I was searching for reviews on the Fatip Gentile, since it's all brass (zamak red alert) and ok, there were some problems with blade alignment, which for Italian users seem to be normal (to the point i read one say "it wouldn't be Fatip if the alignment was perfect!), but, OK, most wet shavers were saying that they can adjust the blade and it's not big deal... Then i start reading Amazon reviews. And look at this:



According to the reviewer, this occured after 20 shaves with Proraso White...

I think i will stick with the 2 Weishis and the 1 EJ DE89 for the forseable future. Too many issues... I may end up buying a 3rd Weishi at this point, just in case... How fast can 2 spares possibly deteriorate? And since i get good results with it... Maybe i should get a short handle Weishi for a change. Keep it at 2 razors, master them well, not go to many razors...I still don't really know the DE89...Maybe if it breaks, it's best i just buy another DE89, instead of going to unexplored waters. I was expecting better results from the Fatip, since here pretty much everyone talks well, but the above, plus this:

http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-fatip-gentile-closed-comb-a-brief-review.49684/

Have made me nervous. I don't really need another razor. Specially not with so big issues.

I own a Fatip, and I must be lucky. My razor does not exhibit the quality issues as shown in the picture. If one happens to get a good Fatip, it's a nice tool, but the brand is well-known for their inconsistency. As far as versus an 89 or a Weishi, the geometry of a Fatip is orders of magnitude more aggressive than your razors. The gap and exposure in a Fatip are significant, and cutting oneself is more likely to happen than with a milder design like Weishi or the 89, necessitating the "ride the cap" technique. High angle of attack on a Fatip is generally painful, and scrapes the skin readily and deeply, scaring off many new users. Fatip and Muhle r41 are DE razors that require almost straight razor technique to avoid injury.

Ewwww...Definitely not for me then. I was attracted by the "full brass design" (plus origin), but at this point, no... I defnitely neither want neither need a more aggressive or technically complicated razor. I can shave juuuust fine with the Weishi and the DE89 should already be my limit for aggressiveness (i predict i will be loading Derbies on the DE89, to make them work better).

Thanks. This only helps my decision against it.

Parker DEs are all brass. I had a 99R ($30 on Amazon), and it was a fine (medium-aggressive) overall razor.

For the time being, you probably have plenty of razors. The fact that they shave fine is a plus, too.

Looking closer at that picture, with what I've seen with plating - that's not a quality control problem. That's a chemical reaction. Thin/crappy chrome plating tends to flake or spot. That's a straight wear pattern bored through the chrome and into the brass. I've seen similar wear patterns on my really ancient razors, but the telling part, to me, is that blackish gray band around the edge. I suspect this guy is using something besides Proraso White that's VERY basic. (as in the opposite of acidic)

Fwiw, the chrome plate on mine is pretty decent. I must've gotten a good one.

Not knowing any better I learned to DE shave with a Feather blade in a Gillette adjustable. I did have the sense to start mild and work up to the other end of that dial. Later I got both a Muhle R89 Grande and a FaTiP Piccolo. If I wanted to shave blind folded with a lesser soap the R89 would do. Not having major quality issues with my FaTiP, and I do pay attention when I load it, it's not what I'd call a starter razor. Nor intermediate. The problem isn't just getting a blade locked down all catawompus, but the blade is out there. With careful deliberation and a bit of styptic they do deliver a shave. An aggressive shave.
Now I'm tempted to dust it off before Open Comb October.

Yeah, i really liked some Parker handles since the 1st day i started searching for DE razor. However, i always encountered the same problems: 1) aggressiveness, like you say and 2) quality problems.

Yeah, i think i will stay with 2 models and try to master them. Within the week the 2nd Weishi should be here, i will keep it as spare. And for now, i will settle for this. I really like the Weishi at this point. It's a very good combination of excellent shave and safe shave. My only problem are the ridiculously high repasses with Derby, but with every other blade, i finally found out what was the "enjoyable shave" that you others were talking about.

I really don't know. I just wrote what the reviewer reported. This is the "gunmetal" version of the razor. It's supposed to be blackish, but not to lose the plating like that so fast. I don't know, what possibly could he be shaving with other than Proraso? Bleach?

