Fixing a Crack

I have a 1918 Gillette 102 with a 1/3-1/2 inch crack in the top of.the handle. I can twist the razor's head. I don't imagine I use enough pressure while shaving to twist it, but I'd rather not risk it. How can I fix this without damaging the appearance further? Better yet, who could fix it for me?

 

Epoxy will sort it out.

 

This is very common with these old razors. There are several ways to repair these, but this is what I've done.
http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/problem-with-my-gillette-open-comb.56912/#post-1292888
I've done several and have never had problems with them since. But, it does make the razor non-original. I have a couple of others and a backyard neighbor that makes jewelry. I think I am going to have him etch some brass tubes for new handles. I think that will be pretty cool. I'll post when we get a round tuit.

 

5 minute? 30 minute? I'm not a fix-it guy. All I know about epoxy is using it to make heads on streamer flies. How, exactly, would I go about applying it?

 

5 minute works great, just make sure you clean the surfaces well, maybe light sand to give it some grip.

 

Will the top part of the handle pull out ? If so mix up a small batch or epoxy, what kind doesnt matter, and then apply a little to the inside of the tube. Then press the end back in, wipe off any excess epoxy with a cotton ball and alcohol and wait a day for it to fully cure.

 

I have a 1918 with a crack that was repaired with silver solder. When the razor is shined up it becomes invisible. Anybody that repairs jewelry can fix it.

Dave

 

The biggest problem with those handles is that the tubes were sized too small for the ball and ferrule. Then you can add on that the lathe turning quality control on the insert sizes for the ball and ferrule was also bad, leading them to be different diameters from each other, let alone the tube. Then, they cut them as cylinders rather than truncated cones (with the largest section being furthest in), which means that the hoop stress from the friction fit (interference fit as my engineer father calls it) takes advantage of any minuscule cracks in the tube ends to force a larger crack.

So, you have a crack at one end - you're very lucky. Most crack at both ends. I have one that was soldered together with plumbing solder, probably in the 1920's.

What I've done is made carbon fiber tube handles, which are then narrowed down, so that the maximum hoop stress is further down the barrel of the tube. You could do the same with a chunk of brass tube, but you'd need it to be a thicker wall, or use a dremel to carve down the ball and ferrule insert ends.

 

Mine is cracked on both ends. And my tool skills are limited to hanging pictures.

 

Then if you want to keep the original handle, I'd agree with what's been said here. Epoxy. If you're not comfortable with two part epoxy, just about any jeweler should be able to do it for you cheaply. (There are lots of other folks that can do it too, I was just picking the one service professional I know will use epoxy, and know how to keep it hidden) You could also do a handlectomy and replace it

 

Here ya go!

 

I wouldn't give a wooden nickel for that!

 

Any type of epoxy will work. Me personally, I like slow cured epoxies because I stand the handle up, and the part that is being glued I put on the bottom. This will allow the epoxy to flow between any spaces.

 

Last night, I tacked the ball end (to seal) with super glue (very sparingly). Then I filled it about 2/3rds with 5 min epoxy then dropped in BB's (in this application the handle was under weight) till it was level with the tube and pressed in the neck; it filled in the neck, short of the threads. After curing over night it feels very solid.

My ball end was missing, so replaced it with a 1/4 copper cap (which made a bit short) and added an old black pearl tie tack, for length and color. Since the tie tack had a shaft I drilled a small hole and tacked with super glue prior to the epoxy and now the shaft is really being held.

It's going to be paired up with a bakelite and copper head.

 

Finished ...

 

Came out real nice. I'm going to put together a handle soon using caps on the ends. Getting bored and need something to do.

 

I used to tie flies. I used a lot of twork part epoxy.

 

Then you're ahead of me. I know how to use it, I've used it a number of times, but I can't say that I use it regularly.