Cleaning advice please for a Gillette Adjustable

I have a 1960 Gillette adjustable arriving tomorrow and want some advice on how hot the water can be that the razor is soaked in.

As far as I'm aware the Slim is all metal with no plastic parts so is it possible to put the razor in a solution of boiling water with Bicarb soda for a couple of minutes? The Bicarb solution will clean the soap away in no time.

Anyway please help if you have experience.

Steve

 

I've always used Scrubbing Bubbles for all my razors.

Put open razor in bowl and spray/cover with SB.
Wait for bubbles to disappear and cover again.
Do not soak for more than 10-15 minutes or it might eat the paint off the numbers.
Scrub with soft toothbrush, rinse, then I add a few drops of light weight oil to hinge points and a few drops down the center.

Scrubbing Bubbles will:
1 - Eat soap scum
B - Disinfect
Third - Leave the razor nice and shiny

 

If it is dull, but not covered in soap scum, a mild non-abrasive metal polish (such as Flitz) will clean it up niely.

 

I cannot say I have seen Scrubbing Bubbles here in Adelaide so do you know what the listed ingredients are? Also any particular oil. I have a light weight oil called 3 in 1, I wonder if that would suffice?

 

Scrubbing Bubbles is a foaming bathroom cleaner. Not sure what you have there down under, but should be something similar.

3 in 1 would work. I use Wahl clipper oil.

 

I just use dish soap in hot water, scrub with tooth brush, polish with a cloth and metal polish, rubbing alcohol bath, then a couple drops of clipper oil(sewing machine or 3in1 oil will work also).

You'll be surprised how fast/easy they clean up.

 

Any bathroom cleaner without bleach should do. Whatever you have on hand.

 

simplest cleaner for razors is Toothpaste and hot water. It does a great job

 

How do you disinfect?

 

Mouthwash.

 

Soak in very hot water (boil the water first if you want) to soften and loosen the gunk that's stuck inside the razor. That should loosen the mechanism if it's sticky. Then use Scrubbing Bubbles and an old tooth brush to disinfect and shine it up. If you want to go a step further soak the head in rubbing alcohol. That's really all that's needed and will kill any germs on/in the razor.

 

That's what I do too, usually every few weeks. When I bought it on eBay I boiled it in water for ten mins, but now just tooth paste.

 

DO NOT BOIL GOLD RAZORS! It will remove the plating.

 

Captain Murphy has a youtube video showing how to disassemble it if you want to get it really clean.

 

Mine just arrived and is in really good condition. Not visibly dirty and everything is opening and closing. It is as I type soaking in a mix of boiled water and dish detergent. I will use a toothbrush and some more detergent or tooth paste if the detergent isn't effective at the final cleanup. I have rubbing alcohol to sanitise. I will report back soon. Thanks for the advice.

 

1960 Slim or Fatboy? I was under the impression that the Slims started in 1961. Either way I like to clean with hot distilled water with few drops of Dawn and a toothbrush.

 

That will work well too...............

 

Have fun with it!

 

The razor has cleaned up beautifully and I have shaved with it. My ASCO blades that work so well in the Merkur Progresss are good but not as good as in the Merkur. I started with it fairly low [1] and it did get better at [3]. I can't form a real opinion until I use it more. Compared to the Merkur it has far less audible feedback as it cuts the beard. The way it feels it may be a good candidate for a Feather blade. The Gillette head and the head on the Feather Popular razor feel to me quite similar when shaving.

With the Gillette where do I look to find an indication of manufacturing date? Also is there a list of years each was made. The razor was listed as 1960 but until I have a date code I cannot say for certain. I do know it is a slim though.