Finally a Great Shave with my Fat Boy

[SaskShaver]

I had been really frustrated shaving with my F1 Fat Boy. I couldn't get a great shave, heck not even a nice shave. I kept getting weepers and irritation, so I shelved it for a while.

Today, basically 2 months after my last time shaving with it, I decided to pull it out of storage. I loaded it with a Perma-Sharp blade on shave 5, set the adjustment to 5 (higher than before, was using 3) and did a 2 pass shave plus clean up pass. WOW! I got a BBS shave on my face and a DFS on my neck. I really enjoyed this shave and am ecstatic to be putting the FB into my razor rotation.

Lyle

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Glad to hear that you finally got a good shave with it. Like with many shaving items, if a new piece of gear is not working for you, sometimes it's best to set it aside and come back later. I've had quite a few products that I think are not for me, but then, after a brief hiatus, I'll pick the item back up and have beautiful shaves with it. I think that often, it's me that's the problem and not the product.

 

[Neil-O]

Give it a try on "9". That's when I really fell in love with my Fat Boy. It's not as scary as it sounds...it's just delivers a superb shave at that setting!

 

[troy]

Give it a try on "9". That's when I really fell in love with my Fat Boy. It's not as scary as it sounds...it's just delivers a superb shave at that setting!

I'll give that a +1, I love mine on 9 Don't jump right to it and use a broken in blade the first time, but work your way up to the higher end anyway. I really find them pretty forgiving even wide open. Some times I think to mild of a razor can lead to using to much pressure and weepers. A mild razor can work great if you can hit the right angle, but sometimes its hard to find and keep so you start using pressure instead.

 

[BSAGuy]

Well done, Lyle.

 

[Graybeard57]

Very nice. I guess the Fat Boy just needed a little more time on the shelf to fully age properly.

 

[Jack19]

I shaved with my new-to-me 61C Fat Boy yesterday. Much heavier than the Super Speed I'd been using, so starting the learning curve all over again.

Glad to hear there's hope.

 

[SaskShaver]

Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to today's shave.

Been thinking of trying setting 7, will work up to 9.

 

[edwinhmcbride]

+1 on the higher settings. I got to admit that the blade gap of the higher settings was a little intimidating but it is fine after you get used to it. On my Sunday night (3 day beard/first shave of the week) shaves I start on WTG 7-9 to knock down all the whiskers. Great first pass and almost done. But then I come down to 5 for another WTG and then down to 3 for X/ATG clean up and when I wake up for work 8 hours later I am still BBS and ready to go. Throughout the rest of the week it is usually set 3-5 as needed for a week DFS's (DAMN FINE SHAVES).

Question, have you had your Fatboy replated or "tuned up"?

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations! It always takes me awhile to dial in a new piece of equipment! Sounds like you are finally there!

 

[poikkeus]

Very nice. I guess the Fat Boy just needed a little more time on the shelf to fully age properly.

!

 

[Ad Astra]

Fatboy February taught me a lot about mine.

Every razor is completely different with a blade brand change, too.


AA

 

[ItsTaz]

Congrats Lyle.

 

[Cajun Man]

My FB is my favorite razor. E1 and it is my birthday razor! Enjoy. Tim

 

[poikkeus]

I'm getting my own Fat Boy tomorrow. So there.

 

[Shirizzle]

I love my fatboy! There are so many things to try with an adjustable. I've dialed it all the way up to 9 and I've also done ATG only shaved on 1. Tie in different blade combos and you have endless possibilities. It takes ALOT of trial and error to get an adjustable to work just right for you. But once you get it dialed in...it's hard to beat!

 

[FatboyFan]

Yeah I started getting great shaves from my Gillette Fatboy when I kicked it up from 3 to 7. I could work my blade angles much better.
when I first started using a Fatboy I used to fry my hide pretty badly. Part of it was I was still learning what 'NO PRESSURE' meant and also, the lower settings locked me into less blade angle adjustment opportunity in the shave.

I might try a couple of shaves on 9 on my Slim adjustable to see what that's like. I know setting 7 on my Super Adjustable 109 is just heaven though...not touching that.

 

[Gallen1119]

+1 on different blades need different settings. I'm a noob working through a sampler pack of blades. Hadn't really found one I don't like. Usually set on 5 to 7 on my FB with several blades I've tried. Then I came to the Derby's...5 was not good. 7 not much better, so I was starting to think Derby's weren't going to be a good glade for me. Went to 9 today and got a DFS. Still not sold on Derby blades, but it's not the blade most of the time, it's my technique.

 

[Usascot]

Yep, the Fatboy is great. Mine has been on "7" for as long as I can remember.

I had been using Wilkinson Sword blades and I recently got some 7 O'Clock Black and some GSB.

 

[SaskShaver]

+1 on the higher settings. I got to admit that the blade gap of the higher settings was a little intimidating but it is fine after you get used to it. On my Sunday night (3 day beard/first shave of the week) shaves I start on WTG 7-9 to knock down all the whiskers. Great first pass and almost done. But then I come down to 5 for another WTG and then down to 3 for X/ATG clean up and when I wake up for work 8 hours later I am still BBS and ready to go. Throughout the rest of the week it is usually set 3-5 as needed for a week DFS's (DAMN FINE SHAVES).

Question, have you had your Fatboy replated or "tuned up"?

Hey edwinhmcbride, my FB is still antique store dressed, besides being cleaned up and sterilized. I've thought about replating but haven't made up my mind. Definitely fits in the budget though as I scored my razor for $20CAD.