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Gillette Slim Adjustable (should it be slanted)

I have just aquired a Gillette Slim Adjustable, which is in very good condition, no play in anything. I have never owned an adjustable, and ignore my ignorance, but should the head be slanted to the base? About 1/2mm difference between left to right.

Also if this is correct, as a first time user (but well seasoned DE) what setting shall I start on. Looking through the forums I notice in SOTD a lot of people like 3 or 5.

I am not going to use it until somebody suggests that slanted is normal!

Thanks all,

Carl
 
If you look at the area where the blade actually shaves the face, there is a slight slant from one side to the other.

Carl
 
Yes, a picture would help. But I assume that the safety bar is bent, which usually happens when a razor is dropped. If this is the case then you can, very carefully, bend the safety bar back into place (you'll want to put some tape on the safety bar before bending with with a pliers otherwise you will cause surface damage to the safety bar). It will never be perfect, but probably closer than it is now.
 
Also if this is correct, as a first time user (but well seasoned DE) what setting shall I start on. Looking through the forums I notice in SOTD a lot of people like 3 or 5.

Like scottydoint, I'm not sure what you mean by "slanted." If the mechanics work smoothly, its unlikely that anything is bent or broken, so what could it be? A picture would definitely help clarify things.

I usually recommend to a Newbie that they start with the dial on 1 ... shave with it, and learn what it feels like. They might not even be removing any whiskers at this point, but they're learning how to handle the razor and develop their technique, without risking much skin damage.

The next day, dial it up to 2, shave again. It should feel a little sharper, and just a tad more aggressive.

Next day, dial it up to 3, and shave again ... keep dialing up until you cut yourself, then back it down a notch or two. Most people wind up cutting themselves at about a 7, and settle in on 5 as their default.

Put in a fresh blade at least every 3 days, if not sooner.

Since you already know how to handle a DE, you're probably safe starting off a little higher, but the same principles apply. Dial up one notch a day until you cut yourself, then back it down.

For starters, use whatever blade you like from your other razor ... once you find the comfort setting that's right, then you can experiment with other brands of blades. But, changing brands of blades might require that you recalibrate the adjustment, starting all over from 1 again.
 
Yea that isn't normal. I have had a couple that have that problem, but fixed them with some needle nose pliers. Inspect carefully where it needs to be bent back in place.
 
Like scottydoint, I'm not sure what you mean by "slanted." If the mechanics work smoothly, its unlikely that anything is bent or broken, so what could it be? A picture would definitely help clarify things.

I usually recommend to a Newbie that they start with the dial on 1 ... shave with it, and learn what it feels like. They might not even be removing any whiskers at this point, but they're learning how to handle the razor and develop their technique, without risking much skin damage.

The next day, dial it up to 2, shave again. It should feel a little sharper, and just a tad more aggressive.

Next day, dial it up to 3, and shave again ... keep dialing up until you cut yourself, then back it down a notch or two. Most people wind up cutting themselves at about a 7, and settle in on 5 as their default.

Put in a fresh blade at least every 3 days, if not sooner.

Since you already know how to handle a DE, you're probably safe starting off a little higher, but the same principles apply. Dial up one notch a day until you cut yourself, then back it down.

For starters, use whatever blade you like from your other razor ... once you find the comfort setting that's right, then you can experiment with other brands of blades. But, changing brands of blades might require that you recalibrate the adjustment, starting all over from 1 again.

I have had some that were perfectly smooth and still had a bent safety bar. Good advice on the the settings for someone new to an adj.
 
Let's try some ASCII art ...

Code:
[FONT="Courier New"]
========== <= silo door
---------- <= razor blade
~~~~
    ~~~~~~ <= (bent) safety bar (gap is smaller at left and larger at right)
[/FONT]

is this your problem?
 
If you are sure that its the doors then check the end caps on the side of the head and see if they are level. Usually it is the safety bar bent, but if its the doors then the end caps will be slanted too. If thats the case just take some needle nose pliers and grip the top and bottom of the endcap and turn left or right to straighten. Make sure you do this with the doors open.
 
Here are a couple of pics:

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Carl
 
That is a bent safety bar. With a pair of needle nose pliers you can bend it back to parallel with the silo doors. Just be VERY careful not to damage the surface metal of the safety bar!

However, if the bend doesn't bother you and doesn't affect the shave, then there is no need to fix it.
 
Ok its hard to tell if the end caps are even, but they look to be so it is probably the safety bar that is bent. Close the razor and look from the side and see if the safety bar has an even gap between it and the base.
 
Putting a 12 inch rule along the top of the silo doors shows a definate slant. Along the base of the safety bar it is perfectly parellel with the handle (90deg).
 
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