Hey everybody, A few months ago I bought a Fatboy (F2) in an online auction. When it came in the mail, the dial would not move. It had apparently been rusted or gunked due to many years of not being used. Even after soaking in baby oil and cleaning with scrubbing bubbles, I couldn't get it to budge. Finally I was able to get it moving with some tools and strong leverage. When it budged a whole lot of gunk came off the rim of the dial. Now that the dial is moving, I can't see a difference in blade exposure when I move it, nor can I feel one. I decided to give it another shot this morning. I did a first pass on 1, then did a second pass on 9 and they both felt the same. Both shaves were mildly aggressive. My question is: Is it possible that due to not being well-taken care of the dial just stopped "working" and now it is permanently stuck at a 4 or 5, regardless of where the dial is set? Could the insides have been rusted away or something? Thanks!
Insides of FatBoy are straightforward and not too complex. What comes to my mind is the inside thread on the dial ring is gone... does it move up and down when you rotate it?
It does move up and down, but there is no noticeable change in the blade. When I remove the blade and have the doors open, nothing seems to be happening at the top of the razor. Is it something I should be able to see?
Then the blade platform might be gunked as well. It is moving up and down and it is the ring that stops is at certain position and therefore makes all the magic. I will have to go to my storeroom to assemble my taken apart FatBoy to recall the details. Might it be you are just do not feel the difference, but the razor is ok?
I suppose its possible, but from what I've heard, 1 is incredibly mild and 9 will make you weep if you aren't careful, so it seems unlikely. Other than that, the razor works. The doors don't seem to be in tip top shape, but at the end of the day, the razor gives me a shave, and that's what's important. Thanks for the info!
You must have been told about the Merkur Futur, Progress or Vision To me Gillettes are relatively mild at any position.
Today is a scheme day Ok. I've been to my storeroom and remembered almost everything. Here it is from the inside. From left to right: 1. patended spider mechanism, which is a guide to a blade and a door carrier at the same time; 2. guard; 3. moving platform. this is what we're after. it moves the blade towards the silo doors and by bending it makes the "difference"; 4. dial ring, which is supposed to be fixed at certain position by a small tiny plate - a lock pin (not in the picture) and therefore to be a support for the moving platform; 5. not interested in. this is a "thing" to which guard is rigidly connected. Another thing which can be is that your FatBoy is "overclocked". If this is the problem, you can try making it less aggressive by turning it to 1, then pressing down the lock pin (red or black depending on your cleaning routin), turn the ring further so it make a full over-turn to 9, release the pin.
Wow... so thorough! I'll give that a shot when I get home tonight, but I think that part might still be jammed...
Don't worry. You can always buy another here. Check out the Buy/Sell/Trade forum. Or post a WTB thread... up to you
Thats IT!!! Fatboy Skeleton...LMAO...I knew there was something super-cool about that photo, besides just being super cool....Now I want a poster of it....You could hang those parts from thin string and it would look like the skeletons they have hanging in Med-School, only it would be from a Gillette Surgery School...or a scene from "Night of the Living Razor"....Thanks Alexey...Great photo Hey IrishNachos, look at the photo...that plate, the moving platform, just above the dial....When thats loose and well oiled, with the dial on #1, that plate should be able to be moved up and down...On my Slim I can hold the razor upright, and with the Silo doors loosened, and the dial on #1, I can flick it UP with my finger and it drops back DOWN by its self. And I can flick it quickly, and its up and down...clickity, clickity, click....You get what I mean....So if its not doing that then you need to concentrate on that one plate....Freeing it up...Hot water, maybe boiling water, or water that has just been boiled...and pipe-cleaners or a small flat brush that will fit between that plate and the base-plate of the head. I've seen razors that had so much dried soap scum between the base-plate and that movable plate, that you couldn't see light between them (but don't worry if thats the case, it just needs to be cleaned out). Use a pipe-cleaner or toothpick if you have to...Then use your fingers on each side to try and force that plate to move up and down. And use mineral oil or olive oil, or any thin machine oil like sewing machine oil...But make sure the Silo-Doors are loose and the dial is on #1...And don't mess with the spring-lock pin, much, unless that plate is loose and moving up and down easily, and the adjustments still don't work...Then you might want to try that clocking thing Alexey was telling you about.... Also don't worry about rust...This razor is made of nickle-plated brass and brass can't rust. Let us know whats happening....When you get that thing clean and oiled, that operation is a thing of beauty....
Thanks Bird Lives! I will definitely try that when I get home. It makes sense that if the dial was stuck, then perhaps the plate is still stuck too...
You can just disassemble it, wonder how much bicentennial dirt it is still there, clean it thoroughly and assemble back.
I think that brass can be oxidized. Rust is the result of ferrum oxidized... Brass will oxidize with green/blue colors.
