Merkur 1904 stuck again and can't be opened...any ideas?

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Mar 23, 2014
Pretty sure its the Arko shaving cream getting into the handle and getting it stuck again. Never had this happen when using other stuff. I've been soaking the handle regularly in dishwashing liquid so im pretty surprised its happened again this time round.

Basically the handle cant be opened. No amount of twisting will budge it. I tried the following :

- Soaking it in dishwashing liquid

- Soaking it in methylated spirits

- Boiling in hot water

- Boiling in dishwashing liquid

- Boiling in methylated spirits

- Banging the handle on the table

Nothing works. Just will not budge. Can't open it to change the blade unfortunately.

Does anyone have any suggestions or am I gonna have to get another razor? If the latter, any suggestions on a razor to buy or place to get it from?
 
Try putting it in the freezer for a few hours, then try opening it while running it under a hot tap. Try and direct the water on to the area where the thread is. The freezing might bring the temperature of the head down enough to allow the hot water to just expand the handle enough to crack it.:unsure:

If not find some type of vice. The handle shape should allow you to use a shifter on it or multigrips. That will get it open, prob mark the handle though. You could first try twisting some cord around it and use somthing like a chopstick or metal chopstick for leverage before resorting to a shifter or multi grips.
 
Question said:
Pretty sure its the Arko shaving cream getting into the handle and getting it stuck again. Never had this happen when using other stuff. I've been soaking the handle regularly in dishwashing liquid so im pretty surprised its happened again this time round.

Basically the handle cant be opened. No amount of twisting will budge it. I tried the following :

- Soaking it in dishwashing liquid

- Soaking it in methylated spirits

- Boiling in hot water

- Boiling in dishwashing liquid

- Boiling in methylated spirits

- Banging the handle on the table

Nothing works. Just will not budge. Can't open it to change the blade unfortunately.

Does anyone have any suggestions or am I gonna have to get another razor? If the latter, any suggestions on a razor to buy or place to get it from?
Click to expand...
From that description I would say that the thread has corroded and stuck to the handle. Do you leave it together while wet or after use? Was the thread very worn or crusty white stuff on it?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, the Mekur 1904/06 are solid Zamac (zinc alloy). Thus corrode badly once the chrome later has been removed. If this is the case I'd say the head is now permanently affixed to the handle depending on how bad it is a water displacement lubricate may work to budge it. Though end of the day it will do it again. Chuck it and get a new razor.

There are plenty of places to buy a razor it all depends on your budget? On ebay right now is an used Rockwell 6S will last a lifetime.

@TomG thoughts or do you concur?
 
Apply WD40 to where handle meets head and let sit overnight. If it won't budge after that then apply heat to the handle head junction and try. If it's that badly seized then heat will probably have to be flame, maybe gas stove top flame, being careful not to overheat (melting, discolouration), but at this stage be prepared that the razor may be at throw away point so probably nothing to lose. If the thread is seized into the handle the thread may even snap off but heating will give you the best chance of recovery.
 
I've already tried boiling in water multiple times though...even boiling it in methylated spirits had no effect. I was hoping the heat would expand the handle enough for the dishwashing liquid/methylated spirits to get in and remove the soap that was presumably causing the handle to get stuck.

I cant rememeber if the threads were worn or had crusty white stuff on it, but the last time i cleaned the handle (about a month before this happened), i had soaked it in dishwashing liquid and it was able to screw in afterwards smoothly with no issues at all.

Had no idea this razor was made out of zinc and would corrode if the plating wore off. Is it normal for razors to be made out of zinc and have this problem?

Im looking for a budget razor...probably similar to the Merkur 1904 or one that would give me a more aggressive shave. Is it possible to get one that wouldnt have the same problem of the handle getting stuck? I could get another Merkur 1904 but that would probably end up having the same problem so I was thinking of another model that wouldn't have the same issue again...but I'm not sure if that's possible?
 
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RustyBlade said:
From that description I would say that the thread has corroded and stuck to the handle. Do you leave it together while wet or after use? Was the thread very worn or crusty white stuff on it?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, the Mekur 1904/06 are solid Zamac (zinc alloy). Thus corrode badly once the chrome later has been removed. If this is the case I'd say the head is now permanently affixed to the handle depending on how bad it is a water displacement lubricate may work to budge it. Though end of the day it will do it again. Chuck it and get a new razor.

There are plenty of places to buy a razor it all depends on your budget? On ebay right now is an used Rockwell 6S will last a lifetime.

@TomG thoughts or do you concur?
Click to expand...
Given what has been tried, it unfortunately does sound like corrosion as Rusty says above.
@LukehGee has made a good suggestion re thermal contraction/expansion. I would pop the razor in the Freezer for a few hours. Boil some water in the kettle, and pour into a coffee mug. Remove the razor from the freezer and dip just the head of the razor into the hot water; give it 10 seconds and then have a crack at separating; keep repeating this for a few cycles.

Best of luck with it.
 
My 2c.
Harking back to my metal trade days, I would use a penetrating solvent, WD40 is easily obtainable. Give it a good spray then place it in a zip plastic bag overnight to prevent the solvent from evaporating. If all the above suggestion fail then its time for a new razor.
Good luck.
 
Question said:
I've already tried boiling in water multiple times though...even boiling it in methylated spirits had no effect. I was hoping the heat would expand the handle enough for the dishwashing liquid/methylated spirits to get in and remove the soap that was presumably causing the handle to get stuck.

