Gillette Fatboy questions

In maybe 2007 I received a Fatboy. From a member here. Before that I shaved with a Gillette super speed. I had questions as to what setting matched the super speed I was told 5 and we were off to the races......

But what about the other settings what and when would I use those?? If I shaved everyday what setting should I put it on???

Thanks,

Hank

 

I think that's a loaded question. Each person is different. To me anything above 6 is aggressive. Some would think it mildly aggressive and some would say not aggressive enough.

 

Some people find what setting works for them and never move it, others use a different setting for each pass, usually starting at a higher number and dropping it as they go. I seem to recall one member doing the opposite and increasing the aggressiveness with each pass. Just play around and decide what you like.

 

There was a chart posted somewhere, try doing a search on Gilette blade gaps. The fatboy on 3 should be about where most Super-Speeds are (not 5).
Just for info, I use mine almost always on 7.

 

What ever you want.
It's your Fatboy. Adjust it your way.
Experiment, find what works, what doesn't.
No one can tell you what setting to use when.

Mine stays locked at six, every pass, every shave. But that's me.

 

All good advice here, but I agree with @david of central florida that 3 is a more comparable blade gap to super-speeds. For me, my Fat Boy on 5 feels similar to my red tip. I leave it there most days, but I'm not afraid to bump it up or down between passes depending on how I'm feeling during the shave. Not surprisingly, blade choice can also have a big impact on how each setting performs. It's worth playing around with a few combinations. That's the fun of adjustables, imo.

 

I use both my FatBoys and my Slims on 9 with most blades.
I use my PAL wide open but my Schick doesn't go past 6.5.
"It's your shave, enjoy it your way"

 

All good answers, but the best one is: "Whatever feels best to you."
It's your face. Every face is different. Different types and thickness of hair. Different skin types. Different skin sensitivities.

 

I love my Fat Boy on 7. Lower is to mild, higher is to aggressive. I used to use it on a higher setting WTG then a lower setting for ATG. After a month focus I settled on 7. But, to each his own.

 

A '59 FatBoy was my first DE, and I used it with Feather blades set at 3. As I gained experience I upped to setting 5 and kept it there with any blades I used. Recently I tried it at 7 with a Voskhod blade and loved the performance.

For you, as stated above, depends on your beard, soap, skill, and desired results. Look over @NCoxSTL 's shoulder at the 30 Day Rule/Focus Group
to see over one hundred blades being tested in a similar razor, the Slim. Everyone is invited to install the same blade Neal's using, at three different settings, and add their data to his Grand Blade Trials.

 

There it is! I've been trying to come up with a name for this project and you nailed it. "Grand Blade Trials". What are you charging for the rights?

 

Setting 3 will be a bit more of a gap than the Flare Tip Superspeed. However, head geometry is different so that will make a difference. I will say that 2 on the Slim and FatBoy seems quite mild.

 

Glad I can share my inspired words. All yours at no charge!

 

FWIW: I have settled on 5 in my Fat Boy and 6 in my Slim.

 

Bingo!

 

Super Speed is more like 3 on the dial. I prefer the higher settings. I use the Fatboy wide open on nine. The key is to always ride the cap and not the bar. The Fatboy geometry likes low blade attack angles.

The Fatboy is my favorite vintage razor, and the only one I recommend to non collectors.

 

The Chart I think you are referring to is here.

 

My favorite razor is my British aristocrat Jr. Also got it from a member here. As to blades, I have the yellow Gillette 7 o'clock blades in all my razors