I have a couple of Tuckaway handles that have been fixed in this manner. I have about decided to have the same done to a couple of 102's & 102A's I have, both Standard Set & Ball End handles.
It's been several years. I picked up a self-mixing epoxy. You squeeze both parts through a long, narrow tube.
My usual jeweler won't do it. She said the handle was stainless steel, not a precious metal. Is that correct? Why would it matter?
The handle is plated brass. I have no idea why she would think it's stainless steel. Stainless steel is horrible to weld unless you have the right equipment, I've been told. (I have a customer that does a lot of that) Brass can be welded with normal jeweler's welding equipment. Besides, any jeweler that won't work with copper or brass isn't a real jeweler - most jewelry gold is an alloy of copper for the hardness. (Brass wire is also common for durability)
If the crack is welded, they can also weld the ferrule to the barrel. I don't know what it'll do to the plating - but anyone you find should be able to give you some advice. It may be they can weld, then simply add plating to that section. I haven't the foggiest idea how that would work; I've studied electroplating, but never done anything other than copper plating iron.
The tube is brass, so I’ll assume that she really didn’t want to solder it as it is easy enough to identify brass. The whole process might take 10 minutes. Brass is pretty easy to solder and it does not require the higher temperatures that other metals do.
I'd use silver solder and a micro torch. The silver solder require a higher heat that is satisfied with the micro torch, but silver solder provides greater strength than other solders. This can easily be done at home safely. I need to pick a new micro torch to repair an English Flare that lost it's TTO knob.
Just some additional information on the micro torch with silver. https://orchid.ganoksin.com/t/do-small-butane-soldering-torches-work/24546 According to that, the biggest problem with soldering/welding with the micro torch is that silver is an excellent conductor, and moves heat too fast if you try to solder large areas. I think that's less of a problem with brass. I may look into getting a propane little torch. My father has a larger plumbers torch that I could steal, but that'd be WAY too big for razors.
If you know some one who can make you a brass sleeve that is a little smaller inside diameter (-.004 thousands) that allows for the ends to be reinstalled to main knurled barrel and use locktite -609 or something similar. 24 hrs later it not coming apart and good for another generation or two. You could get the machinist to make a thicker brass knurled handle to prevent the cracking altogether.
I have a couple of handles that have small cracks but be ball end and the ferrule would come out. I used some upholstery spray glue that I had readily available ( I was tooo lazy to look for the epoxy) and it worked for me. The ferrule and the ball end have not moved since.
By any chance do you have an extra carbon fiber tube? I recently picked up some OT handles and parts and have a couple of extra balls and ferrules.
I know I have at least one already cut to size, and maybe two. I also still have a 10" section that hasn't been cut down as of yet that I can slice up. Were you wanting to make it the same length as the current handles, or did you want it to be longer?
Okay - the reason I asked is that the ends are irregularly sized. Here's the thread where I talk about a lot of it - http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/broken-razor-handles-and-repair.55306/ Basically, the tubes are cut, and I do a basic ream out, but they need to be fitted to the ends. The folks in that thread that I sent handles to can give additional information on what it takes to make them fit properly. (@jimjo1031 @twhite and @Jorvaljr IIRC) You can also send me the ends and I'll fit them into the carbon fiber and send it back.
