Serial Number Toggle

[Tigr2127]

Got this rare piece of Gillette history in the mail today. Serial number 0973.

It does needs some repair because the adjustment knob and tray are frozen. As you can see in the pictures below, it’s stuck on a little past 3 1/2 and the blade gap seems pretty wide.

I’ve tried a few soaks in hot water and dish soap. Also tried WD-40 but it won’t budge. It appears a previous owner tried with pliers. The damage looks worse in the pictures than in person.

Does anyone have recommendations for someone to service it? I feel like I read Capt Murphy is no longer servicing toggles (I could be confusing him with Chris at Razorplates).

I am also kicking around the idea of repair and re-plating but I think that narrows my options to only Razor Emporium. There are some small specks of light pitting throughout the head.

In short: Recommendations for repair? Would you just repair or repair and re-plate?

 

[nemo]

When I first saw that on eBay the toggle wasn't aligned properly with the head. Did you twist it back?

I'd send it to Cap and skip the plating, seems OK for now. Stay away from that refurb outfit.

 

[stoof2010]

Is the entire action stuck? Or is it just way overclocked? (Gap way too wide for setting?

 

[stoof2010]

Got this rare piece of Gillette history in the mail today. Serial number 0973.
View attachment 1161542
View attachment 1161543

It does needs some repair because the adjustment knob and tray are frozen. As you can see in the pictures below, it’s stuck on a little past 3 1/2 and the blade gap seems pretty wide.
View attachment 1161544
View attachment 1161545
View attachment 1161546

I’ve tried a few soaks in hot water and dish soap. Also tried WD-40 but it won’t budge. It appears a previous owner tried with pliers. The damage looks worse in the pictures than in person.

Does anyone have recommendations for someone to service it? I feel like I read Capt Murphy is no longer servicing toggles (I could be confusing him with Chris at Razorplates).

I am also kicking around the idea of repair and re-plating but I think that narrows my options to only Razor Emporium. There are some small specks of light pitting throughout the head.

In short: Recommendations for repair? Would you just repair or repair and re-plate?

Don't know about cap but Chris isn't doing toggles anymore. Not sure why. They do seem more complicated.
Other adjustables are really easy to dial in and overclock/underclock. I have no experiences with toggles. They don't have that little indicator like the rest of the adjustables

 

[stoof2010]

I know nothing of these, but I did just have a frozen slim and I poured dawn down the hole in the baseplate and worked it loose. Then the 1/4 turn didn't work so I did it again and ran through my ultrasonic and tons came out then it worked like new have to repaint number though. Don't know why some the paint hold and others the paint just disappears in like 10 second in the ultrasonic.

 

[Tigr2127]

Great thanks! I’ll be sending Cap an email.

When I first saw that on eBay the toggle wasn't aligned properly with the head. Did you twist it back?

I'd send it to Cap and skip the plating, seems OK for now. Stay away from that refurb outfit.

I did give it a twist above the toggle. Seems to be decently aligned now. Someone tried some brut force trying to loosen the adjuster.

Is the entire action stuck? Or is it just way overclocked? (Gap way too wide for setting?

The entire action of the adjustment is stuck. The gap is pretty wide even for a 3 1/2 out of 5 (which is about a 7 on a 1-9). Which also leads me to believe it is over clocked

I know nothing of these, but I did just have a frozen slim and I poured dawn down the hole in the baseplate and worked it loose. Then the 1/4 turn didn't work so I did it again and ran through my ultrasonic and tons came out then it worked like new have to repaint number though. Don't know why some the paint hold and others the paint just disappears in like 10 second in the ultrasonic.

I soaked it again over night. Won’t budge at the slightest. Put it in some fresh hot water and soap this morning and going to soak all day.

 

[stoof2010]

Don't know about cap but Chris isn't doing toggles anymore. Not sure why. They do seem more complicated.
Other adjustables are really easy to dial in and overclock/underclock. I have no experiences with toggles. They don't have that little indicator like the rest of the adjustables

Great thanks! I’ll be sending Cap an email.



I did give it a twist above the toggle. Seems to be decently aligned now. Someone tried some brut force trying to loosen the adjuster.



The entire action of the adjustment is stuck. The gap is pretty wide even for a 3 1/2 out of 5 (which is about a 7 on a 1-9). Which also leads me to believe it is over clocked




I soaked it again over night. Won’t budge at the slightest. Put it in some fresh hot water and soap this morning and going to soak all day.

Maybe try putting soap directly down the throat on the base plate then putting it in that soapy water. That's what got my slim moving. Throughout the day the soap will mix with the water but the straight soap I think helped.
Did a day of just soapy water and didn't help.

