I have had a handful of the floating head versions and one non-floating head razor. It has been a few years, but I don't remember being any noticeable difference.
I have the Barbasol FH razor. It is sturdy, utilitarian, slightly long handled, and aggressive. I like it. It dates from the early 1930's. I have a Barbasol non-FH razor. Mine has an Old Type head (thick cap) mounted on a sleek art deco tapered handle. It dates from the mid 1930's. It looks like stainless steel, but I don't know what the metal is. It shaves predictably like a Gillette Old Type thick cap razor from the 1920's. Sorry I don't have a camera.
I cannot compare the two. I only have the Barbasol Floating Head. Back when I used it, I remember saying it was like a very agile Tank. Great razor, aggressive, and nimble. Buy one if you can, just be careful of the corrosion around the safety bar and cap areas. The razor is brass, with Chrome Plating, and is notorious for the brass to be excessively rotted, under the plating. If there is excessive corrosion from the start, then pass on it, because it will take a very sympathetic and determined Razor Plater to make it look good again.
Brass rots? Or the chrome plating rots? Anyway I'm happy that my Barbasol FH is 100% intact. It's a marvelous razor and I have the case too, which is in excellent condition. I don't remember what I paid for it, maybe $150 or so. I would do it again.
I don't remember which exactly, but it could be either. I don't remember exactly what Chris at RazorPlate.com said. I do know it looked substantial, but cleaned up nicely. Now that I think about it it was probably the thick original plating rotting from underneath. When he started to buff it out, the damage was greater than it originally looked. I had it nickel plated. I remember paying around $5 for it, at an antique store, not knowing what it was at the time.
here is the difference: https://www.badgerandblade.com/foru...d-pics-posted-here.304735/page-5#post-5346300
