By the way, BD176 isn’t “safer and better”. The Amazon seller is full of slushy brown substance and I don’t mean coffee. These are two very different razors even though 176 was designed as an “upgraded” 171. I own both. 176 is very mild and very close to my just-acquired 1960 Tech. The “unupgraded” 171 is more aggressive but also more efficient. I now prefer it over 171, as I can get BBS with less work.
But to me this means poor quality control, design or fabrication issues, not material problems. According to info I found, Gillette started using Zamac caps in 1962, yet there are millions of these razors still around, many with evidence of heavy use.There was a time, a dark time, not all that long ago. Muhle R89 razors were failing left and right when the zamak post on the cap corroded and failed. Some people had similar failures with other zamak razors. This is how the idea spread that zamak is basically bad news in razors and you can expect such razors to fall apart at any moment. Once the plating is breached, your razor will die a horrible death, etc.
Muhle actually gave people new caps for free on request because of this. They later improved the design by making the cap post out of brass.
Brass can be re-plated. Brass can be polished. Brass will endure. Classic Gillettes and other vintage razors like GEMs are made of brass. That is why people like brass.
I'd agree the 176 model is not an improvement. The seller should change the listing if the person who orders is going to get something different from what is shown. That is just
The problem is, without intact plating, zamak really can corrode. Muhle making the top cap post as an integral part of the cap in one die casting turned out to be a bad idea because the threads are a wear area for the plating. Plus, the screw post is a thin section and under constant tension.
Gillette used a much better grade of Zamac. Their plating was better, too.
That's possible. Another alternative is that they produced cheap razors sold at loss leader prices, and if some customers' razors had their caps rotted and were thrown out after years of use, nobody cared and there was not enough of a controversy to leave a record. Especially as they didn't have the internet to whine on.
No, it's a known fact. There are tens of grades of Zamac, depending on the ratios of the base metals. More brittle Zamac is cheaper than quality Zamac. Gillette used a good grade that has held up well. Thick plating also helps.
Ok, good to know.
