I was curious to know is there much difference in the year fatboys from when the first ones came out in 58' till the last ones made into part of the 62's production year before they stopped making the fatboy or $ 1.95s.... so were any of the Fatboys more sought after because of the way they particularly shaved better then the other for a specific year & so which year seem to be the most sought after to be added into today hobbyist shave den ? I have a 59' E1 that I really like but it the only one I have ever used, that is why I was curious to ask.
From my experience, yes. I've been fortunate to find a number of them in the wild for less than ebay prices. Each was cleaned up and test shaved, usually in a side by side shave with my favorite Fat Boy. I've traded or gifted all the others away, but kept an E4. The only other that shaved as well as it was another E4. There's at least one minor mechanical difference I've noted. At the bottom of the TTO knob, the older units have a nut with two little holes. Using a bent paper clip type tool that nut can be easily unscrewed to break down the razor for interior cleaning.
I don't know about the 1962, but I've got 1958 & 1961 Fatboys, and my face can't tell the difference. @RyX must be more perceptive than I.
Not sure if besides the retaining nut in the handle, geometry has changed at all. Caveat: I am not an expert. I have the first production Fatboy D3. Shaves great, but I, too have nothing to compare it against.
...and what a freak show that is in there once broken down. I think that is one reason why the FB was never a holy grail for me, once I had seen the inside of one.
if you look on this barrowed web site and go down a little it shows a picture of the,,,,,,,,, last fatboys made it was a (rare to find 1962 H-1) ,,,,,,,,,,,, and (not 1961 G-4) like a lot of people think. http://www.gilletteadjustable.com/fatboy.html
I credit the difference to either variations of wear and tear on a 50+ year old brass tool, or quality control and the quality of the materials used. I would like to own a Toggle but understand they were the experiment that became the Model 195. There were problems making the lever secure the silo doors. Modern plating companies don't like to do them for the way the parts rub to hold that tension. The TTO knob was know technology so Gillette dropped back and punted - went with the tried and true but incorporated the adjustability feature. I've seen the photos of later 195 that have variations in the adjustment ring. There's also the rare Red Dot, and bottom dials. None of those weird ones have graced my shave den. Just regular mass market units. The differences were subtle but perceivable, or if only in my mind then it made it easy for me to move them on. I'm a user and I like the variety of vintage blade holders. If you'd call me a collector, I only keep one of each razor that I enjoy.
Yeah, I'd seen that site as well, but I've never seen one of them (H-1). as a result, I can't comment on how well they shave. But I do have a G-4 and a D-1. I don't know all of the hardware details, but they both shave the same for me. According to my wife, I am renowned for my lack of sensitivity, so I miss a lot of subtle differences that others here see between various razors, blades and soaps.
That was an interesting website. I would reiterate that no geometrical changes were ever made to the parts that shave you. I stand by my original assessment that there's no way of discerning a "shave" difference between the models.
If that's the case, then I attribute my bias to a couple factors. The E4 I enjoy was the second one I saw in the wild. First was in an antique shop in Beaumont, Texas and had a $45 price tag. I knew that was a fair retail value but I'm a bargain hunter. Within a week I found the second at now defunct antique shop in Sulphur, Louisiana. Turns out the guy that kept the small booth is the Mayor of a small town nearby, and I couldn't pass up a $4.00 razor. The Mayors son in law has a barber shop on Main Street. With a Mayberry-esque story that 195 has served me well. The other factor could just be wear and tear. Brass bends or breaks when dropped. Subtle tweaks to the caps and guard bars may have been present in other vintage razors tested. If the geometry of all Model 195 started the same any NOS unit should shave the same. I do prefer them to the flatter curve of later Gillette adjustables.
I have two Fatboys, an E4 and G3, and to be totally honest, I have not noticed a difference in shaves between the two.
That's cool If really you can't tell the difference then that is good when buying any year knowing that they all shave comparably the same unless your looking for a particular year fatboy .
