Gillette Fatboys....in the wild.

[lwt210]

Found these in a local antique shop. One marked 25.00...the other 22.50.

In terrible shape.

Got them both for 35.00 out the door. Brought them home, little love tap here....some Scrubbing Bubbles there.....a soak or two in hot,soapy water......little polish....

Bam. One is a fourth quarter 59....the other a 60. I shave with them tomorrow. Everything works as it should.

Thrill of the hunt.

These were actually first found by my 12 year old son. When we returned yesterday, he played it cool with the sales lady while we talked price. He already has his own 58 Fatboy waiting for that first outbreak of whiskers.

 

[fast14riot]

Nice score, good price too! I am wanting to try an adjustable razor soon, it will have to be vintage though. I currently shave with super speeds, a british flare tip one and an american un dated one. How does the fatboy compare, if have used one before, to the SS? I would love to find one in the wild, maybe I'll keep my eyes open more know.

Great job on the clean up, too!


-Xander

 

[theblindog]

$35 for both? wow, it's a steal! congrats to you and your son (I thing he deserve a nice brush now ) and yeah, very nice clean up job!

 

[Daniel]

You don't happen to have "before" photos, do you? I would really like to see how bad they were before your cleanup--they look excellent now! Great deal!

 

[lwt210]

You don't happen to have "before" photos, do you? I would really like to see how bad they were before your cleanup--they look excellent now! Great deal!

No, I was too eager to get them looking better. I really should have taken some before shots.

They were both very dark finish wise with lots of green junk caked on here and there. The 59 had a lazy door issue and didn't have that last 1/4 turn on the twist to lock the blade down.

The 60 was gritty on the TTO action and hadn't been cleaned since it was opened in the 60s.

The hot water soak got the actions better. An ever so slight tap with a hammer on the 59's end cap took care of the lazy door. It must have been dropped at some time and there was just enough of a bend to make one of the silo doors hang up.

Both work like a dream now. Just shaved with them less than 30 minutes ago. Both perform wonderfully.

As to a comparison of other vintage Gillettes, the Superspeed that I have is a very mild shaver that is lightweight. The 195 adjustable (Fatboy) has a good deal more heft to it and can be adjusted to suit the beard that it is attacking. I prefer a setting of 7.....8 or 9 gives me weepers. Seven is perfect, 6 and 5 will do.......4 and on down is too mild for me.

I have two Slims and enjoy the peformance they provide but give the FB a slight edge.

Regards.

 

[Daniel]

I wish that I could find one that cleans up like those!!

I need to make a run to the local antique shop..

 

[unky_gumbi]

I recently gave my Slim away, but I found that I got my best shaves with it if I started at a 4 on the first pass and bumped it up 1 or 2 on each pass and finished with a setting of 8. I always got a nice smooth irritation free shave that way, but I have also read about others doing the opposite and starting at a high setting and dropping down on each pass to get an irritation free shave. To be honest I think most of it is in our heads and we just use the different setting so satisfy the need to tinker

 

[lwt210]

To be honest I think most of it is in our heads and we just use the different setting so satisfy the need to tinker

I had a Slim back when I first started shaving (1986) and could get a great shave at a 1 setting. Very light teenage beard.

So when I got into wetshaving again back some time ago, I started off with Edwin Jaggers and got great shaves with three passes. Decided I wanted more vintage Gillettes and got a Fatboy and another Slim. I set them on three and started out.

Horrible shaves. Just dismal. Lots of stubble and nothing as good as the Jaggers. I was about ready to give up on them and decided to crank them up to a higher setting to see what happened.

Wow, what a difference!

Settings of 8 or 9 bust me open though. Too much for me. I have one spot between my lower lip and chin that will just barely ooze a little redness if I don't pay attention to that area on 7. Otherwise, I can speed away weeper free.

 

[unky_gumbi]

I started with a EJ89L, and still had it when I got my Slim. I did a back to back shave comparison with them I and I would say the EJ89L would be right close to the 4 setting on a slim, maybe a touch more aggressive but not much. And by tinkering with the adjustment I was referring to my adjusting between passes and the better results being all in my head

 

[lwt210]

I think you are right about the 4 setting being close to an EJ head. I know that the FB I have set aside for my son, a 1958 D3, is a tad too harsh on 7 so I had to back it down to 6 for a BBS, comfortable shave. My D4, my E3, my Slims are all good to go on 7.

This 59 E4 in the pic above is like that. I set it on 6 today and got a great shave. I'll try it on 7 tomorrow and see how it goes.

The G1 1960 model is nice at 7 but I may sell it along with some other items soon. Having five Fatboys is a bit much between a father and a son. Especially when the son doesn't even shave yet.

But then again, I hope to have grandsons one day. And there is room in the safe. I always wanted an Executive so a replate in gold might be in order.

Decisions decisions.

 

[jkarp_53]

Nice find...! Between my search for pocket knives and DE Gillette's I'm a busy guy! Nice to know those razors are out there still.

 

[unky_gumbi]

There are tons of them, the generation that used them originally weren't the "throw away" generations like we have become you just have to be in the right spot at the right time to find them, because there are hoarders out there, 5 FBs? Come on

I had the chance at a private sale on a Slim Aristocrat not that long ago and I nearly went for it. Thankfully some bills got in the way of the purchase and I had time to realize that I wasn't using my Slim any more so why spend that sort of money on the gold version

 

[lwt210]

I recently gave my Slim away, but I found that I got my best shaves with it if I started at a 4 on the first pass and bumped it up 1 or 2 on each pass and finished with a setting of 8. I always got a nice smooth irritation free shave that way, but I have also read about others doing the opposite and starting at a high setting and dropping down on each pass to get an irritation free shave. To be honest I think most of it is in our heads and we just use the different setting so satisfy the need to tinker

Tried this today but starting with a 7 with that 59 pictured above.

Added a third pass bumped up to 8. I was already smooth but decided "what the heck" since I am off today from work. One tiny weeper later and I am smooth as silk.

I'll try the same tomorrow with the 60.