Hi All, I've been using a fatboy for the last 8-9 months now, and recently decided to revisit something different from a while back. I bought a nice user grade Aristocrat from a member last week, and spent the last 3 days getting to know it a little better. Before that, I'd been using a toggle for 4 days. That was a razor I'd been wanting to try, and I lucked into one. So, for the last week I've been using razors other than my 'perfect' one......heh. Let me just say it took quite a while to find those few razor/blade combos, but worth the effort. The result is an effortless act of whisker whacking..............very fun! Anyway, These two recent razors are just not for me. Well actually, I haven't totally given up on the toggle yet, but close. They were both fine, as far as shaving went, but just not as comfortable as the fatboy. I don't like the handle on the toggle very much, even though I thought I would. It's odd having that lever thing on the end, instead of that reassuring fatboy base. It's longer too, which is something I DO kinda like, but just not the way the design feels. Plus, this thing is heavy, and maybe the weight's distributed differently or something. Just doesn't quite fit my face so far. Hehe, that poor Aristocrat is gonna go bye bye soon. I can definitely feel a different (to me) kind of shave going on with one of those. They feel like they're shaving very close, but I can feel the edge of the safety bar more? That make any sense? Seems like the head's flatter on the Aristocrat, and the rounder fatboy head fits me better. I could definitely feel something I didn't care for that a different blade won't help fix. A good, but not great shave. Damn......I wanted to love both of em........heh. The Aristocrat will be on the market soon. Today I went back to the fatboy and whewwwwwwwwwwwww. Just like sinking into a comfortable chair. That razor felt juuuust right, as it did the first time I tried it long ago. So amazing the way YMMV, but it's sure the way things are with this 'hobby'. The other screwy thing is that razor prices often have little to do with performance. Anyway, just felt like blabbing a bit, and thanks for indulging me. Martin.
As always Martin, YMMV. We all get the urge to try something different every once in a while. I actually enjoy my toggle more than the Fatboy. Usually I stay with my English Gillettes (SS). Glad you have found a comfortable fit.
Martin, thank you for sharing--that is a fascinating story! I understand completely what you mean by your Fatboy feeling like it was made for you. What have you found to be your best blade for it? And what settings are you using?? As for me, I keep coming back to my 1948-1950 (No Date Code) Gillette Super Speeds (hence my name on the forum). They just "feel right" for me. Not that I don't enjoy my other razors and the seemingly endless experimentation, but the old Super Speed is hard to beat (for me, anyway). --Morrie
I do enjoy superspeeds, my fatboy, aristocrat, longhandled super, and some others. My favorite part about the aristocrat is that you can really hear the blades getting cut off your face. It reminds me of the sound of a hollow ground straight as each hair pops. Other than that, its towards the top of my list. Than again, I think the HD gives a great shave too and really dont need anything else except to make it a little more interesting.
I love my adj and Milord and I agree that the Milord has that popping sound, but I have not experienced this on the slim adj.
Hiya Morrie, Yeah, crazy how that YMMV thingy kicks in so often with this 'hobby'.....heh. I'd been alternating between Swedes and feathers, but switched the Swedes for Iridium, which I like even more. The razor's set on #3 for either blade, which is the perfect setting for me (gotta love those adjustables). One thing I really enjoy about the fatboy shave, as opposed to the slims or supers, is the way it 'tames' the feather blade into something delightful. Plus, the weight does help the blades do their job well. I've tried a late 40's superspeed for a bit ( quite a while ago), but it just didn't feel right to me. Maybe it was the razor's weight, or handle design, but I never bonded with it enough to get a very good shave. I know they're amazingly popular, so there's gotta be something to em. Hehe, you're a devotee yourself. Nice typing at you, Martin
