I'll preface my introduction with a goal of somehow obtaining a 50's Fat Boy! For the intro, well, I've had one of my grandfathers razors I stole from my Dad when I went to college 20 years ago. He had 2 and never used them (including the one I re-homed. I've used it on and off since then rotating with electric Christmas presents from time to time. About 2 years ag I began using this "butterfly" razor exclusively and love it. I saw the Merkur Vision on "How It's Made" and it sparked my interest in the subject. I thought that I'd get a Vision for myself and one day give my son his choice when he starts shaving in a few years. I was a little concerned about the plastic threaded insert on the Vision. My research brought me to ebay which listed a Flare Tip Rocket that looked just like mine...Google brought me here where I now have to say thank you to the Rocket Man who posted that amazing write up of the Rockets and Super Speeds. I know mine is a FT Rocket, stamped only Gillette Made in England on the bottom, no date code. I've decided that I don't want a $200 Razor with a nylon adjustmant wheel...MY grandson will likely never see it if it's used as a daily shaver. I want a 58 or 59 Fat Boy for my next razor.
Welcome to the Shave Den! Keeping an eye out on the Marketplace threads or eBay can yield some good results with FatBoys - as their price hasn't settled down yet.
A deal is what I'm looking for. I'm going to take the year having fun trying to find one...Then probably pay a premium on ebay to treat myself at Christmas.
to TSD Old School....... While any of the Vintage Gillette adjustables are Great(I own all of them). I kinda like the FatBoy most myself. I'm a 3 piece user(Weber or EJ) curretly and I tend to like the BullDog type handles. Just a F.Y.I. however in your search for a vintage Gillette adjustable don't discount the Gillette Slim. They shave as well as the FatBoy, some would say better, but a main point in there favor is that they are a little more available and so it's a little easier to find a good one at an affordable price. I.M.O. your going about your hunt in the correct way take your time hunt up a good one and make your bids constantly. Make bids on alot of razors rather than just high bids on only a few. I did it the same way and I have several FB's,Slims and Super Adjustables's. They are in the pricey part of town however, but they do last. The 59's are much easier to find and afford than the 58's. Another good thng about the Gillette's is there is alot of info on the web about them. They aren't that hard to strip down and clean up properly. .Good Luck on your hunt!!!
Welcome to TSD! We've been waiting for you. The sell/trade forum here has fat boys from time to time. List a WTB Gilette fat boy post to see if you get a bite. The "bay" has some as well but the pricing is still quite high. I was searchimg for a fat boy for Christmas. I ended up with a gillette slim from "above the tie." I paid $65 which may seem high but I can't tell it was used before me so I was happy to pay it. Good luck on you quest.
Welcome to TSD! Glad to have you here! Have you visited The Shave Den "Master Sticky" thread yet? It'll help you to familiarize yourself with the rules and different areas of The Shave Den! Happy Shavings!
Welcome to the Den. We know you'll fit right in. So grab yourself a comfy chair, and give our threads a spin! Burma Shave
Welcome man nice to have you here. My dad's sole razor is a'63 Slim. It's seen better days, but he loves that razor. I have a'62 Slim, but it rarely sees use. Since picking up Super Speeds and a Krona, those are all I use. Moral of the story is, that the Slims are very good razors and the adjustables are ahead of their time. Just be patient and you'll find the one that suits you.
Welcome to the den. Don't forget about the antique/junk stores. I have purchased a few user grade fat boys for less than $10. (they work the same as the pretty ones)
Welcome sir. TSD has been very friendly and helpful to me and I've been here but a few days. If you have time to search this site there is much to be gained.
Welcome! I know this is a bit of blasphemy, but....why not look into some other razors? The fatties are no more amazing than most of the other vintage razors, TTO or 2/3 piece. They just cost A LOT more. If it is a preference thing, pay more and enjoy. If it is not, then just grab a few of the less expensive ones and see how they grab you. I have all but gotten away from the vintage stuff too, so feel free to grab you a modern razor. I would recommend Edwin Jagger or Muhle if you do, but many of the other new razors are sufficient too. Just throwing out a dissenting view for you to chew on. There are lots of good razors out there and I think the market's abuse of the fatboy's popularity is a shame. One way to combat the market is to go a different direction In any case, enjoy your result
