Thread: Gillette Toggle problem!

Since most folks read this forum, I am posting here.

I just received a reasonably nice Gillette Toggle in the original blue box with faded papers in a trade. The Dial is locked, won't turn. The toggle opens and closes the clam shell.
I do know that I should not turn the dial while the clam shell is closed. How do I free it without breaking the well known fragile mechanism? LPS1? Ultrasonic cleaner?
OR:
Who does restores on these beauties at a reasonable cost??
Thanks in advance!
~Richard

If you have an ultrasonic I would try that first. The threads may have dried gunk within them. Then I would try some mineral oil or even break free, or something like that.

I'd soak it in a quite warm solution of ultrasonic cleaning fluid for a few hours. It sounds as if the mechanism could be full of krud.

Hey Geezer, Here is a link that shows you how to break down a fatboy. Made mine work great. It should be close enough that it should help you with your toggle.

Take Down: Fat boy comes apart

Hopefully this will help.

Keith

Thanks guys! Kieth thanks for finding the Fat boy takedown. I do have one that is due for that process. THe toggle is a different breed of cat and I do not want to destroy it. At the least, I would have to remove a rivet on the toggle to start out.
Thanks again, I am going to cross post to another forum.
Cheers
~Richard

Hello Folks,
Thanks for the help and suggestions.
Finally I got to the Toggle. On close examination, some YAHOO had used pliers on it earlier. Two hours in and out of the Ultrasonic, with and without Spic and Span, and dried and KROIL'd, in between and it is as factory smooth and clean.
Anyone out there with a good dial???
Cheers
~Richard

Due to an email today I am adding information:
Yes I did get the Toggle shaving again.
I used an ultrasonic cleaner with vinegar / water 50% each to get the soap out, and then some Spic and span or orange cleaner. I dried it out and then added a bit of liquid wrench and then wiggled the dial back and forth a very tiny bit with a leather padded pliers. Just torquing the dial to start and it not moving. More liquid wrench and more wiggles and it slowly came free. Liquid wrench or even better KROIL does get thing freed up. The wiggle lets it get into the tiny crevices and I use it for the Le Coulter type straight razor blades.
I have used just water in the ultrasonic unit and whatever solvent I was using in a plastic freezer bag along with the object. I then put that into the water and the water only up to the fill level with the partly full bag in place. Saves a lot of cleanup!.
Good Luck!
~Richard
Ultrasonic Cleaner - Harbor Freight Tools

Using some informations here, I'm currently trying to fix a Toggle which originally had it's collar seriously jammed. I won it on B&B via an international PIF, the condition was to repair it and take pictures of the procedure or re-PIF it if I wasn't able to fix the old lady. Many thanks to Geezer for his valuable informations, now I'm seriously close to achieve the goal.

The good tools, the right oil and the appropriate ratio of force and gentleness, that's the secret.



Here's the link, I'll update the picture until I'm able to shave with it.