As a former FaTip owner, I can say the razor was a decent aggressive shaver that tended to bite me unexpectedly.
The threaded stem on the underside of the cap began to twist loose (see outline on cap in second photo).
No desire to acquire another.

Thanks. Another confirmation it's not for me... Why go aggressive, when i can shave just fine with Weishi? Also, the one time that i tried the Derby in the DE89, it worked better than the Weishi, despite me never having tried the DE89 before. So chances are, that if i become more acquainted with the DE89, that i will be able to use better the Derbys too. I think i will make peace with Zamak at this point. I might also grab another EJ DE89 of the cheaper version in my Amazon, which goes for like 16 EUR, so that in case i break a head, i will simply take the head from the cheaper version and transfer it to my more expensive knurled handle.

Yeah, at this point, me neither. Shame. Thanks for your experience.

How do you feel about time tested nickle plated vintage brass? Look into a Flare Tip Super Speed. It's what a Weishi wishes it could be.

Yeah, not really like the idea of old razors, but Bookworm told me there are NOS items. I might take interest in one of such, although i am not the type who starts hunting things on ebay. I don't even have an ebay account. But, i can start looking every while, who knows... I can't complain about the way the Weishi shaves. I have been very greatful to the Weishi. I think it's very good newbie razor, with the exception that it has a very small cutting angle, which though i consistently find by instinct. My main worry about Weishi is its longevity, but, i guess i can counteract that, with quantity. Like Stalin said "quantity has a quality of its own". My fear about Weishi's longevity, is connected exactly to the fact, that i am very pleased both with the shaving result and with the fact that it is a very forgiving razor. It's a razor that can give BBS, while help you remain nick free. Which is what i want.

that is not zamac... that's nickel plating underneath the black plating. I have the same gentile in black and yes the black fades away but not like that, he probably got one where the plating didn't grab good to the nickel plating. Fatips are all brass not zamac. Go ask the guy who replates razors in gunkote, he should tell you about the material of the fatip.

Yes, the "all brass" is what attracted my attention to it, initially too.

I wouldn't say Weishi is entry skill level, more entry price point. In a short time you have found your comfortable use of the tool. With refinement of technique & experimenting with blades your shaves have improved. Six months from now you may feel different. Being exposed to the Hobby of shaving tends to bring on Acquisition Disorders. It's like computers. How many of those have you owned? Maybe one at a time, but several over the years.

Oh, trust me, i don't want this to become like my computer hobby. It would be a disaster. I have 3 active computers and 1 laptop and spare parts to build 3 more computers if i wanted. No, no, razors will stay more something of an entertainment. I wanted to start wetshaving for sentimental reasons mostly, not because i was looking for a hobby. What i will surely do to enjoy it, is razor-hopping and blade-hopping, to paraphrase the "distro-hopping" that Linux users have. But, i intend to keep the number of razor models low.

The Weishi is friendly as fas the aggressiveness goes, because i read a guy who said that on an old Gilette adjustible, the blade exposure of the Weishi corresponds to a setting of "2". I haven't seen another modern razor go lower than that.

The only difficulty with the Weishi, is the limited cutting angle, but from the 2nd shave already, i was always cutting. I have no problem with that. The other "problem" is you need to do repasses (or "buffing" i think something said it), but this again, is something that i did out of instinct, before even learning the term. Overall, if you can instinctively hit the cutting angle, i don't think there is a more newbie friendly razor out there, because you really can't cut yourself easily.

Just saw this on a Fatip Piccolo Amazon review. This goes way beyond "bad alignment". This razor should not be in commerce. Plus, it has a "stain" on the chrome plating.





In comparison, what i thought as blade misalignment of my DE89 is ridiculous and i shouldn't even consider it as such... Shame...

I don't believe that's twisting. I think you've started pulling the thread insert (it's like a rivet) into the head. I've seen that on old razors, including old Gillette. Most frequent cause? cranking until it's "FIRMLY" locked in place, rather than just twisting to seat the blade.