Stiff Gillette Fatboy doors

[Tanuki]

I grabbed a Fatboy at a reasonable price while traveling. It was difficult/stiff at one point when opening/closing the doors, but I thought cleaning would solve that. Wrong.

After cleaning, close inspection revealed the the door tabs overlap the safety bars, rather than smoothly fitting inside them (as the similar parts fit on my Slim). The safety bars appear to be very slightly curved inwards at the outer ends where they interact with the door tabs. Wear is visible on the ends of the bars where the door tabs rub against them.

In a similar thread by @marktyers , @romsitsa advised "A: something around the head is bent. While closing, check wether anything interferes with the tab of the door. If thats the case, bend back the faulty parts."

My questions: how easy is it to bend the safety bars? Is breakage a danger? Will pliers do it? Should I consider filing or grinding down either the door tabs or the safety bar ends instead?

I suspect that this problem is why the Fatboy seems lightly used. I'm guessing factory defect, rather than razor abuse, since both the safety bars look symmetrical and the interference occurs at all four door tabs.

Any repair advice is appreciated!

Clearance on the Fatboy (L) versus Slim (R)

Wear on the Fatboy safety bar end from door tab interference

 

[ponykilr]

Send to Razor Emporium for their tuneup. It looks like a nice unmolested FB and it will be worth a little money to have it perfect.

 

[Tanuki]

I'm leaning toward the pliers, but still waiting for advice.

 

[mitotiani]

Send to Razor Emporium for their tuneup. It looks like a nice unmolested FB and it will be worth a little money to have it perfect.

+1

 

[mitotiani]

You will get your moneys worth from the tuneup either from using the Fatboy or if you decide to sell it.

 

[romsitsa]

Hello, both bars are bent, nothing serious. If it's the early version with a screw bottom, remove it and pull out the center rod/door assembly, put a butter knife (or something what fits) into the foam chutes from the bottom and pull them up, till the bars are straight again.
If it's a riveted bottom, fully open up the doors, get a butter knife, the rest is the same.
Just make sure the bars will be as straight as possible, so use the bending tool in sections (left outer side of hole, center left, center right, outer right).
A piece of flat glass will help determine how straight the bars are.

 

[Tanuki]

Hello, both bars are bent, nothing serious. If it's the early version with a screw bottom, remove it and pull out the center rod/door assembly, put a butter knife (or something what fits) into the foam chutes from the bottom and pull them up, till the bars are straight again.
If it's a riveted bottom, fully open up the doors, get a butter knife, the rest is the same.
Just make sure the bars will be as straight as possible, so use the bending tool in sections (left outer side of hole, center left, center right, outer right).
A piece of flat glass will help determine how straight the bars are.

Got it. Mine is a clean E1 and looks like it will partially disassemble easily.

I'll report back. Thanks for the detailed advice.

 

[Tanuki]

Thank you all, @ponykilr , @mitotiani , and @romsitsa for your advice. I got the confidence and knowledge to work on it without fear of damaging the mechanism or the appearance.

I did some very careful safety bar tweaking, per instructions. It is now opening just as smoothly as my Slim or my Superspeeds, and there are no scars. Not on the razor and not on my psyche.

Thank you again, gentlemen!

 

[mitotiani]

Good job. Did you apply some mineral oil to the mechanical parts to babe it up a bit?

 

[Tanuki]

Will do. All my Gillette TTOs are a bit clickety-clackety. This Fat Boy is a clean machine though. I guess the stiff doors sent it to the back of the top shelf in the bathroom closet.

 

[mitotiani]

I just remembered a couple hours ago that I have 3 Fatboys stored in my razor drawer. 1 D-3 w/ case, 1 D-1 w/ case and 1 G-1 w/out case. All in great condition.

 

[Tanuki]

My Fatboy is darn nice (now it is), but the case is not so hot.

 

[Mustard Seed]

I wanna Fatboy. I have found a very nice Gillette Tech, Slim, and SS Red Tip at antique stores. All in super condition. All are in my current six razor rotation. BUT.... no sight of a Fatboy at all in the greater Houston area. Dang. I know I can take a chance with Etsy or Ebay but maybe the hunt is part of the fun.

 

[mitotiani]

I wanna Fatboy. I have found a very nice Gillette Tech, Slim, and SS Red Tip at antique stores. All in super condition. All are in my current six razor rotation. BUT.... no sight of a Fatboy at all in the greater Houston area. Dang. I know I can take a chance with Etsy or Ebay but maybe the hunt is part of the fun.

Have you taken a look at the BST forum? There are a few Fatboys being sold at very reasonable prices.

 

[Mustard Seed]

Have you taken a look at the BST forum? There are a few Fatboys being sold at very reasonable prices.

Yes, I know. I am going to have to check early every morning in the BST forum. They get sold pretty fast. Thanks for the reminder, sir.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I wanna Fatboy. I have found a very nice Gillette Tech, Slim, and SS Red Tip at antique stores. All in super condition. All are in my current six razor rotation. BUT.... no sight of a Fatboy at all in the greater Houston area. Dang. I know I can take a chance with Etsy or Ebay but maybe the hunt is part of the fun.

You should simply post a WTB (want to buy) thread in the BST. A B&Ber will doubtless hook you up. (Feels like cheating for the ‘hunter’ types, though).

 

[Tanuki]

You should simply post a WTB (want to buy) thread in the BST. A B&Ber will doubtless hook you up. (Feels like cheating for the ‘hunter’ types, though).

Yeah, I'm a hunter. And a tinker.