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I picked up two that looked nasty when I got them but they cleaned up beautifully.
Fatboy is Fantastic
- Thread starter Miketorrge
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Look for Fatboys in groups of razors, or for one with a stuck adjustment, they are often quite inexpensive that way. Not impossible to get one for less than $30, which is a bargain. Stuck adjustment can be fixed easily (the tray get stuck, some soaking and lubrication plus gently tapping it up and down frees it up).
I don't notice much difference between the 195 (Gillette's name for the FatBoy) and a Slim, but I prefer the fatter shorter handle of the FatBoy over the longer one on the Slim, and the Super 109 is flat annoying. This may or may not be true for you, and the Slim is by far the cheapest. Super Adjustables are "rare" in comparison, and the collectable market drives the price way up on them. The 84 is the worst, and predictably, the one I prefer.
The Executive is just gold wash, mechanically identical, and if you really really want one, Back Roads Gold will plate one for you for a reasonable sum (and a LOT less than they sell for on eBay). I don't collect razors as "collectable" investments, I buy them to use them, so condition doesn't bother me much. They get well coated with soap scum between blade changes anyway.
They are all fairly "mild" razors, but I've only used on set on 1 once (new Gillette Wilkinson sword blade that's wider than usual) and never set on on 9 -- up to 7 for Polsilvers though. It's nice to be able to dial in a match for any blade within reason rather than switch razors around to find one that matches up with the blade.
Good luck!
I don't notice much difference between the 195 (Gillette's name for the FatBoy) and a Slim, but I prefer the fatter shorter handle of the FatBoy over the longer one on the Slim, and the Super 109 is flat annoying. This may or may not be true for you, and the Slim is by far the cheapest. Super Adjustables are "rare" in comparison, and the collectable market drives the price way up on them. The 84 is the worst, and predictably, the one I prefer.
The Executive is just gold wash, mechanically identical, and if you really really want one, Back Roads Gold will plate one for you for a reasonable sum (and a LOT less than they sell for on eBay). I don't collect razors as "collectable" investments, I buy them to use them, so condition doesn't bother me much. They get well coated with soap scum between blade changes anyway.
They are all fairly "mild" razors, but I've only used on set on 1 once (new Gillette Wilkinson sword blade that's wider than usual) and never set on on 9 -- up to 7 for Polsilvers though. It's nice to be able to dial in a match for any blade within reason rather than switch razors around to find one that matches up with the blade.
Good luck!
I would love it more if it hid the blades completely. I sliced my ear couple times
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
One correction to your fine post: The Executive has different (and superior) knurling than a regular Fat Boy, and it isn’t simply a gold-plated Fat Boy.
I had the Emperor Meiji, and even had it adjusted to get rid of rhe pronounced blade curvature that the company says is not a flaw but a 'feature,'I've been tempted to invest in a Fatboy but aside from the rather steep cost of initiation into the club, I worry it might be too aggressive for me. I hear that a lot of adjustable razors tend towards the aggressive side and my only adjustable, an Emperor Meiji, leans that way heavily.
But I'm glad to hear you love yours!
and I can tell you that theremin absolutely no comparison between the Fatboy and the Meiji. The Fatboy is superior in every conceivable way. The butterfly mechanism is smoother, the blade sits completely flat, the feel when shaving is buttery, the adjustment works better, it looks better, and it shaves better.
I have owned Slims and Superadjustables as well, but I prefer the Fatboy. It is smooth even at the higher settings. The optimal shaving angle, for me ar least, is intuitive. The higher dome of the doors actually makes it easier to negotiate the transition from face to neck, over the jawline.
In short, it is a wonderful shaver and I would venture a guess that after a single shave with it you would look askance at the Meiji and wonder what they were thinking when they built that thing.
I have a 1959 Fatboy that I shaved with for a number of years, and still use on occasion. A precision instrument that was affordable for the average income shaver.
It's being kept in it's great condition to be passed down to a grandson.
It's being kept in it's great condition to be passed down to a grandson.
Same experience. The Meiji is a great-looking razor, but it's mechanically wonky, and the fact that the instruction sheet has a section detailing how to manually fix a misaligned base plate (instead of producing a razor that doesn't have the problem to begin with) is highly annoying. I replaced my Meiji in the rotation with my Black Beauty a couple of months back, and haven't regretted it.I had the Emperor Meiji, and even had it adjusted to get rid of rhe pronounced blade curvature that the company says is not a flaw but a 'feature,'
The Fatboy is superior in every conceivable way. The butterfly mechanism is smoother, the blade sits completely flat, the feel when shaving is buttery, the adjustment works better, it looks better, and it shaves better.
I have owned Slims and Superadjustables as well, but I prefer the Fatboy. It is smooth even at the higher settings. The optimal shaving angle, for me ar least, is intuitive. The higher dome of the doors actually makes it easier to negotiate the transition from face to neck, over the jawline.
In short, it is a wonderful shaver and I would venture a guess that after a single shave with it you would look askance at the Meiji and wonder what they were thinking when they built that thing.
You sir made the right decision. I'm 6 shaves deep into my Fatboy and I like it more each time.
I also have 2 Gillette Techs, one rare 1946 oval slot with the cap and plate dimensions of the pre-war, and a 1950s. Both are great, but I get better shaves with the Fatboy personally.
