You might also want to check out sportshaving.com. Nick does great work. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Contacted Chris at RazorReplate about the small crack I noticed in the handle of the razor I am having him work on next month: Once again his answer was excellent: "The cracks are par for the course with this type of handle. It is actually somewhat of a design flaw from Gillette. It affects many razors (Goodwill, Old Type with ball-end handle, NEW with ball-end handle, etc.) Honestly, I do not think Gillette ever considered the fact that these razors would be used and restored 75 - 100 years down the road! The manufacturing process was "bottom-line-oriented" to say the least. Gillette made their money on the sale of razor blades. The razors were means to an end. Back in the day, these razors were no more thought about than we would think of a Gillette Fusion, Mach III or similar item that is available in stores today. If a razor become too dirty or got damaged, it was tossed and a replacement purchased at almost any pharmacy, general store, etc. Because of this, manufacturing processes were oriented toward delivering a usable razor at as low of a price as possible. The crack problem is caused by Gillette utilizing what is known as an "interference fit" to secure the ferrule and the ball into opposite ends of a tubular handle component. The pieces are not soldered together, nor was there any adhesive utilized. The end pieces were basically forced into the ends of the tube - and the interference was great enough to secure a firm connection (at least for a few decades!) The actual outer dimension of the inserted part of the ferrule and ball are actually 0.02 inches LARGER than the interior diameter of the tubular handle. It is sort of like a small snake swallowing a frog! This "too tight" fit is quite strong, but exerts great stress on the thin walls of the brass tube. Through the years, metal fatigue occurs and the cracks appear. The process is exacerbated by thermal cycling (repeated hot-cold, hot-cold exposure from the use of the razor), which causes expansion and contraction of the thin wall of the brass tube. The end result is what you see! Many times, this is cosmetic.......but it WILL (eventually) result in overt failure of a handle - to the point that the ball and/or ferrule become loose. A loose ferrule creates a dangerous condition for using the razor. Rest assured, that 90+% of these razors exhibit this issue - and that most function perfectly - with no looseness. While the cracks can be structurally-reinforced to help prevent worsening of the crack - or loosening of the components, the cracks are essentially always visible - even on a replated razor. Captain Murphy does excellent repairs of cracks on these razors. If they wish to have the issue addressed, most of my customers have CAP to manage the repair. He utilizes jeweler's solder (silver-based). In addition to stabilizing the crack, he is also able to "fill-in" the crack to some degree. Unfortunately, even a repaired crack can still be visible beneath new plating. You can reach CAP at vintagerazorrepair@gmail com So....my advice is.....do not worry too much about it. Unless the seller clearly stated that there were no cracks, it is pretty much expected to find this condition. It is so common that many do not even think to mention small cracks when selling these razors. It is more unusual to find a listing that states "no cracks"! The decision that you will need to make is whether you wish to repair and stabilize the cracks before a replate - or if you feel that the cracks are structurally-sound and are not likely proceed to overt mechanical failure during your ownership of the razor. If you feel that the cracks are simply an aesthetic issue, you can proceed with a replate. Keep in mind, that if the cracks are repaired after a replate, the soldering process and heat will have a negative impact on the appearance of the plating. If you aim to correct the cracks, I would recommend that it be done before having the razor replated."
One option, which I would try, is to look for a razor with that same handle selling cheap on Ebay because of a crappy finish, and there are usually a lot of them. Another idea, which I did to one of my razors, is use 30 minute epoxy. Just put in a good amount in the handle and coat the neck, insert the neck and let it sit upright with the neck down to let the epoxy flow over the neck for a good bond. Mine's still great and I still use that razor at times. Just depending on whether or nor it can be done before plating, or afterwards. Another is let someone repair it, just depends on the cost, but buying another razor cheap would be my first choice.