I cant rememeber if the threads were worn or had crusty white stuff on it, but the last time i cleaned the handle (about a month before this happened), i had soaked it in dishwashing liquid and it was able to screw in afterwards smoothly with no issues at all.

Had no idea this razor was made out of zinc and would corrode if the plating wore off. Is it normal for razors to be made out of zinc and have this problem?

Im looking for a budget razor...probably similar to the Merkur 1904 or one that would give me a more aggressive shave. Is it possible to get one that wouldnt have the same problem of the handle getting stuck? I could get another Merkur 1904 but that would probably end up having the same problem so I was thinking of another model that wouldn't have the same issue again...but I'm not sure if that's possible?
Click to expand...
Frankly zinc razors suck the rear end of a fly. You buy it, learn to use it, finally fall in love with it and it falls apart on you.
Very common and hence why so many vintage razors are binned. Once the chrome plating is damaged it will eat away at the rest of it. I've got a great vintage gold PAL razor where the thread is slowly being eaten away and soon it too will be binned.
Some older Zinc based razors used brass thread screws moulded into the head to prevent this very problem.

Never used a Mekur 1904 and not sure where they sit in the scale of things.
Most new razors (usually zinc based) start around $20aud and go all the way up. Most steel or brass based razors that will out last you or a few generations start about ~$100 usd.
However an old DE vintage brass based but chromed plated can be found on ebay in a reasonable condition for $20 and up.

A favourite here for some is the gem/ever-ready single edge razors that can be had for $10 and up. Older turn of the century ones are nicely aggressive. But the blades are more expensive though they can be used more times than a DE blade.

There really is no answer to your question. It really comes down to you doing the research and what you want against your price point.

Q-shave does an adjustable razor that is a copy of a mekur for $10 shipped. It can be very aggressive. Unfortunately zinc but the coating is thicker and modern zinc alloy so should last longer.

Plenty of options out there.
 
If the razor does not specifically mention a different metal it is 99.99% of the time ZAMAC - a zinc alloy (also often refereed to as pot-metal) coated with chrome

All Merkur, all Muhle (except the Rocca series), all Edwin Jagger...all ZAMAC

Be careful, there are now some sneaky sellers, advertising stainless steel, but you get only a stainless steel handles with a ZAMAC head - the stainless steel thread will destroy your ZAMAC head even faster...

Cheap non ZAMAC options of the top of my head:
Parker Variant - brass
Some RazoRock razors in stainless steel and Aluminium

After that it gets to the 99USD and more price region

And then you can go of course vintage - there a lot if vintage brass razors
 
alfredus said:
If the razor does not specifically mention a different metal it is 99.99% of the time ZAMAC - a zinc alloy (also often refereed to as pot-metal) coated with chrome

All Merkur, all Muhle (except the Rocca series), all Edwin Jagger...all ZAMAC

Be careful, there are now some sneaky sellers, advertising stainless steel, but you get only a stainless steel handles with a ZAMAC head - the stainless steel thread will destroy your ZAMAC head even faster...

Cheap non ZAMAC options of the top of my head:
Parker Variant - brass
Some RazoRock razors in stainless steel and Aluminium

After that it gets to the 99USD and more price region

And then you can go of course vintage - there a lot if vintage brass razors
Click to expand...

Welp...$99 is wayyyy out of my price range...

Why is brass better than zinc, when both are chrome plated?

Im guessing this is the qshave razor in question by the way?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Men...45ec368&transAbTest=ae803_5&priceBeautifyAB=0

Gonna get it i guess...may as well try it for $10. Only downside is that the aliexpress shipping times seem pretty long...I just got a pair of earphones from a seller in China off ebay, and I got it in about two weeks. The aliexpress times are 3-4 weeks on average.
 
Question said:
Welp...$99 is wayyyy out of my price range...

Why is brass better than zinc, when both are chrome plated?

Im guessing this is the qshave razor in question by the way?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Men...45ec368&transAbTest=ae803_5&priceBeautifyAB=0

Gonna get it i guess...may as well try it for $10. Only downside is that the aliexpress shipping times seem pretty long...I just got a pair of earphones from a seller in China off ebay, and I got it in about two weeks. The aliexpress times are 3-4 weeks on average.
Click to expand...
When brass oxidises under normal conditions (ie in your bathroom) it only gets what is referred to as patina. It doesn't corrode and crumble. The chrome layer on brass is only for cosmetic reasons.

You know what happens to ZAMAC when the chrome layer is damaged - it corrodes and crumbles apart.

Aluminum behaves similarly to brass, but is lighter.

Stainless steel is much more resistant but also much harder/has a higher melting point and therefore more expensive to manufacture...

You can get from RazoRock an Al head/Ti handle razor for 40USD and stainless steel razors for 50USD...
 
Well I ended up buying the qshave adjustable razor...its AUD $14 now from aliexpress. Also ended up buying a qshave badger brush and a cheap shaving bowl off ebay that looks like the qshave one...this one was marked as alloy steel but there are plenty of similar listings that describe it as stainless steel...i suspect they are all alloy steel though...
 
@Question probably way too late (as I was asleep) but my pick of the bunch for cheap solid razor with heft and medium to aggressive would be a Pearl L-55. When I was starting out and looking to get a keeper with weight and looks this one shone through. Still regret not getting it.
The Pearls are great razors and there are lighter handle variants and solid bar options. All brass construction.
For next time :LOL:
 
Looks like that would have been out of my price range anyway. Hope the stuff from aliexpress doesnt get lost or delayed...i paid extra for epacket shipping which has a tracking number and a faster delivery time at least.
 
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