I've used 3-8 so far, each on an individual shave. Due to the holiday I haven't had time to shave lately, so I'll be tackling 6 days of growth on setting 9 so far. In my experience each setting is smooth, just more and more efficient.
I'm hoping you and I both have many many more excellent shaves with our Fatboys! It really seems hard to beat, even by modern DE razors.
I also have 2 Gillette Techs, one rare 1946 oval slot with the cap and plate dimensions of the pre-war, and a 1950s. Both are great, but I get better shaves with the Fatboy personally.
I've used 3-8 so far, each on an individual shave. Due to the holiday I haven't had time to shave lately, so I'll be tackling 6 days of growth on setting 9 so far. In my experience each setting is smooth, just more and more efficient.
I'm hoping you and I both have many many more excellent shaves with our Fatboys! It really seems hard to beat, even by modern DE razors.
Like all Gillette adjustables, it’s a great razor. My only beef is the inflated prices on the Web.
You freaks are really pushing those fatboy threads today huh?
Let me check something on another website, I’ll be right back, I promise…
Let me check something on another website, I’ll be right back, I promise…
Well Gillette don’t have the machinery to do Old School Razors.
I am not sure what happened to old Tooling.
But Gillette has become a P & G Company so, their business model is not that of King C Gillette.
Now they make stuff to be thrown away after several uses, so they can sell more throwaways.
If it was possible to redo Fatboy & Slims the cost of tooling up would be Krazy.
Lol, production of the Slim stopped in the late 60s. Problem was very high production cost -- in 1959 the FatBoy cost about an hour's working wage (auto workers made about $2 an hour then) and Gillette really wanted to price it at $4.95. By the late 60's the cost of making a Slim was about twice the hourly autoworker's wage I think, and climbing. The Super was cheaper to make (thinner handle made of aluminum instead of brass) and eventually made with a molded nylon base instead of stamped brass, and disposable razors were much more profitable for Gillette.
Aboslutely no reason the couldn't be made again, but they would cost about $100 to start with unless Gillette sold a couple million a year or more, and they would have to be made in China or Pakistan or India, there is no longer a manufacturing base in the US capable of producing them.
Which is sad, using a razor like them for life would be vastly cheaper for the user and much better for the planet -- no plastic!
I'll hang on to mine as long as I can, wish I'd have bought a Super (short handle) in the early 70s, although for some years I used a Schick injector -- until I couldn't find blades any more.
Aboslutely no reason the couldn't be made again, but they would cost about $100 to start with unless Gillette sold a couple million a year or more, and they would have to be made in China or Pakistan or India, there is no longer a manufacturing base in the US capable of producing them.
Which is sad, using a razor like them for life would be vastly cheaper for the user and much better for the planet -- no plastic!
I'll hang on to mine as long as I can, wish I'd have bought a Super (short handle) in the early 70s, although for some years I used a Schick injector -- until I couldn't find blades any more.
Usually only my lovely War Department calls me "Fantastic" but I thank you for the compliment my friend!
Edit: this is what I get when I don't read the entire post! Carry on!
Edit: this is what I get when I don't read the entire post! Carry on!
Unfortunately that’s the case with those old Gillette razors. They likely wont ever make a razor as good as them unless it’s $100 plus or made of chineseum. I own my grandfather’s Slim from 1966, and it’s a fantastic smooth shaving razor. Usually shave with it on 5 and there’s a few places around my jaw line I shave on 7(ATG). Although I’m currently bearded, I still use it to shave the sides of my neck, cheeks, and lower neck. I’d like to own a Fatboy, but I’m not going to pay these inflated prices for it. Also own the Black Beauty razor from late 60s/early 70s, and it shaves about as good as the Slim. I did buy one with the plastic baseplate as it was made in 1986, which is my birth year. Haven’t shaved with that one. Fortunately my razors seem to clean up nicely. I also have my dad’s old injector, but I have never shaved with it. Idk if they even make blades for those anymore. He used it up until probably the 2000s or so.
The fatboy is by far the pinnacle of engineering/design/functionality all wrapped up in a mass produced package. Its also just a beautiful piece of historic art.
I look at today’s gillette‘s disposables or whatever gimmick they have going on and its a sad turn they have taken in the name of “progress” towards cartridges.
I look at today’s gillette‘s disposables or whatever gimmick they have going on and its a sad turn they have taken in the name of “progress” towards cartridges.
Although the official model was the 195, somewhere on the web I've seen a copy of a Gillette internal memo where someone at Gillette actually called it a "Fatboy."
This could be a reference to that memo I've seen, as quoted on Home - Gillette Adjustable Razors - https://gilletteadjustable.com/:
“"Origin of the Name "Fatboy"
So, I have a theory about "FatBoy". The official name of the Fatboy was the "Gillette 195 Adjustable Razor". I have a letter from Vincent C. Ziegler, President of the Gillette Safety Razor Company (a division of The Gillette Company), dated February 8, 1960 that specifically calls the Fatboy that name."
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Agreed!
If you have a chance to get out to local antique shops or malls, do so. I'll make the circuit of shops around here, and at the smaller shops the owners will put out the word that I look for the old Gillette razors. Some have been buffed right down to the brass in spots, others have been dropped and bent, but most are in excellent condition for their age.
This is almost all of the adjustables I've picked up in the past few years. The prices have ranged from $6 to $20 dollars.
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