Weber and Tradere handles on other razors

[Saltchuck]

I have a BRW handle on loan from a friend, and while it fits a Gillette Tech and Merkur 23C and 42 heads just fine, it does not fit a Gillette New or a Merkur 15C head. It simply won't tighten. It gets within about 3/16" of tight and then starts to bind up.

Since BRW handles are no longer being made (RIP CooncatBob) and don't seem to appear on B/S/T often, I'm considering other after-market handles.

Has anyone tried a Weber Bulldog handle on any of these razors heads? The Gillette New head in particular is fussy about the diameter of the top of the handle. If the top of the handle is too wide, it won't fit right.

How about Tradere handles? Has anyone tried one on the above-mentioned razor heads?

 

[Quigg]

I have a Tradere handle. Because of its length, it will make a razor more aggressive. That was fine, in the case of my EJ DE89 and Tech. It was a bit much for my Open-Comb New head, in my opinion. Some people feel it is just right with an aggressive razor head, though.

 

[Intrigued]

Both the Tradere and the Weber Bulldog handle will fit some New heads and not others. It depends on the width of the gap on your New's head.

 

[Yuritau]

In the BOTOC thread there's been a little discussion recently of people taking their BRW handles and reducing the diameter of top, so that it can fit in the space allotted on NEW heads. Same thing could be done with a Weber or Tradere handle. Personally I wouldn't do that kind of work myself though. If I needed it done I'd get a professional with a lathe to do it, so that it still looks nice when the work is done, heh.

 

[JCinPA]

In the BOTOC thread there's been a little discussion recently of people taking their BRW handles and reducing the diameter of top, so that it can fit in the space allotted on NEW heads. Same thing could be done with a Weber or Tradere handle. Personally I wouldn't do that kind of work myself though. If I needed it done I'd get a professional with a lathe to do it, so that it still looks nice when the work is done, heh.

Correction: The BRW handles need no reduction, they fit the OC heads just dandy. Bob designed the handles to fit them. The Ikon handle needs reduction. I do not know about the Tradere.

BRW handles need NO modification, however.

 

[Yuritau]

Correction: The BRW handles need no reduction, they fit the OC heads just dandy. Bob designed the handles to fit them. The Ikon handle needs reduction. I do not know about the Tradere.

BRW handles need NO modification, however.

Oops, my bad. looked back and you're right.

 

[Saltchuck]

Correction: The BRW handles need no reduction, they fit the OC heads just dandy. Bob designed the handles to fit them. The Ikon handle needs reduction. I do not know about the Tradere.

BRW handles need NO modification, however.

The one BRW handle that I have tried does not fit any of my New heads. It's like the threads either bottom out or bind, and the handle never quite snugs up to the head. Same with a Merkur 15C.

 

[Saltchuck]

A new Weber Bulldog handle showed up in the mail yesterday. Here are the results of my preliminary tests of which heads it fits:

Fits fine: Merkur 15C, 23C, 42; Parker; Gillette 1958 Ball-End Nickel Tech

Sort of fits: Gillette SC New (snugs up against the ridge on the underside of the head but doesn't fit in the cutout).

Does not fit: EJ 87 (won't thread at all); Gillette LC New (won't snug up); Gillette ~1950 Ball-End Gold Tech (won't snug up).

Perhaps it could be made to fit with the Gold Tech and the LC New with some sort of spacer or washer.

The only real disappointment is that I had hoped it would fit the LC New.

 

[kingfisher]

My Tradere fits my LC NEW perfectly, FWIW.

 

[MaxP]

This is a bit confusing. All American razors have a 10-32 thread size. Most European razors are M5 metric.

A metrics handle WILL fit an American head.
An American head will not fit a metric head.

The solution is to re-tap the US handle to a M5 thread size.

Sears, auto parts stores, many hardware stores have metric taps for a few bucks.

Many, but not all, of BRW handles were supplied with metric threads.

 

[michiganlover]

Many, but not all, of BRW handles we're supplied with metric threads.

If I recall correctly, this was optional on the part of the customer. By default, they would come tapped for a Gillette head, one had to specify that you would also like it to work with the European heads. In which case it would be tapped with the M5.

Since the M5 tap effectively makes the threads a tad bit oversize for a Gillette head, it results in a somewhat loser fit on Gillette heads, many of which are worn undersize due to age, and usage. So if one was going to use the handle exclusively with Gillette heads this may not have been beneficial.

 

[Saltchuck]

This is a bit confusing. All American razors have a 10-32 thread size. Most European razors are M5 metric.

A metrics handle WILL fit an American head.
An American head will not fit a metric head.

The solution is to re-tap the US handle to a M5 thread size.

Thanks, MaxP. I confirmed that you are right: My Gillette and Weber Bulldog handles (presumably all 10-32) do not fit my EJ (M5) head, but the EJ handle (M5) fits all my Gillette and Merkur heads (presumably all 10-32). The Merkurs, although European, appear to use 10-32 threads.

I probably won't re-tap the Weber handle because the only additional head in my stable that it would fit after that is the EJ head, and I am perfectly happy with the EJ handle.

To make the Weber Bulldog handle snug up to my LC and SC New heads, I used my wood lathe to turn a small "donut" out of ebony to serve as a spacer between the handle and the head. It is maybe 1/8" thick. Works a treat.

Just as a point of information, my LC New with its original hollow bar handle weighs 54 grams; with the Weber Bulldog handle it weighs an even 100 grams.

 

[MaxP]

Glad to hear you found a solution. The ebony washer is a great idea.

 

[random-hero]

Both of my BRW handles fit my short and long comb new heads perfectly. No fitment problems at all