Proper way to re-align bent teeth?

[drunkentester]

I recently won a Gillette richwood off ebay and it has bent teeth on the 4 corners. I know I've read that the best way to re-align the teeth is to try to heat the razor's head and then bend it, but I didn't find any specific techinques.

What are most people using as their heat source? How can you tell you have heated it sufficiently? Is there any risk of damage to the plating?

I have a blue-flame lighter and a pair of pliers, is that about as much as I need?

Thanks,


--Dennis

 

[Noebie]

if it shaves okay, i'd leave it alone

you can do more damage trying to fix 'em

 

[82R100]

if it shaves okay, i'd leave it alone

you can do more damage trying to fix 'em

+1. Once you've snapped one off, the quality of the shave (and the value of the razor) drops sharply.

- Chris

 

[redbike]

I learned the hard way that the teeth on old razors are quite brittle. Snapped off a corner tooth and trashed a nice razor. Don't do it unless you're willing to risk making a nice paperweight.

 

[Luc]

+1 on leaving it as is

If you really want to do it, you will need to heat the metal up quite a lot and slowly, very slowly, re-bend the tooth properly. Even there, there's no guarrantee that it won't snap off.

 

[Noebie]

let alone snap off, you might actually bend it in a way that has an adverse effect on shaving

i'd be inclined to load a blade in it, and see how it looks, and then see how it shaves

if the teeth are bent in line but laterally, having no effect on blade exposure, etc., leave it be

in other words, if it's purely cosmetic, there's no sense in trying to fix it

 

[Joker]

I can run it through my beard and it will straighten them

 

[T Rick]

If the teeth are bent down away from the blade (one here or there) does that tend to affect the shave?

 

[cooncatbob]

I've broken as many teeth as I've straightened.
I recently received a nice New Improved head with an end tooth that was bent in, rather then risk breaking an end tooth I used a needle file to open up and even the gap.

 

[buddydog]

Broken teeth can be reattached,even new ones can be made to replace missing ones.Fairly expensive,but for a razor that for some reason is special it's an option.

 

[Noebie]

If the teeth are bent down away from the blade (one here or there) does that tend to affect the shave?

perhaps - although i would think that the additional gap there wouldn't change the angle of your shave much

but it's ones that are bent *up* that would be the most worrisome, since they would have an effect on blade gap and angle all down the line

 

[82R100]

If the teeth are bent down away from the blade (one here or there) does that tend to affect the shave?

I would say not much. Even less so if they are end teeth.

- Chris

 

[T Rick]

Good! I grabbed a Bulldog on eBay last night (wasn't listed as a Bulldog ). Dates from 1918, and looks great (I think/hope) except for several bent teeth. They are bent either down or sideways, not up. Hope it shaves well. I think I'll call it Snaggle Tooth .

 

[Haiku]

If the razor has value to you, either sentimental or money value, bring it to a jeweler and preferably one who makes jewelery. Fixing things like this is exactly what those folks do. If you find a jewelery maker, I can't imagine the person having any problem at all straightening a bent tooth.

 

[buddydog]

If the razor has value to you, either sentimental or money value, bring it to a jeweler and preferably one who makes jewelery. Fixing things like this is exactly what those folks do. If you find a jewelery maker, I can't imagine the person having any problem at all straightening a bent tooth.

 

[Haiku]

For those who don't know, buddydog is a jeweler.

 

[Luc]

For those who don't know, buddydog is a jeweler.

 

[T Rick]

Perhaps even more importantly, he's a Jeweler who collects razors.

To me, that would make a huge difference.

 

[billc508]

Your best bet is to send it to the buddydog guy or take it to a local jeweler, they are best equipped and experienced to use the right type of heat and small tools to re-align the teeth. I am not a jeweler but I did go to school for mettallurgy and have done quite a bit of welding and brazing and weld inspections. I had a small jewelry torch for a while and actually repaired some brass lamps, antiques and things so it is do-able. The trick is to get the part hot enough so it is malleable and won't break but not so hot that you melt it away. Hence you should get yourself to someone with experience so you don't run the risk of melting away your prize, good luck bc