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How to avoid cracking the open combs handles

Question, im new to this open comb SHAVING which i love now, how can i avoid the famous cracking of the handle? Is it from tightening too hard, the hot water , dropping it,ect...
 
This is a good question because it's nearly impossible to find one of the old three-piece razors that doesn't have small stress cracks in them. I almost think they are a result of how the razors were manufactured rather than over tightening, or it could be a combination of the two.
 
I don't know if this helps or not, but the only time I have a handle tightened all the way is when it's in use. Any time spent between shaves I leave them loose.
 
For the most part, aren't these the handles where the handle is a tube with the top and bottom ends pressed into it?

I saw one at an antique store where the tube was cracked at both ends, so this wouldn't seem to be due to the stresses of use unless the ends were swapped after the first crack appeared (nearest the shaving head). More likely a matter of thermal stresses and/or corrosion with time.

- Chris
 
R

rainman

The problem is the tubing wasn't properly annealed.
If your handle hasn't cracked after over 80 years it will probably never crack.
 
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The problem is the tubing wasn't properly annealed.
If your handle hasn't cracked after over 80 years it will probably never crack.
 
I have a new that cracked - and the end caps came off. I simply applied a drop of super glue. Crack is still there but at least it does not come apart. The gold finish of this particular DE is in good shape - so it all works for me.
 
If you are like me and don't know what annealing is:

"Annealing, in metallurgy and materials science, is a heat treatment wherein a material is altered, causing changes in its properties such as strength and hardness. It is a process that produces conditions by heating to above the re-crystallization temperature and maintaining a suitable temperature, and then cooling. Annealing is used to induce ductility, soften material, relieve internal stresses, refine the structure by making it homogeneous, and improve cold working properties.

In the cases of copper, steel, silver, and brass this process is performed by substantially heating the material (generally until glowing) for a while and allowing it to cool slowly. In this fashion the metal is softened and prepared for further work such as shaping, stamping, or forming. It also presents no problem with decarburization."



The problem is the tubing wasn't properly annealed.
If your handle hasn't cracked after over 80 years it will probably never crack.
 
I believe that quite a few new razors, still in the box developed cracks. Gillette recalled a large number of them and offered replacements. Obviously a huge number were never caught. I will still buy a very nice razor with a very small crack but normally will avoid them.

Len
 
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