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Is this blasphemy?

So my mom found my dads old super adjustable and gave it to me, I wish I took a picture before doing anything. The blade was still in it. You could see rust on the blade and it honestly looked like someone used it to strip a wall of paint at one time!! Seriously go gummed up with crud, it was insane. I followed some tips on here and after making my fingers raw from trying to open the razor it finally opened and I was able to remove the rest of the gunk.

Now... The adjustable portion is being a PAIN!! You can see a white build up that I believe is preventing it to function. I have done so many scrubbing bubble treatments and even an alcohol soak. I'm getting angry because the black paint is coming off from all of this!!!! That is not the issue however, I just want it to work!!

Now onto what I believe to be blasphemy is if I were to very carefully wrap that portion along with an adjustable wrench wrapped up, you think I could try and break it loose without: one- damaging that piece by smashing or warping it and two- without damaging any other part?

This razor has a plastic base plate so a boil treatment is out of the question.

Thanks for any info you can give me!! I hope you can find my questions in that block of text.
 
Alcohol won't do anything. Soap scum doesn't dissolve in alcohol. You can try soaking in a mild vinegar and warm water solution for a few minutes. Don't soak it overnight in that solution or the vinegar will eat the nickel plating off the razor. A few minutes won't hurt it though. Trying to force it with a wrench will most likely just break it.

If you get all the crud out and it still won't turn, you could try putting a few drops of penetrating oil down the mechanism and let it penetrate. It could just be seized from corrosion.
 
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You can try to soak it with warm water & some drops of dish washing detergent for a few hours or even overnight. I've done this with a few TTO vintage razors that were pretty gunked up & not opening easily and it usually has worked for me. The water & detergent won't hurt the finish of the razor but will help to get many years of crud to loosen inside the razor. Like Foyle mentioned, be careful with leaving the razor soaking in the water/vinegar mixture for too long because it will take the plating off!
 
Don't use a wrench. It's not designed to take that kind of force and you'll almost surely damage it.

A few drops of mineral oil or baby oil might work wonders. Also, just try soaking it in hot water, just as hot as comes out of the tap. That heat shouldn't hurt it and may free it up. CLR as already recommended might work and shouldn't hurt, it's safe on most plastics. Just don't soak it more than a few minutes at a time before a good rinse. And with whatever you try, keep working it back and forth, back and forth. Alternating like that is better than too much force in one direction.

Scott
 
I'd stop with the harsh chemicals immediately. Soak it in hot (not boiling) water and Dawn dishwashing liquid overnight and try working the adjuster after a long soak. I have 3 SAs and they can be stubborn like that. Soak it. The detergent will break up the gunk and you won't kill the finish on the handle. Alex may be along soon to give his two cents on the matter, too. He is extremely well-versed in the care and cleaning of all of the Gillette adjustables. He is actually the one I would seek advice from when it comes to these razors before anyone else. I've saved a few razors from certain doom and destruction reading his posts.

Good luck with the razor because they are awesome shavers, btw. :thumbup:
 
Do you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner? Those work wonders at breaking up gunk on the insides of parts. Heated ones are even better.
 
I've had luck with repeatedly soaking in hot water (tap hot, not kettle) and dish soap followed by a drying cycle then a few drops of WD40. I have a Blue Tip that is still pretty difficult to open/close but it's slowly getting better. After the WD40, I let it sit for a few days before the next soak. For the first few soakings, I saw gunk in the bottom of the sink. Which reminds me, I need to soak the razor again.
 
I'd stop with the harsh chemicals immediately. Soak it in hot (not boiling) water and Dawn dishwashing liquid overnight and try working the adjuster after a long soak. I have 3 SAs and they can be stubborn like that. Soak it. The detergent will break up the gunk and you won't kill the finish on the handle. Alex may be along soon to give his two cents on the matter, too. He is extremely well-versed in the care and cleaning of all of the Gillette adjustables. He is actually the one I would seek advice from when it comes to these razors before anyone else. I've saved a few razors from certain doom and destruction reading his posts.

+1
 
The hot water and dish soap was the first thing I tried to no avail, I guess I wasted some alcohol if it wasn't going to do anything. This soap scum has to be AT LEAST 15 years old!!

CLR kinda scares me, I guess my next move will be a short vinegar/water mixture... Would you say 75/25 with mostly vinegar? 50/50??

The he wrench idea is now far from my mind :) thanks for that. And I have been going both ways with the knob because I really don't know what way it's supposed to turn :lol:

BUMP SO ALEX MAY SEE THIS!! Fingers crossed! And thanks for all the help everyone!
 
I use Scrubbing Bubbles and it works very well.
Be patient. Soak it and if it doesn't go, soak it again.
 
Unfortunately I do not have access to an ultrasonic cleaner.

and I've done about.... 12 scrubbing bubble soaks! Nothing, it's some serious build up in there!
 
If you want to try vinegar, do 1 part vinegar to 9 parts warm water. Vinegar dissolves soap scum and some kinds of corrosion very well. Like I said, only soak it for a few minutes. Vinegar is an acid; weak as it is it can still strip the nickel plating off the metal parts if left soaking for an extended period.

Patience and diligence will be your best strategy as opposed to brute force. Anytime you have to force a frozen razor you're more likely to break it.
 
A vinegar soak works well you could add a TBSP of baking soda it will foam up hopefully dissolve the gunk.

I had a razor that was stuck, I sprayed it with WD-40 and it loosen it up very nicely.
 
I have successfully used a round jawed vice grips to break free a frozen tto on a slim, But it was a sad looking slim anyway. It worked, but I don't think I would try it on an adjustment knob, not on a razor I cared about.
 
+ 1 on the ultrasonic cleaner idea mentioned a few times above. They can be bought on the cheap at Harbor Freight Tools if one is nearby you.
 
I had a fatboy that took about 10 almost-boiling water and detergent overnight soaks before it loosened up and moved. Just keep soaking it and eventually it will break free. Flush it around when you first put it in there, and flush it around again after a while and just before you pull it out. Every one should take some of the crud away, and it sounds like you have quite a bit left to go. It will take a while, but it will all come out sooner or later.
 
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