Problem with Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed

I recently bought what I believe is a 1954-1957 English Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed which was listed as not working properly. Holding the razor upright and twisting the knob, the knob simply unscrews without opening the barn doors. Fully twisted open, if you push the knob up, the barn doors open, then fall shut when the knob is let go.

I presume there was some sort of circlip or spring inside which kept the knob shut tight against the main shaft which has since broken.

Looking inside the knob, there is a screw (?) which has four points on it's head. I've tried to unscrew it, both clockwise and anti clockwise, and it doesn't budge.

Does anyone have any tips on how this razor can be disassembled, what the fault is and how it can be rectified? The razor functions perfectly except for this annoying issue.

I have the same issue with a Fatboy. Its annoying but doesn't affect the shave quality...

It's a great shaver- same head as my Aristocrat and identical shave, though this razor is a bit lighter and the handle is more spikey. I'd just like to be able to return it to original specification if I can.

That is a common problem with Super Speeds. The deep groove in the knurling towards the base of the handle is a crimp that normally retains the TTO knob. It has expanded during years of use and now allows the knob to drop down. The groove can be re-crimped by a number of methods. One member dulled the blade of a pipe cutter in order to apply pressure in the grove, another method is to find some heavy gauge wire that fits in the grove and apply pressure with some pliers. Or you can ignore it and use as is.

If I recall, the bottom ring on the handle is actually a crimp that holds it together. Someone here devised a method of using a small pipe cutter with a washer in it to re-crimp it. I will look for the thread.

If I recall, the bottom ring on the handle is actually a crimp that holds it together. Someone here devised a method of using a small pipe cutter with a washer in it to re-crimp it. I will look for the thread.

If I recall, the bottom ring on the handle is actually a crimp that holds it together. Someone here devised a method of using a small pipe cutter with a washer in it to re-crimp it. I will look for the thread.

Are you very attached to this particular razor? Just curious. For me the time it would take to fix it would be more expensive than buying a new one that already works.

Its actually pretty easy to fix and you don't need a pipe cutter. Lay it on the edge of a counter or table so it will roll, now use the back side of a butter knife in the groove with the knob screwed shut. Put a block of wood or something on top of the exposed blade and press down as hard as you can then roll the razor so that the backside of the knife rolls around the groove. Try to go evenly around the whole crimp and repeat as many tiomes as necessary until the knob stays up and your TTO doors open properly. If you can visualize that its the easiest fix.

Jay

Well, my posts didn't come through on the first day! Mako72- that sounds like a very good plan. Especially the "knob screwed shut" part.

No Problem! I took some coat hanger wire cut to size and carefully wrapped it around the groove, then sqeezed it with a long handled pipe pliers, working it around the wire bit by bit. This re-established the crimp perfectly. I removed the wire and Viola!, it works like new. Thanks for the help.