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Hi guys,
I found a Fatboy last week, I did not put attention while buying it on a garage sale. And thinking to offer to a friend. When I get at home I realise the turning piece to open and close the upside was too weak, and must to turn it to make it tight. Then I tried with a blade to see what us going to happen. Well I turn it tight but in this case the blade stay at as 1st level. Even if I turn to 9 doesn't change anything.
Would you know if it can be repaired?
have you given it a good soak in hot soapy water? might be full of gunk. also it is best to adjust it with the doors open. There are also some you tube videos (i think that's where i saw them) on how to take them apart if it needs a deeper cleaning or repair.
Yes already cleaned it but not inside. I'll take a look in videosQuote:
Originally Posted by tintin
Probably needs a good cleaning. Post some photos of the razor especially of the bottom end.
The Center Rod, Shaft and or Collet have become stuck together with dried shaving cream, you will have to loosen all the gunk and possibly disassemble it, to clean properly, but sometimes you can get them to work just by soaking. Whatever you do, do not force anything. Time and soapy hot water will eventually get it apart.
Start by soaking in hot water with a health squirt of good dish soap, I use Dawn liquid. Soak overnight. Do not use anything stronger than dish soap and water, the nickel plating is thin. Do not use vinegar.
You may need to repeat for a couple days to loosen up and dissolve years of hardened caned shave cream. After a day, try to work the adjuster and see if it loosens up the head. Do not force. A Vibrasonic cleaner will speed up the process if you have one.
I have disassembled some, with the handle completely filled with hardened soap.
Depending on the model and condition, it may be worth sending it out. Some models are pricy and worth investing in a proper disassembly, cleaning and repair by skilled hands.
There are several good videos and tutorials on disassembling the various TTO razors, but you will have to make some tools and the razor are made of plated brass and can be damaged… easily.
Oh and did I say, Do Not Force Anything?
Myself and a few friends used this very effectively, with no damage to plating whatsoever. I cleaned nickel and rhodium with it. Leave it on, as instructed for 30-45 seconds and rinse thoroughly with warm water. Don't let it get on your bare hands, it is a strong degreaser that is no good for skin!
https://www.k2car.at/Akra-Engine-Cleaner
Also Harbor Freight sells an ultrasonic cleaner for a decent price i soak mine in pinesol or simple green and throw it in the UC and it breaks up pretty quickly. With a UC you do have to be careful with the paint because it will rip it out and you will have to fill it again.
Yup, the HF ultrasonic cleaner works well, put the razor in a heavy, freezer type Zip-Lock bag fill with hot water and cleaning solution, either with the razor disassembled or completely assembled.
The bag makes clean up easy, as the HF, cleaner solution tray is not removable and if you dump the water out you run the risk of wetting the electronics.
If you do fill the tub, a water bottle, cut in half, makes quick work of emptying the container almost completely, a micro fiber or paper towels will suck up any remaining liquid.
Tried some, watched a lot of videos but did not succeed, and afraid to break it down. I will let it go like this. All the way I've one other which is in good conditionQuote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
If you're turning the adjuster ring, or the bottom knob and nothing is happening, it is likely the mechanism inside is broken. Perhaps someone forced it before you and wore out the mechanism.
This is the correct bottom piece:
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...9589b6e68c.jpg
It fits around the center bar and this opens the doors:
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...273add22cd.jpg
But when it's stuck and forced, this happens:
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...f95398b7d2.jpg
Perhaps your is partially worn out, if I'm reading the OP correctly.. And you percieve this as weak.
Let it sit in a Dawn dish soap & water solution for a few days. It won’t hurt the razor and you might get lucky. Some say to boil in water, but I have never done that, soaking and ultrasonic cleaning have worked for me.
The soap has glued the shaft to the head and it might come loose with enough time, as long as it’s not stripped it will work fine without disassembly, once it breaks loose.
I recently picked up an F-1 "Fatboy" which had a frozen adjustment dial and base plate. I was able to free everything up, depressed the red spring to tighten up the dial, and got everything working.
Thing is, everything I've read indicates that setting 1 is the least aggressive, and setting 9 the most. Yet on mine, setting 1, where the blade is flatter, seems to require the most care and causes the most nicks and weepers. But by dialing all the way up to setting 9, and causing the blade to bow up more, the shave still requires care, as these fatboys seem to bite pretty easily, but the shave seems much more mild with fewer weepers, contrary to what I expected and based on what I've read about these razors. So on mine, setting 1 seems most aggressive, setting 9 the least.
