch/indicator) go up/down? All four bars don't adjust do they? It appears that just the two bars go up/down changing the angle of the "attack." Is this right? I just received an adjustable Slim today. I haven't used it yet but plan on starting at the "4" position.

 

[AlanL]

Question: when adjusting the blade do only the two bars on the inside (on the same side as the adjustment notch/indicator) go up/down? All four bars don't adjust do they? It appears that just the two bars go up/down changing the angle of the "attack." Is this right? I just received an adjustable Slim today. I haven't used it yet but plan on starting at the "4" position.

The base of the razor head is a tray with four tabs that protrude up into the blade chamber. They should all rise/fall together. After setting your adjustment, inserting a blade, closing the doors and tightening, take a very close look at the blade gap on both sides of the razor.

 

[BBrad]

Never Do That, just adjust the setting with the Doors open or Slightly Open, Then pop blade in and close the doors, but never adjust the dial with the Doors close or doors tighten, you may just damage the Adjustment Mechanism, But this bad boy should out last your life time, just take good care of if, keep it nice and clean and you will be ok )

Sound advice. Odd that the original Gillette manual for these makes no mention of having to have the doors open or slightly open when making adjustments.

There is a compression spring located at the bottom of the handle that takes up the slack from the adjustment. This is the "extra quarter turn" that we feel when properly tightening the razor - the spring compresses and holds everything firm. If the adjustment is changed with the blade tight, the spring either relaxes or compresses depending if you turn the dial down or up. Nothing will break. The original instructions made no mention of opening the doors before adjusting, and actually implied that adjustments could be made anytime.

The actual "adjustment mechinism" is very simple. The dial makes the adjuster tang rise or fall. The four fingers of the tang stick up through the base plate and affect the blade gap. The length of the center rod needs to change with adjustment - this is accomplished by using the compression spring at the end of the rod.

The most important piece of advice is to be sure that the spring compresses when the razor is fully tightened. If not, the razor will loosen up during use.