replating a razor

[nicodemus38]

When you replate a razor, is it always a necessary evil to have it fully taken a part before the replate?

Or are you fairly confident that the deplating chemicals will get rid of any corrosion inside the razor?

And what does everone feel about the slim.

[brothers]

When you replate a razor, is it always a necessary evil to have it fully taken a part before the replate?

Or are you fairly confident that the deplating chemicals will get rid of any corrosion inside the razor?

And what does everone feel about the slim.

I have taken a Gillette Slim apart on several occasions. Reassembled them too. The mechanicals are simple and straightforward, obviously an enormously successful design that will last at least a hundred years or more.

It is not "evil" to take the razor apart for cleaning and inspection prior to replating. It would be stupid not to do so. I am certain that anyone who offers or endeavors to replate a razor without dismantling it and cleaning it thoroughly beforehand doesn't know what they are doing.

[brothers]

When I read my earlier answer, I thought it sounds a bit pompous. Sorry, that wasn't my intent. Inside those old razors there is a chamber that can get pretty funky, with decades of old whiskers and soap of unknown origin. That muck has to come out and the surfaces have to be thoroughly cleaned before the razor is plated and reassembled.

[nicodemus38]

The issue I have with the slim and disassembly is the crimped section. NOT everyone has the ability to put it back together, and not everyone can do it correctly.

there is a long standing joke where I live about qualifications of work.

if you have a pair of pliers and a screw driver, your an electrician
if you have a plunger and a butt crack that shows, your a plumber
if you have a hammer, your a carpenter
If you have a hammer AND a measuring tape, your a contractor

Whenever I see a superspeed in pieces, the rod is always nicely plated but the threaded section is always blackened, bare metal. Ive always thought if manual removal of that corrosion was mandatory, or if the stripping chemicals would take care of it.

[brothers]

It probably tells us that the old rod was plated before the threads were originally cut. I might be wrong but I believe when we send an old razor out for replating the internals don't go through the same number of steps as the external surfaces.

[Pauldog]

I was going to write, "I don't think my replated razor was ever dismantled," but then I remembered that it's a 3-piece Gillette NEW.

As far as the question about the Slim, are you asking about replating it or shaving with it? I like it as a razor, and I'm lucky enough to have one in good shape and not in need of replating.

[Janus]

I've never taken apart a slim myself, but if it's anything like this fatboy, I wouldn't trust any chemical to do the job. Quite a bit of elbow grease needed here, IMO:

http://vintagesaws.com/fatboy/fatboy.html

[nicodemus38]

Once one ponders and see replating as a good thing, why does every single razor on ebay with a slightly off finish, suddenly become sexy?

[Ouchmychin]

Wow, I looked at the link for disassembling a fatboy and I would never be able to do that. My slims are very fragile too. Both are black handled later ones and I believe the shaft/gears are aluminum or pot metal because the closure is not as mechanical feeling as my fatboy. One doesn't close securely any more so I have retired it. I don't know how you did yours Gary, but you must have your own machine shop if it is anything like the fatboy disassembly I saw.

[nicodemus38]

the black beauties are a special issue with restoration from what ive been able to find out. aluminum is a lot softer and trickier then brass or steel is. and the tto knob isn't really conducive to good drainage.

[blantyre]

Limited experience suggests that it is an expensive, money wasting exercise. I had a silver plated red ring redone in chrome at considerable expense. It had "pickling marks" showing though the shiny plate and never shaved the same - everything was sloppy so blade alignment was impossible to get right. I also had a silver plated flare bottom redone. It also became harsh and lost its magic. I ended up dumping them on eBay at large losses of time and money and waiting for nice ones to turn up - in the long run a cheaper and more satisfactory route. I do have a couple of rare razors with some plate wear but I would NEVER consider attempting to get than replated. I always keep en eye out for better ones. Razors are high precision instruments not like tea strainers or jam spoons that might take a replate ok.