Is my fatboy backwards? Or is this just a normal variation? Or what?
IIRC the blade gap should increase as you go from 1 to 9. Maybe check and see if it is doing that?
Bob
Yea, someone forced it and un-intentionally “Overclocked” it, and it is out of sequence.
Set it on 1¸take a toothpick and push down on the red spring and turn the dial to the left, do not force. It should be back in sync. If it won’t go it needs cleaning, soak in hot water and dish soap.
Pressing the spring down should disengage the spring, but it may have crud build up under the spring.
I have soaked them for a couple weeks to get them free. They are nickel plated brass so no harm in soaking, you must break down the hardened soap.
Search Fatboy Overclocking, for more info.
The gap increases, but as the settings increase to 9 and the center of the blade is bowed upwards toward the head of the razor, it seems that a bit less of the blade edge is exposed, and there is more of a downward angle to the edge. Maybe it's a shaving technique thing. Anyway, I suppose as long as I can get it to work at 9, that's all that matters. Just suprised, maybe a little disapointed, it worked out that way.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
Got a good close shave with it though. That's what really matters. Now I have to decide if I want to send it for replating, or leave as is.
Yup, sounds about right to me, no expert though. Could be that you are used to straight razors and are using an angle on the Fat Boy similar to a straight razor. What I mean is that you drop the handle down very little, use a very light touch and that is what is giving you an excellent shave. Seems most of the aggressive DEs I have used worked best that way. If you lower the handle too much you get scraping not cutting the hair. Sweet shavers aren't they.Quote:
Originally Posted by honedright
Bob
So, I've concluded it's an angle thing just like all other razors. I had become used to shaving with an early model Gillette Tech and naturally continued with that same "feel" using the Fatboy. Two different razors, two different techniques. The Tech was much more forgiving, the Fatboy not so much. But I found my sweet spot at No. 7, and now think I'm a bit infatuated with the adjustables. Kind of kicking myself for passing up a slim several weeks ago. Never again!
Another acquisition disorder. Just when I thought I had kicked it.
I always thought an adjustable DE was a good beginners razor that you could grow into as your shaving and lathering technique improved over time. Start mild and work your way up to wild, if you wanted. No need to start with a mild razor and gradually work through a few to get the aggression level you finally want. Add to that by trying out various blades to see which worked best for you and you can really tailor the razor to you. A buy one and done thing but that would be no fun would it?
Bob
Since this seems to be the most active Fatboy thread, I'll ask here: anyone used any of the razor restoration services for re-plating and tune-up? I've looked at one online charging $120.00 for factory nickel, number repaint, and re-adjust of the mechanism. Seems high, but the finished product looks great. Any opinions?
Can you take some pictures of the blade gap at 1 and at 9.Quote:
Originally Posted by honedright
razorplate.com, no need to go to anyone else, he has a backlog but well worth it Tc
You have not fully tightened the knob on the handle. Typically, when you close the butterfly doors after placing a blade in the razor, the knob continues until you reach what feels like a stop. The knob needs to go a bit further, not much, but you feel a distinct increase in the resistance and then the knob can go another maybe 1/4 turn before it stops. I don't currently have fat boy here to check on, but I know that I needed to finish the tightening for the adjustment ring to work properly.Quote:
Originally Posted by honedright
So, when the doors are fully closed, and the blade is tensioned (bowed) fully, the adjustment ring will simply raise and lower the guard to vary the gap... If the blade is more or less flexed when you change the adjustment ring... it is because the razor is not fully closed yet. Dirt, grime etc. in the handle from years of use may have made this difficult to do, so I would not bear down on it too much.... if it's that full of crud, something may break. But, it does take a slight amount of effort to fully close.
I have a Fatboy replated by a member here, which I am very happy with. It really only depends on where you're located. There are a few services in Europe that I know of, which are very good and reasonably priced.Quote:
Originally Posted by honedright
The $120 US service you speak of, I think I know what it is and there is a reason why it's that expensive. It's a strictly business reason and has nothing to do with the quality of the service. You would do better to just buy the razor from them, rather than have them replate your own.
No kidding.. One of my friends had a razor done by them and waited 4 months to get it back.Quote:
Originally Posted by tcrideshd
The Razor Emporium restores Fatboy and does an exceptional job from cleaning to refinishing.
The Razor Emporium has a lot of experience in repairing Gillette's.
Hopefully this was taken care of two years ago.