I decided to finally break out a short handled BB. 3 shaves with it this week. All of them superb. I've ran it through the adjustment range 1-9 and I love the thing. A couple of guys put this razor in their top 3 in another thread, I see why. It's a great piece of equipment. I have the long handled BB and ran it exclusively, until I bought a Fat Boy and I realized how much more it seemed to tug. I've come to the conclusion that the longer handle works against me. I'm prone to wrist flip the further away I grasp the shaft from the head. Wrist flip feels great on my elbow but hurts my face, I've learned over the past months. By adjusting my technique and getting the right balance/grip point, and making a conscious effort to take the wrist out of it, I can run any Gillette adjustable and get a great shave with no nics. I still prefer the heavier versions of adjustable, I just don't know why yet. The learning continues.
I'm glad that the short handle BB is working out for you. I had a long handle BB and I never liked it. Good shaves and a beautiful looking razor, but I just didn't like the length and thinness of the long handle. I ended up selling it.
I can relate to your experiences with the SA-109 (long handle). For a long time, I would tend to a cramp in my hand after using mine. Basically, the longer handle was causing me to grab further down and the weight of the head was working against me. I finally realized that I needed to hold mine near the adjuster, just like I would my Slim. I now have two of the long-handled ones and really need to PIF one one of these days.
I have both the short and long handle and am pleased with both. Especially the long handle version. A truly unique razor. Setting 3 and a good Astra SP blade is perfect for me.
I've got an SA-109, vintage '71. Like in baseball, sometimes ya gotta choke up. Works for me! Paired up with a Voskhod blade it's a great shaver
With the Fatboy, sometimes I'll rest my index finger on the blade guard, while holding the handle near the adjustment ring with my middle finger and thumb. I know I'm risking a cut, but it's a comfortable way for me to shave. It gives me a feeling of absolute control of the angle and balance of the razor. YMMV.
I'm the same way. I like my Slim but the Fatboy just feels more comfortable in my hands. I feel like I have more control over it and I'm more mindful of how much pressure I'm applying when I use it. For some reason, I sometimes tend to press down on the Slim without realizing it until a bit later. I do like the head profile on the Slim and I really would have liked a razor with the handle of a Fatboy but with the head of a Slim. I still use both razors but I've been using the Fatboy exclusively this month and I have been getting superb shaves. Shorter, thicker handles are excellent.
