I was lucky enough to pick up four vintage razors as a group for $30 at a flea market this weekend. (Gillette Gold Tech, Super Speed, Slim and Fat Boy) The Tech, SS and Slim all are shave-worthy if not exactly pristine (after a deep clean, of course). The Fat Boy, however, is...problematic. (Video at the link below.) The twist-to-open knob should be press-fit into the handle, but clearly something (corrosion? damage?) has made it now just slide around when the TTO knob is loosened. (When tight, it actually works fine, including the final quarter turn adjustment.) I've perused all the Fat Boy disassembly and repair videos/threads I can find, and my assumption is that this one isn't worth more than parts--certainly not an attempt to repair. Can anyone with more experience tinkering with old razors confirm or deny that opinion? Maybe there's some easy solution I'm not seeing? (FYI, this is an old enough model that the door assembly retainer cap is screw-on, not crimped, so disassembly would be easier.) Thanks! https://app.screencast.com/8UoGjGh5VPmvS
That issue is what they call dropped knob. Easily fixable, take a pipe cutter and cover the cutting wheel with a rubber grommet or something similar to keep it from cutting and run it around the ring on the handle using light pressure to recrimp it.
If you can replace the cutting wheel with a plastic one is even better. Also you'll want to use some foam, tape or something similar on the clamping side of the cutter to keep it from scratching the razor handle.
The back of a butter knife, gently hammered into the retaining groove, works well too. I've fixed many a drop that way.
Digging through my tools, I found another solution that worked well: narrow jeweler's round-nosed pliers. (Image at the link below.) Working slowly around the groove with them did the trick without scratching anything. Amazing how little pressure was necessary to get the job done--I can see how it would be pretty easy to destroy one of these razors now by clamping it too tightly in a vice or a pair of pliers. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! https://app.screencast.com/XT3oENMeUUUJF
Here is another method that does not require a tube cutter. IIRC, this was a Fatboy fix, using one side of a binder clip wire and a pair of pliers.
I'm glad we were all able to help you fix it so easily! It's always fun when a dropped knob razor gets a new lease on life, rather than a short trip to the garbage can. By the way, that is a permanent fix. You shouldn't have any more issues with that razor down the road.
That's good to know. I may have to intentionally take it apart in the near future, though. The adjuster will move only from 1 to 5 and then gets stuck. I've been soaking it in hot water and Dawn for a couple days to see if it's a gunk issue. If that doesn't work, I'll see if it's "overclocked" based on another thread I found. Then I suppose it's time to disassemble and see what's going on.
It's probably a build up of soap scum and mineral deposits, with a smattering of ancient whiskers to hold it all together. I would spray foaming shower cleaner (scrubbing bubbles) down the neck of the razor and let it sit for a half hour, then rinse. If that doesn't fix it, unscrew the bottom, and repeat the spray and rinse, except this time from the bottom, with the razor resting on the open doors, upside down.
Well, gave the Scrubbing Bubbles a go and it seems like it *wants* to turn a bit more, but not much. Worth trying repeatedly? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It can't hurt, but I honestly don't know. I've never had a stuck razor cross my path. I just said what I would do if it was me. Maybe try @Enrico's suggestion?
Penetrating oils like PB Blaster sometimes will work, only drawback the razor will smell like PB Blaster or WD40 if you use that for weeks afterwards. Also in some cases the metal clicker spring will cause it to bind. Best to not mess with that unless you have to.
I used synthetic air gun oil to free up a Fatboy and Black Beauty, both of which wouldn't go into the 1/4 lock.
Ok. I tried everything and still couldn’t move the dial past five. (Thanks for all the suggestions!) So I gave in and followed a video on YouTube for taking a Fatboy apart and managed to do it without damaging anything. The adjuster was coated in what felt like gritty glue—years of built up mineral deposits and old shave cream as expected. Some more brushing with Scrubbing Bubbles and a dip into the ultrasonic cleaner, and with everything back together, it’s working fine! Still need to take it for an actual spin, but it looks like it will make a great daily shaver for someone even if it’s not pretty enough for a collectible. I appreciate all the help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Those razors one has to put a little effort into to get working again tend to stick around in collections long afterwards.
Just an FYI on ultrasonic cleaners for future use. Depending the setting and/or how long you leave it in, they will strip paint off razors like the numbers on the dials for example. With that said those numbers and dots on the adjsutment nut can be easily repainted.