Vintage Gillette lacquer question

[Galhatz]

I recently bought a Milord on eBay. Not sure who should I trust more, the sellers that include fuzzy photos of their stuff, you would think they are technically challenged with their cameras yet they were techie enuogh to create an ebay listing, or the ones that do post detailed photos that were probably had a touch of photoshop or very complemanting lighting. Here's what I am talking about:



Anyway, the Milord is mechanically excellent so I am keeping it.

Is there a way to apply the same / simillar lacquor on a razor or is it only a replate job ?

 

[Copierguy]

I feel your pain.....is the gold finish present with only missing lacquer or is there nickel exposed? My old eyes will not tell me.

If this is a user for you and all the gold is there then you may be surprised how nice it would look with only the lacquer removed.

 

[Maxime D.]

I saw the pictures on the listing, you can see the discoloration + the seller wrote 'With some lacquer missing on one of the doors' :-/. It ain't easy to take a clear shot on something shiny, especialy when you don't have super camera.
Except for that door, the razor is in good condition, maybe you could only make replate only the doors ?

 

[Galhatz]

I feel your pain.....is the gold finish present with only missing lacquer or is there nickel exposed? My old eyes will not tell me.

If this is a user for you and all the gold is there then you may be surprised how nice it would look with only the lacquer removed.

Good idea! no nickel exposed luckily. How can I remove the remaining lacquuer ? by removing it... does it just mean I need to be extra careful when i clean the razor?

I saw the pictures on the listing, you can see the discoloration + the seller wrote 'With some lacquer missing on one of the doors' :-/. It ain't easy to take a clear shot on something shiny, especialy when you don't have super camera.
Except for that door, the razor is in good condition, maybe you could only make replate only the doors ?

I took my photo with my cellphone camera, doesn't get any worse than that. The seller took the photos with a nicer point and shoot but more than that - he used yellow light (from a tungsten light bulb) to illuminate the shot and the other (rahter skillfuly done) beauty shots. The razor looks much better in the photos than in real life. It is an ebay reality, good razor end up looking so so and bad razor turn out looking great (or complete junk).

How can one plate just the doors? do they come off easily? they are small enough... maybe my local town Jewler can do it quickly...

Come to think about it, how much does a good quality gold plating job should cost these days from the Daves?
I also have an Aristocrat with some plating loss comming and if I like it as a shaver I might give it a go.

 

[Maxime D.]

'The Daves' loll I'll remember that one XD

 

[Copierguy]

The gold layer is only microns thick so it can be harmed, that is why the lacquer was originally applied. Some re-platers will reapply a coat of lacquer, some may not. So removing the lacquer may put you near where a replate job would only at a fraction of the cost. I have had some luck evening out the look of doors and gold plated cases with gently applied Blue Magic metal polish. Starting on the inside of the doors may be a good place to get the feel for it. You may wish to do only the doors as that area is flat and open. If you get off in the "rough" of the base plate and/or handle, then you might have a job to finish???


Here are some ideas about lacquer removal.