 

[stoof2010]

Great thanks! I’ll be sending Cap an email.



I did give it a twist above the toggle. Seems to be decently aligned now. Someone tried some brut force trying to loosen the adjuster.



The entire action of the adjustment is stuck. The gap is pretty wide even for a 3 1/2 out of 5 (which is about a 7 on a 1-9). Which also leads me to believe it is over clocked




I soaked it again over night. Won’t budge at the slightest. Put it in some fresh hot water and soap this morning and going to soak all day.

I haven't spoken to cap in 5 years so I don't even know if he's still working on razors.
But worth a try. He's been absent from forums according to his page.
But he's the master and hope he is!!!

 

[Tigr2127]

Maybe try putting soap directly down the throat on the base plate then putting it in that soapy water. That's what got my slim moving. Throughout the day the soap will mix with the water but the straight soap I think helped.
Did a day of just soapy water and didn't help.

Ok just did this. Going to let it soak all day while I’m at work. Thanks for the tips!

I haven't spoken to cap in 5 years so I don't even know if he's still working on razors.
But worth a try. He's been absent from forums according to his page.
But he's the master and hope he is!!!

That’s what I’m afraid of. I have read that he gets a ton of messages so it takes him a while to get to you. I’m in no rush though.

 

[stoof2010]

Ok just did this. Going to let it soak all day while I’m at work. Thanks for the tips!




That’s what I’m afraid of. I have read that he gets a ton of messages so it takes him a while to get to you. I’m in no rush though.

Not sure why it worked in my case but I had lots of buildup. Even ultrasonic didn't fix it. But the soap down the throat full filled then letting it sit in soapy water worked.
It was grungy at first. Something with the spring on mine.
Now that it's free, I'm going to send it through again ultrasonic with some vinegar (removes green) to get rid of the green I see inside the bottom knob.
Hopefully will break it down to bare brass inside and be done.
The level of crap that came out was insane the first time.

Also, not sure it it'll help me in the future but from now on I don't store adjustable razors with it locked on the 1/4 turn anymore. Don't think stress on that old spring is good.
In your case the toggle goes sideways to lock it down if I remember.

 

[TwiceRetired]

Wonderful find, congratulations. I would agree with a repair but not a replate.

 

[romsitsa]

Just soak it in soap/dishwashing liquid, then add hot water, let cool down, try to move it, repeat. My worst adjustable took two days to loosen up the dial.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

Just soak it in soap/dishwashing liquid, then add hot water, let cool down, try to move it, repeat. My worst adjustable took two days to loosen up the dial.

My recommendation as well. You’ll be amazed at what hot water and Dawn can do to these old adjustables.

 

[KeenDogg]

Don't know about cap but Chris isn't doing toggles anymore. Not sure why. They do seem more complicated.
Other adjustables are really easy to dial in and overclock/underclock. I have no experiences with toggles. They don't have that little indicator like the rest of the adjustables

Toggles are not easy to work on. They have extra parts qguxh are subject to much wear and tear. Also, Gillette's plating on them was shoddy. A lot of times, they will get pinholes in the plating and water will get between the brass and the plating. What looks really good on the outside may be quite degraded on the inside. When the original plating is stripped, sometimes it reveals a razor that cant be replated to look new no matter how hard one tries. I love how they shave though.

 

[BigJ]

Wonderful find, congratulations. I would agree with a repair but not a replate.

+3! Worth the effort IMO!

 

[Tigr2127]

Going on night 3 of soaking in hot water and dawn. Also a little WD-40 in between and the adjuster still won’t budge. I’ve emailed Cap, hopefully he’s still repairing razors.

 

[stoof2010]

Going on night 3 of soaking in hot water and dawn. Also a little WD-40 in between and the adjuster still won’t budge. I’ve emailed Cap, hopefully he’s still repairing razors.

I'm told by chris that he is, but not like he used to. He's active duty and does in his spare time. But it'll be worth the wait.
I know the toggle is a whole other beast.

 

[Tigr2127]

Great! Thank you so much for reaching out! I’m definitely in no rush and am willing to wait for his expertise.

 

[romsitsa]

Just to show you what could have happened. This Slim was frozen. After cleaning (with everything you can imagine) it worked and looked decent, but once locked down, it didn’t want to go beyond 7, so had to take it apart.

 

[stoof2010]

Just to show you what could have happened. This Slim was frozen. After cleaning (with everything you can imagine) it worked and looked decent, but once locked down, it didn’t want to go beyond 7, so had to take it apart.

View attachment 1164677 View attachment 1164678

Aren't you not supposed to adjust with it locked down?!?
And what happened to that? So sad!!!