Gillette slim reset

bradd1146 · Sep 24, 2016

I recently bought a slim adjustable off eBay and it doesn't look like the gap is changing at all when I adjust between 1-9. It's stuck on one setting it looks like. I went to YouTube and saw a couple videos on "resetting" them. Has anyone else heard of doing this or has had the same problem ?

This is the difference between 1-9. Looks identical to me.

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TobyC · Sep 24, 2016

Soak it in hot tap water and dish soap over night and try it tomorrow.

ccpastork · Sep 24, 2016

TobyC said:
Soak it in hot tap water and dish soap over night and try it tomorrow.

+1...it worked on mine.

bradd1146 · Sep 24, 2016

TobyC said:
Soak it in hot tap water and dish soap over night and try it tomorrow.

Okay I'll try that. I figured something was up to when the doors were closed and I turned the adjustment dial and it turned easily as if the doors were all the way open.

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Go West Young Man · Sep 24, 2016

Check the adjustment with a blade in the razor, it'll be much easier to see if the gap is changing it if you need to do some work.

Floyd Eye · Sep 25, 2016

Or send it to Captain Murphy and let him clean it up, adjust it and repaint the numbers.

wgn! · Sep 25, 2016

I had the exact same issue with a Slim. The adjuster plate wouldn't move. It was stuck at the highest point in travel (at the 9 position). From your picture it looks the same. The adjuster knob moved downward when you turned it to 1, but the plate isn't moving too so there is a gap.

It took me a couple of days of soaking and GENTLY prying the plate down out of its stuck position. Then it took another day of soaking and working it up and down until it moved freely. There was obviously a LOT of crap caked inside the mechanism. Granted it was over 50 years old.

I think "resetting" refers to correcting an adjustable when a previous owner has moved the adjustment beyond the 9. That doesn't sound like what you're describing.

Just keep working at it. If all else fails, you can disassemble it (I've never done it, and this is NOT a recommendation but there are videos out there demonstrating it.) Or you can send it off to be restored. The forum can give you recommendations if you choose to go that route. Shouldn't be necessary. Repeat: Just keep working at it.

troy · Sep 25, 2016

wgn! said:
I had the exact same issue with a Slim. The adjuster plate wouldn't move. It was stuck at the highest point in travel (at the 9 position). From your picture it looks the same. The adjuster knob moved downward when you turned it to 1, but the plate isn't moving too so there is a gap.

It took me a couple of days of soaking and GENTLY prying the plate down out of its stuck position. Then it took another day of soaking and working it up and down until it moved freely. There was obviously a LOT of crap caked inside the mechanism. Granted it was over 50 years old.

I think "resetting" refers to correcting an adjustable when a previous owner has moved the adjustment beyond the 9. That doesn't sound like what you're describing.

Just keep working at it. If all else fails, you can disassemble it (I've never done it, and this is NOT a recommendation but there are videos out there demonstrating it.) Or you can send it off to be restored. The forum can give you recommendations if you choose to go that route. Shouldn't be necessary. Repeat: Just keep working at it.

Agreed I noticed the same gap. I've had this problem on a few. If soap and water doesn't get it freed up, I've had good luck with lighter fluid. It also looks like there is no flex on the blade, be sure that you are getting that last 1/4 turn lock up. If there is no 1/4 turn the answer to that is also soaking.

BSAGuy · Sep 25, 2016

The soak should fix you up.

211bma · Sep 25, 2016

Floyd Eye said:
Or send it to Captain Murphy and let him clean it up, adjust it and repaint the numbers.

Yeah, CAP is a genius, if the soak doesn't work he can fix it.

TobyC · Sep 25, 2016

bradd1146 said:
I recently bought a slim adjustable off eBay and it doesn't look like the gap is changing at all when I adjust between 1-9. It's stuck on one setting it looks like. I went to YouTube and saw a couple videos on "resetting" them. Has anyone else heard of doing this or has had the same problem ?

This is the difference between 1-9. Looks identical to me.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Go West Young Man said:
Check the adjustment with a blade in the razor, it'll be much easier to see if the gap is changing it if you need to do some work.

There is a blade in the razor.

.

bradd1146 · Sep 25, 2016

I tried soaking it overnight in the hot water/ dish soap. It looks like something is off mechanically. Shouldn't the sleeve be going up as I adjust the blade to 9 instead of the sleeve coming down ? If that makes sense.

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troy · Sep 25, 2016

The plate should slide freely. it will have the most travel when in the 1 position. Leave it in one and try to move the plate up and down if it doesn't want to move don't force it, keep soaking. Also run a pipe cleaner between the adjuster plate and bottom plate of the razor. Hope that makes sense.

troy · Sep 25, 2016

If you look at your first and second pic. You can see a gap between the ring and collar of the adjustment plate when it the 1 position. it should slide freely enough that gravity or at least closing the doors will close that gap.

wgn! · Sep 25, 2016

bradd1146 said:
I tried soaking it overnight in the hot water/ dish soap. It looks like something is off mechanically. Shouldn't the sleeve be going up as I adjust the blade to 9 instead of the sleeve coming down ? If that makes sense.

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The sleeve you're talking about is part of the adjuster plate (the part with the trademark and date codes markings, and 4 "fingers" that stick into the blade compartment) It appears stuck in the up position. The gap I was talking about is between the adjuster knob (with the numbers marked on it) and the adjuster plate. When you turn the knob up to 9 the knob moves up until it is touching the plate. The plate itself is not moving, but it should.

It's going to take multiple soakings to clean it out. Between soakings, turn the knob down to 1, take something that won't damage the razor (like a plastic picnic knife but maybe stiffer) and gently try to pry the plate down from the bottom of the blade compartment. I don't remember what I used, but it took several soaks before it moved at all, and several more before it moved freely. This took place over several days.

Lots of HOT soapy water soaks. It's a marathon not a sprint.

bradd1146 · Sep 25, 2016

troy said:
The plate should slide freely. it will have the most travel when in the 1 position. Leave it in one and try to move the plate up and down if it doesn't want to move don't force it, keep soaking. Also run a pipe cleaner between the adjuster plate and bottom plate of the razor. Hope that makes sense.

Well the adjustment dial moves very freely and I'm assuming there is some type of rod inside that handle that pushes the adjustment plate up and down. It appears that is working but the plate just isn't moving up and down.

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wgn! · Sep 25, 2016

troy said:
Also run a pipe cleaner between the adjuster plate and bottom plate of the razor. Hope that makes sense.

+1 This too.

bradd1146 · Sep 25, 2016

troy said:
If you look at your first and second pic. You can see a gap between the ring and collar of the adjustment plate when it the 1 position. it should slide freely enough that gravity or at least closing the doors will close that gap.

Oh okay yeah that collar won't move at all.

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wgn! · Sep 25, 2016

bradd1146 said:
Well the adjustment dial moves very freely and I'm assuming there is some type of rod inside that handle that pushes the adjustment plate up and down. It appears that is working but the plate just isn't moving up and down.

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Nope. The plate just sits on top of the knob. There's no mechanical connection.

hydro-magic · Sep 25, 2016

Those adjustment plates can get pretty stubborn. I've had a couple that took days of soaking in hot/warm water along with forcefully pushing the plate up and down a few times a day during the soakings before it would move freely. An ultrasonic cleaner might work better than just soaking but I don't know.

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