Too worn to be salvageable?

[tbhoff]

I ended up getting an X4 tech that I beleive the seller claimed was "rusted" for less than what it cost him to ship it. I didn't think that the tech ever had steel heads, but the pictures certainly looked like rust.

I love basket cases, and figured that some polishing would make it usable, but I'm not sure at this point. At the very worst, I can keep the baseplate and handle.

All of the "rust" was copper where the plating is gone, but there are about six dark black spots that feel quite rough. Is this oxidized brass? They feel quite rough and so i think I need to definitely so something more than average to make it usable. Not worried if I end up ruining it the head, as it is unusable as is. I was thinking about a good firm polish with barkeeper's friend (which I typically don't use on razors) and then going from there.

I've read plenty of threads about plating loss being fine, but I wondered about where there was black oxidation that made the head feel rough against the skin.

Any thoughts?

 

[romsitsa]

Hello, the cap is zamak and it’s pitted. It can’t be polished out (too deep), only filled in.
The copper, you see, is a thin layer between the zamak and nickel.
Nice Tech.

 

[tbhoff]

Hello, the cap is zamak and it’s pitted. It can’t be polished out (too deep), only filled in.
The copper, you see, is a thin layer between the zamak and nickel.
Nice Tech.

Well that makes sense, I was confused by both the copper and the color of the deeper putting. I thought that Gillette only used zamak caps on us techs post '62? Was there an exception for the Korean war era techs? Non-original cap? I have a few x code superspeeds as well, but everything on those is brass, steel or aluminum AFAIK.

Thanks!

 

[ouchyfoot]

Nice Bakelite handle.

 

[tonich]

Throw it out and get a brass example!

 

[tbhoff]

Throw it out and get a brass example!

I'm sure I will, do that as well, but I do take pleasure from making "unusable" things usable again. I have yet to find a good solution for pitted zamak though unfortunately.

I may see if I can come up with some sort of solution with stuff I have laying around the garage though.

 

[romsitsa]

War production was mostly zamak/steel/bakelite, brass went to the civilian market, or into bullet casings.
Clean out the pits and fill it with body filler, or use a conductive putty and you can even plate it (not worth, but fun).