The Gillette Fatboy

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Leisureguy, Sep 9, 2007.

  1. Leisureguy

    Leisureguy Read My Blog

    Another thread started to diverge into a discussion of the Gillette fatboy, and I thought it would be good for that to be a thread of its own (one thread per topic instead of mixing topics within a thread).

    So: do you actually like shaving with the Fatboy?

    My own experience: I shaved with a setting of 3 for quite a while, then went to 4 for a while, and (finally) at 5 am getting good shaves. But I do notice that I don't pick up that razor all that often. Perhaps I should shave with it exclusively for a week and see what I think.

    What's your experience? If it fails for you, what's the problem?
     
  2. I couldn't say exactly, It's not the weight but something about the head shape it just doesn't feel right.


    Paul
     
  3. Scorpio

    Scorpio Big Hitter

    Before I moved on to shave with straight this was my razor. I like everything about it. I still use it for touch ups. I use it on setting 5. For a newbie I reccomend start at 3 and work from that point. Never failed me always gave me a fantastic shave.

    Raf
     
  4. Tommynick

    Tommynick Well-Known Member

    I have a fat boy which I have not used in a few months. I prefer it to the slim adjustables I have because of the extra weight. I find I don't push the settings much past 4.

    I like it and will go back to it. Unfortunately, I developed a bad case of RAD so the last few months have been devoted to learning the slant and also learning
    the Gem Junior.
     
  5. Smedley

    Smedley New Member

    If I had to pick one razor from my collection, it would be my Fat Boy. I love the balance of it, and the adjustability. I dial higher on each pass, which makes me one of the minority, but I wouldn't shave with it any other way.
     
  6. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    I like 'em

    I usually take mine @ a 3 or 4

    Given good prepwork, I can get a superb shave in 2 passes or less ::
     
  7. Baloosh

    Baloosh Duder

    +1 on all counts.

    The Fatboy is my daily DE razor. First pass on 3, then 5, then 7 or 8 for touch-up.
     
  8. johnniegold

    johnniegold New Member

    I have a '59 that doesn't get the call all that often. For me, it is one of those razors that I had to have and will definitely keep. Although a good shaver it is not in my top five. I find that I reach much more for Merkurs than I do my Gillettes with the exception of the '56 Gillette SS red-tip. Maybe like Michael, I should give the Fatboy an exclusive run for a week and get reacquainted with it.
     
  9. rick

    rick I'll make ya SCream!

    Had one...

    dumped it for a Slim Adjustible.
    Now the Slim is losing favor as well :o
     
  10. MarSellus Wallace

    MarSellus Wallace New Member

    1) Gillette Superspeed red tip (I currently own three of them)
    2) Gillette Slim adjustable
    3) Gillette Fat Boy

    But the Fat Boy is definitely one of the best looking razors ever made!

    To my mind the Aristocrat is not aggressive enough, the british FTR is too aggressive, I don't care about the blue tip nor the normal superspeed. I do want to try out the british rocket hd, this seems to be my heaviest razor at the moment. Rumour has it that the Sheraton is a nice shaver too.

    I'm not into Merkurs (yet) :D
     
  11. johnniegold

    johnniegold New Member


    I agree that aesthetically the Fatboy is an attractive razor. BTW, MarSellus, didn't your birthday just pass? Get yourself a Merkur man.
     
  12. MarSellus Wallace

    MarSellus Wallace New Member

    Oh no, no, no! :rolleyes005
     
  13. jbcohen

    jbcohen New Member

    Scorpio, why did you switch to a straight razor?
     
  14. PalmettoB

    PalmettoB The Old Guard

    Fatboy....love it. Dial "9." Like Raf, I still use it for touch ups, or I'll use it when I get up a little late and really only have time for a quick DE shave. But it sits in the rack right above my straights, ready if I need it.

    It and the slim adjustable are my DE goto razors.

    (Rick, so we've lost you to the slant, huh?)
     
  15. Htownmmm

    Htownmmm Member

    I have a 61 Fatboy(yob) and it is one of my go to razors. I set it @ 9 on the first pass,8 on the 2nd, and end @ 7. BBS all around.


    Marty
     
  16. Alex S.

    Alex S. New Member

    My '59 Fatboy is currently my favorite razor. (Previous favorite was my NDC SuperSpeed.) I do four passes at 2 (yes, that's right, 2) and then dial down to 1 to shave some particularly tricky areas (moles) that I avoided during the regular passes. On most days, with the right blade, this results in a nick-free BBS shave.
     
  17. barbarosa

    barbarosa New Member

    I guess I’m in minority here. I don’t like them. Never managed to get a good shave with a Fatboy. I sell them for very high prices, so I guess a lot of people like them. From the Gillette’s Adjustable I like the black handle much more. Actually, long black handle and Progress are my favourite razors. As far I’m concerned razors like Fat Boy and Vision are big rip-offs, but some people are willing to pay some very high prices for them, so….
    From non-adjustable I like the Gillette 58, HD Rocket and US Aristocrat.
    Regards,
    Alfred
     
  18. rick

    rick I'll make ya SCream!

    Not yet, Santa.
    Im gonna try a new technique:
    Lower setting with a Feather.
    That may be the ticket ;)
     
  19. msandoval858

    msandoval858 Active Member

    Because he wanted to be cool like me :p
     
  20. qhsdoitall

    qhsdoitall Wilbur


    Ya, and chicks dig scars. :rofl Sorry man, I couldn't resist. , how is the war wound doing?
     

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