Looking for a re plate service.....Need recommendation to have a Gillette Toggle re plated 24K gold.
Re Plating Service
- Thread starter LookSharp
- Start date
Usually Chris at razorplate is my go to but he no longer doing Toggles.
sportshaving.com
I had a 24 day turnaround with a gold plated Sheraton.
I had a 24 day turnaround with a gold plated Sheraton.
@nocutsnonicksnoweepers maybe able to give some "insight "on things to watch out for when re-plating a Toggle
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Thanks for asking, John. I will keep this as brief as possible!
Mods........Please understand that this post is for educational purposes only.......and is in no way a solicitation. A steward has asked me to explain the Toggle plating conundrum to the B&B readership!
Toggles are interesting razors. Hefty in the hand. Great shaves. A lot of style. Unique, if you will.
The problem is that Toggles were futuristic in design and a bit ahead of their time. This meant some short-sighted engineering issues. These razors are affected by 1) Complexity - as compared to the Model 195 Fatty, 2) The propensity to accumulate mineral deposits in the adjustment mechanism, 3) The propensity for the toggle mechanism to get very tight. So much so, that the metal-to-metal contact of the rounded end of the toggle lever and its receiving cup can create a high-friction condition and cause premature wear of the plating at the point of contact, 4) The propensity to hold moisture and have hidden corrosion within the closed "blade compartment" - specifically under the wavy-edged adjustment plate.
Additionally, Gillette used a poor grade, nickel foundation-plating beneath the gold plating. Once the gold plating is stripped and this nickel is revealed, it looks like flat-silver spray paint. Proper nickel plating should be an excellent foundation to help deter corrosion of the brass. On the Toggle, it is not.
This means that there are generally brass condition "surprises" that are discovered once a Toggle is stripped. Usually, significant brass blemish corrections and resurfacing are required before a Toggle can be plated. In some cases, it is almost impossible to remove all of the pre-existing damage.
This is often what is discovered after a Toggle is stripped. In this photo, the gold has been stripped. You see remaining nickel plating, bare brass spots and overt brass pitting (in places where the poor nickel foundation has failed). Pretty ugly, huh?
The only way that a Toggle can be replated "properly" is if it is completely disassembled, internally serviced and then each component plated individually. The Toggle is, arguably, the most daunting razor for mechanical disassembly. There is NO tolerance for errors. Even the slightest misstep can ruin a Toggle. I know of only one person that I trust to do this - and that is Captain Murphy.
After the replate, the razor must be painstakingly reassembled and then recalibrated.
It is not that I do not want to assist Toggle customers. It is the simple fact that for all the years that I have been doing this, I have lost money on every Toggle that I have ever done and they completely bottleneck my workflow.
I am always willing to discuss a Toggle job with any customer, but each replate would be on a situational basis.
Toggles can be absolutely stunning when restored and replated - but there are also many of them that fall short of expectations.
In case you want to see a Toggle happy ending, after much work, the razor shown in the above photo ended up looking like this. The customer had wanted it plated in bright nickel vs. its original gold appearance:
@nocutsnonicksnoweepers , Chris, thank you so much for your insight. Your knowledge is always appreciated.
@LookSharp, good luck with toggle.Have you shaved with it? Also we would love to see some pictures. Lastly you need to add it to the Toggle Parade!
Toggle Parade
@LookSharp, good luck with toggle.Have you shaved with it? Also we would love to see some pictures. Lastly you need to add it to the Toggle Parade!
Toggle Parade
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for the replays.....How do I contact Captain Murphy?
Just do a member search for his name Captain Murphy and send him a PM.
Also, whatever Chris Evatt says about anything relating to replating is the absolute Gospel He is the best there is by far.
Also, whatever Chris Evatt says about anything relating to replating is the absolute Gospel He is the best there is by far.
- Thread starter
- #9
$165 eBay purchase
From the photos, it looks like you may have some asymmetrical blade gaps. Your razor would benefit from a mechanical service and calibration - even if you never decide to replate it!
vintagerazorrepair@gmail
- Thread starter
- #12
Thanks for your replys.........Yes, it does need to be serviced blade gap is bad, adjuster turns with resistance.
Agree.
That's a good price
Chris currently has my 1904 Double Ring for a silver replate. I wouldn't trust it to anyone else. Counting the days until I get her back.
Just curious but what can you expect to pay for a replating? I know it will differ depending on the condition of the razor and model of the razor, but I have really no clue at all. Let's say it's a 3 piece razor. 50$? 100$? 200$?
