Heirloom Gillette #59 / Rocket HD Aluminium - my 1st DE restore

This is a different restore for me, it is my Father-inlaws old DE we found after he passed so I have restored it & passed it on to my Nephew as his Heirloom razor

The bride remembers him using it when she was young but then he got an electric shaver & never looked back for the last 30 years plus

From my searching I believe it is a Gillette #59 / Rocket HD Aluminium
he had it in a Two Tix shave kit but not much else was there or salvageable unfortunately

It was fairly well seized with a very dull Aluminium tarnish & soap scum build up on the head when we found it at Christmas.

before (I forgot to get a photo on it’s own)
Attachment 164586 Attachment 164587

after
Attachment 164589 Attachment 164590 Attachment 164594 Attachment 164588
I think it came out quite nice after a month or so of soaking in WD40 then & good clean & polish
The Nephew didn't know we found this, so he is as happy as hell to add it to his rotation with the his 5/8" W&B, 5/8" Union Four Point and his original Shavette

looks like new! good save.

Great job getting her back on line.

Some friends just gave me three old Gillette DE's and they look like you're first photo, you cleaned it up beautifully. Did you really soak it for a month?

It's great to see an old razor resurrected and used again. Thanks for sharing, Substance.

Great save for the family. Well done!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phrank

Some friends just gave me three old Gillette DE's and they look like you're first photo, you cleaned it up beautifully. Did you really soak it for a month?

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yeh a month but mainly because I was working on my Brunoblade,
probably could have gone less if I was on it each day but as it was seized I just kept trying to turn the handle every couple of days while I was in the shed but still took a good week or so to get it free & fully turning without forcing it, but it still felt stiff so once fully turning I just left to soak while I finnished my BB
Once I pulled it out and it was spinning easy as new I spent about an hour nearly cleaing the gunk out of the head etc with my dremel with the little plastic brush with Autosol on it to get in the corners etc then another hour just polishing with a soft felt wheel on the dremel for the most soaked in Autosol for bulk clean up then hand polished
to finnish I worked some Ren wax in & all over it to keep it free & spinning hopefully for another 60 years

Awesome job! Good that it stays in the family too.