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Repairing a stripped cap stud

I recently picked up this pre-war Gillette Tech via "that auction site", but the stud only had under a thread of engagement left. After I installed the first blade, what little was left of the threads gave way and it was completely stripped. The handle, on the other hand, looked OK and is likely made of harder material.

It's OK, we can fix it. We have the technology.

It REALLY helps to have a machine shop, and more specifically a lathe and a decent 4 jaw chuck.

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Of course, you have to machine off the old threads before you can make new ones... all done:

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Then you machine a new brass sleeve to bring the stud back up to diameter and ream it out to the same diameter (interference fit) as the machined-down cap stud, and you thread the sleeve to just under final thread dimension. Shown here still in the lathe with the cap partially installed.

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You cut off the sleeve, solder it to the cap stud, and cut the final thread dimension with a die, so the die swages the sleeve into stud. File the sleeve flush and call it done. Re-plating is optional.

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aaaaand... fixed. Good as new, though it may benefit from a replate at some point.

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ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Nice repair, oh not only to have the tools but to be able to use them to. I wish.
 
Brother Claven,

Very nice work, and I admire your skill and the result of your effort.

But is the effort worth it for the average shaver? The razor can be replaced for $20 or less. Just consider that $20 bucks to be a tuition payment in the school of life.
 
Brother Claven,

Very nice work, and I admire your skill and the result of your effort.

But is the effort worth it for the average shaver? The razor can be replaced for $20 or less. Just consider that $20 bucks to be a tuition payment in the school of life.

Like so many things, that depends. I'm a person that abhors the disposable design philosophy of modern things. In my youth, products were still made to last and people took pride in repairing a favorite item, even if a replacement could be had inexpensively.

The economics of this repair would not work for most people, totally agree. I doubt anyone would pay me what I think my time is worth to repair a pre-war tech cap for them. But I didn't do this for money, I did it for me on my own equipment and enjoyed doing so.

I posted pics not to drum up repair orders (I don't offer this as a service), but more because I thought someone might be interested in seeing how I did it, and knowing it can be done - even though most folks would have scrapped the razor.
 
I should also mention, I shaved with it today and got an easy CCS in 2 passes. I'd forgotten how mild these are compared to my more regularly used choices. I felt like I didn't have to have good technique at all to avoid weepers, though the price is a less close shave per pass.

And these pre-war are more aggressive than a post war tech, which I consider akin to trying to bet BBS with a butter knife (!)
 
Like so many things, that depends. I'm a person that abhors the disposable design philosophy of modern things. In my youth, products were still made to last and people took pride in repairing a favorite item, even if a replacement could be had inexpensively.

The economics of this repair would not work for most people, totally agree. I doubt anyone would pay me what I think my time is worth to repair a pre-war tech cap for them. But I didn't do this for money, I did it for me on my own equipment and enjoyed doing so.

I posted pics not to drum up repair orders (I don't offer this as a service), but more because I thought someone might be interested in seeing how I did it, and knowing it can be done - even though most folks would have scrapped the razor.
Brother Claven,

I agree with your philosophy and with your thoughts. I was born during the Great Depression and I was raised in the 1940's and the 1950's. To this day I still excitedly pick up lost pennies in the gutters and on the sidewalks.

I'm wondering if in theory I could do some kind of a "Rube Goldberg" non-machinist repair on a stripped thread razor with a dab of "silicone something" that one can buy in a tube at the local hardware store. Such a repair wouldn't last forever, to be sure, but it could be easily re-applied to the threads maybe every month. ???

I suppose the answer would depend upon the condition of the worn original threading.
 
If the threading is OK and the hole is stripped, I'd look to helicoil or timesert for a solution.

Time-Sert
Threaded Inserts and Wire Inserts | STANLEY Engineered Fastening

In terms of repairing the studs, the options are more limiting. You can re-thread the stud to a smaller standard thread size using a hardware store threading die and use one of the above bushing systems to convert your handle to a smaller thread to match.

You could also TIG weld or braze some brass onto the stud, and re-thread it 10NF32, though without a lathe this would be very difficult.

You could also try painting the inside of the handle threads in release agent or wax, and then "bed" the cap into the handle with something like original formula JB Weld epoxy. But we warned, there is a chance it may never come apart again ;) If you do get it apart, this would hold for a while - no idea how long though.

Also, unless you use a metal to make the repairs, you won't be able to re-plate the razor when you are done - if you care.

I don't think silicone would hold past he first disassembly on a 3 piece setup.
 
Awesome save!:clap:

I always love to see things get fixed instead of throwing away. It has more character and is truly your's now! And should live one to be someone else's someday. Great work!
 
I have some roached razors that I need to send in for replating to make them presentable again - largely because I want them in my rotation, but not with flaking nickel. I'll probably include this one and make it look pretty again, because... why not? It's not about the money.
 
Like so many things, that depends. I'm a person that abhors the disposable design philosophy of modern things. In my youth, products were still made to last and people took pride in repairing a favorite item, even if a replacement could be had inexpensively.

The economics of this repair would not work for most people, totally agree. I doubt anyone would pay me what I think my time is worth to repair a pre-war tech cap for them. But I didn't do this for money, I did it for me on my own equipment and enjoyed doing so.

I posted pics not to drum up repair orders (I don't offer this as a service), but more because I thought someone might be interested in seeing how I did it, and knowing it can be done - even though most folks would have scrapped the razor.

Well said. I wholeheartedly agree.
Please share more of your projects with us.
I've done a few myself. Folks here seem to enjoy the brief glimpse into the home shop machining obsession.
For me, manual lathes are like time machines. When working with them, time stops. Hours fly by unnoticed.
 
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