Stahly Owners: Disassembly?

[Rob72]

Trying a different tack- if you have disassembled a/your Stahly, I have some questions for you:

1) The lower casing is left-hand thread, is this true of the neck cap also, or is it RH?

2) Have you successfully opened a Stahly with heat and/or hand pressure? (Gripper gloves, bottle opener rubber disc)

I have a couple on the way, and my goal is to completely strip one, and do a refurb/deep cleaning, with pictoral. To help with that, I'm trying not to re-invent the wheel. Any help, thoughts, or pointers would be much appreciated! thank you!

 

[DamnFineBob]

I haven't opened mine, and would probably be too terrified to try... but I'm going to watch this thread with interest. I'm looking forward to the pictoral.

 

[El Dingo Satanico]

I haven't opened mine, and would probably be too terrified to try... but I'm going to watch this thread with interest. I'm looking forward to the pictoral.

exactly my situation. good luck!

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Ohhh i cant wait, this thread should be fun to watch.

 

[Go West Young Man]

If you can make a broken one work again, I'll be your first customer

 

[alex2363]

in

 

[cooncatbob]

My Stahly works fine so I'm not inclined to dissect it to find out how it's assembled.
If I had a junker I cut the case opened length wise end to end, this would certainly revel any threaded fittings left-handed or otherwise.

 

[Rob72]

Why am I picturing a group of 12 year olds telling their friend, "You can make it...!"

 

[Blade Boy]

From old schematic drawings I have seen, it's a fairly complex mechanism, so be careful.

 

[amishmotorboat]

A stahly demo razor was for sale on eBay awhile ago. The seller was nice enough to share the pictures.

There are more in my gallery if you want to look.
I had two stahly live blades with problems. One had a broken spring, and the other had a broken ratchety type deal inside there that allows the handle to turn one way but not the other, so the spring would wind but instantly release. After removing the bottom casings on both of them, and marring the finish on at least one, I found that the spring tension was way too high for me to handle with my limited selection of tools. There is massive tension there, and you really could put an eye out. I do not recommend trying to do any work on these that requires disassembly.
Member radar o'reilly used an ingenious trick to get the innards oiled up without opening it. He submerged it in his oil of choice and put it through several heating/cooling cycles, forcing air out during the heating and drawing oil back in during cooling.

 

[Rob72]

After removing the bottom casings on both of them, and marring the finish on at least one, I found that the spring tension was way too high for me to handle with my limited selection of tools. There is massive tension there, and you really could put an eye out. I do not recommend trying to do any work on these that requires disassembly.
Member radar o'reilly used an ingenious trick to get the innards oiled up without opening it. He submerged it in his oil of choice and put it through several heating/cooling cycles, forcing air out during the heating and drawing oil back in during cooling.

Yes, you could. Based on the patent drawings, it's about a 3'(yes, foot) long flat spring. The oil-wicking method works well to loosen a locked ratchet mechanism, and -possibly- to lubricate the spring, but may or may not be reaching the drive mechanism.

I tried pm'ing AaronX, but his PM box is full. I'll try Radar, and see if he's available.

What I would like to offer is a method for disassembly that is (relatively) convenient, offers access to all parts for inspection/repair, and ability to replace seals.

Would you be willing to offer a known damaged, non-working body for experimentation? I have 2 on the way, one may be a dead dog, but it is externally salvagable, and I'd rather not scrap one that could be refurbed. Sell, or donate to the cause? I'm new here, but "Rob72" on numerous gun forums (TotalProtectionInteractive, OKShooters, GlockTalk, Enos, etc., etc..),

 

[cooncatbob]

That cut out picture doesn't show how the different sections are attached together.
That's why I suggest cutting a junker in half length wise.
To prevent the spring from uncoiling I would put a hose/band clamp around it.
I'd cut the case in half with one of these.

 

[Rob72]

So ya'll know where I'm going with this, here's a PIT (Photo Instructional Tutorial) I did for A Stoeger M2000 (shotgun).

http://www.benelliusa.com/forum/showthread.php/24972-M2000-Modifications-Tech-amp-Pics

Not as intricate, but not many things are these days.

I hear you, Bob! Again, I'm not too keen to chop one up because, 1) the cheapest I found on ebay (& bought) was $18. Not horrible, but I'm not anxious to set fire to Uncle Jackson. I don't know exactly how many were made, but I see the razor version of the Edsel- the broke ones may not work, but they're worth a bit, for the intact parts.

On the mainspring, I was pondering either a hose clamp, or stainless thin-wall tubing, depending on how the assembly anchors. Yes, they are powerful. Anyone else who's changed out a Remington 700 firing pin, without a jig, knows whereof I speak.

If anyone has a "parts kit in a baggie", let me know, I'll pay shipping, or buy it (if its not too much). I don't want or need the head- I have 2. If I can get it up and running, I'll send it back...

I may have a source for springs, I just need an OEM to measure- then figure out a safe way to mount and wind it. Not hard, but i need one in-hand.

Last but not least, if I can get this down to an assembly-line process, with established tools & techniques, Bob, would you be thinking on the cost to cut some 400 series stainless shaver heads (or brass, but I'm not sure of the relative price of each, currently)? I hate zinc, and if we could start pulling motor assemblies, the cases can be replated, and a new head would look really nice on some of these...

 

[Rob72]

Okay, I received my cheapo Stahly this afternoon. The ratchet dog isn't completely engaging, so I was going to have to start here anyway. Bottom cap is off. I'll get some pics, over the weekend.

Tools so far:

4" section of 2x4, with a 1" hole drilled through the middle, split lengthwise
1" hole drill bit
Friction tape
Vise grips

 

[cooncatbob]

You do realize the Stahly razor won't work properly without the spring suspended head.
While the Stahly is a finely crafted razor, I don't believe in the premise, ot didn't work for them and it didn't work for Gillette.
The best part of the Stahly razor is the head, it's finely crafted and even though it's a mild shaver it responds quite well to an aggressive blade like a Feather.
This is of course after you installed the head on a normal sized handle.

 

[Rob72]

Got'er done! Disassembled down to the drive pack, springs & casing. Fabricated a new ratchet dog spring, reassembled & it works!

I'll have to edit the pics, but I'll plan on having the whole thing up this week!

 

[Old Man Army]

I've been interested in picking up a Stahly for a while now. Out of curiosity, what is a reasonable price for one?

 

[Rob72]

It depends. Ebay runs from $20-40, generally. I know a local antique store that has a bound-up one for $65

I just finished this up:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/271812-Stahly-Werkz-Disassembly-Repair-Maintenance