I am in the process of purchasing a Schick Injector. I really want one of the old ones from the 30s or 40s with the bakelite handle. Much of the ones on ebay have a dirty gold head. Do these clean up well?? and how would you go about cleaning one up??? Also any advice about little things to ask the seller when purchasing one Can I use any injector key or do I have to use the one that it comes with?
I've cleaned up several of them and they all turned out fine. Here is my method. First thing to do is to very gently insert a disposable wooden skewer into the spot where the key goes in, all the way out the other side about an inch to open the head for blade removal. Then snap off the remainder of the skewer about an inch back and use that to push out the old blade. If you get one without a blade, I would still do this to open up the blade slot for cleaning. Second, with the skewer still in place, put just enough water in a small pan to cover the blade area when you stand the razor in the water on its head. Then remove the razor and bring the water to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stand the razor head first (metal part only) in the pan and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Third, remove the razor from the water and spray the head with a healthy dose of scrubbing bubbles, making sure to get it in where the blade goes and along the back where there is a gap from the skewer. Then go after it with a toothbrush making sure to get into the area where the blade goes and on the underside of the head. Rinse under hot water and repeat as necessary until you get all the gunk out. Spend extra time working the bristles into the blade gap to get it clean. This is the time to scrub the handle too. Fourth, dry it off and remove the skewer. Then polish the head up with Maas polish (or any other good metal polish) with a clean soft cloth. Also use some q-tips and another toothbrush to get in the corners and under the lip. Finally, another hot water scrub with the scrubbing bubbles and a thorough rinse and dry. I'll dip the head of mine in rubbing alcohol at this point. Insert new blade and enjoy one of the most under rated razors you've ever used! Now, if you get lucky you may end up with an early model that you could swing the spring out of the way to open the head and skip the skewer part. Ask the seller if the blade is still in it and is tight. There should be no play or rattle when a blade is in place. Any injector key should work. Hope that helps!
Hey man, Thanks for taking the time to give detailed instructions. Is the 30 or 40s model old enough to just move back the spring?
Well, according to this page, you would be looking for an E-1 or E-2 model with the bakelite handle. The trouble is that it will be hard to identify one in a picture usually, you could ask the seller if the spring slides to the left to open. Then again I received one in a lot buy that did open, but only because someone had bent the spring and broke a tab, so that one was trashed. I just got plain lucky to end up with one that swings open. The earlier, rarer and more expensive Type D had a swing open head also.
The heads of the type E and G Injectors are thinly plated gold over brass, I believe. I don't think they had a lacquer overcoat like Gillette did either. Some clean up very well and others never will. If you see anything green it is likely corrosion/brassing and won't come off. White soap scum can clean off easily though. I would ask the seller if the razor feels solid and if the razor head rattles when shaken. If so I'd pass. The type E-1, E-2's and the E-5 that are designed to open for cleaning can get loose over the years. I don't know how to repair them once they start rattling. I know this is an old thread and I hope you got a good Injector.
Yes i have received a a few models. One is a later E1 model, but its pretty much junk. I got it for 5 including shipping. The next one is from the 50s and it has never been used. It works great for me and I really love it, maybe even more than my Gillette new and SS. Im in the process of trying to get a good e1 or e2 model, but I will not be buying it from ebay. It is too hard to ask the seller a question because all of the ones I have asked about they either write "we accept returns" or 'comes as it" I would rather buy it from a knowlegdeable member here If anyone has one let me know
Good luck in that search. Nice to hear you like the one you ended up with. As has been said many times before, the injectors really are great razors.
Hi Jimmy, Jeeez, I hope I caught you in time. Speaking from personal experience, do NOT try screwing around with that spring. I have a few tragic stories I won't relate, and would save you some possible heartbreak....heh. Not only can it be a real pain to get the thing loose, but getting it tightly back together can be impossible. Heh, I'll just tease you and mention it DOES open up nicely for cleaning, but it's a trick! Yeah, you'll see the scratch mark from where it looks like the spring was already moved successfully in the past. Don't fall for that.......heh. To me it's just not worth taking a chance. Anyway, maybe this will help, Martin
I know this is an older thread that I started, but I need to ask another question. I now have about 12 injectors, 6 from the e and g era. I bought a really nice E2 from Pauldog (excellent guy to do business with). The other ones I got from the bay. The other E and G models that do not have the spring that slides to the left all but 1 have a scratch where somebody tried to move the spring. The spring is still tight though. How common is it to have this scratch on them? or do I just have bad luck. The injectors are def. underrated and do not get the love they deserve. I wish I could find a sharper blade than the Chinese schicks that I use though. I LOVE sharp blades. Has anybody used the Ted Pella injector blades?
The Ted Pella blades are some version of the Personnas. They're all made by American Safety razor (ASR), as are the ones from CVS pharmacy. Pretty much any pack of injector blades with a plastic used blade holder is from ASR. These 1930's-40's models have many variants. Don't try to move the spring unless you're sure you have a model made to do that; otherwise, you'll do some damage. The later variants do not have bakelite handles. You can tell by the color (bakelite will most likely be a whitish handle with some marbled brownish color), or by putting the handle in hot tap water and seeing if you get that telltale shellac smell. The newer plastic handles will have little or no smell.
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I can see you posted this on another Forum Sir.....You have a Type G that was not meant to open.....I have had a couple like this and they were knackered to be honest....That said .....You may have luck on your side depending on how much force and neglect that was used to open it....Try using a small screw driver to put some tension on the spring and another small screw driver to seat it into the groove..... If there is not any rattle and or too much play in the head you might get away with it....If its rattling around or too loose you are buggered....If it feels ok then inject a blade into it and see if its tight in the blade stops....If its tight in the blade stops then inject another blade because the first one will probably run across the blade stops because the razor in empty.... Good Luck....You will need it..... Billy
