To adjust or not, that is the question.....

[Trudo1]

I have a 1960 G-3 fatboy as well as a 1949 S.S. They are both in mint condition.
While learning on the S.S. years ago, along they way I also splurged on a fatboy. I love them both but does anyone feel the adjustable addition by gillette is not the greatest thing since sliced bread ? I end up fiddling with the f.b. settings, Ok 5 to start for first pass then crank it up to 7 for the second, etc, etc. The S.S. is one deal, just technique with each pass !

Everyone has there reasons for liking a certain razor, adjustable or not. I love the beefy handle on the f.b. and I love the smaller profile of the head on the
S.S.

Share some thoughts about what you prefer adjustable vs. fixed !!
They both have there place, I understand that. Just curious what the majority prefers and why ?

Happy Shaving !!!

[Deftim13]

Hope to find out soon. Just purchased my first adjustable.

[dmnall]

I started with a 63 SuperSpeed and it is an awesome razor, however, a couple of weeks later I bought a 64 Slim Adjustable because I wanted a more aggressive razor. Now almost 3 months later, I just bought a Merkur 37c Slant, because I want a more aggressive razor as well I want to try out a Merkur for once. For someone starting out I would say a fixed razor is better because less variables to getting the proper technique and once that person has their technique down, then I say venture into an adjustable and see how you like it.. This is just my opinion though.

[Fnord5]

Try a Red Tip.
No adjustability, and around a 5 on a FatBoy.

[Roman414]

Before the adjustables, Gillette sold the blue tip for men with soft beards, the red tip for guys with tougher beards, and the tan or plain tip for the majority with average beards. The adjustable was a brilliant move...a razor any man could buy and adjust to his own preference.
My brother is three years younger than I, he started shaving about 1960 or so and brought home a fatboy as his first razor. I told him the numbers were for keeping track of when to change blades. To set it at "1" when he put in a new blade, crank it to "2" for the second shave, on up to "9", afterl which he neededl a new blade. Heh heh! The poor guy struggled along with that until our old man took pity on him and set him straight...

[john.crissman]

My brother is three years younger than I, he started shaving about 1960 or so and brought home a fatboy as his first razor. I told him the numbers were for keeping track of when to change blades. To set it at "1" when he put in a new blade, crank it to "2" for the second shave, on up to "9", afterl which he neededl a new blade. Heh heh! The poor guy struggled along with that until our old man took pity on him and set him straight...
This is the best story! :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[AFG]

I've never used a Superspeed but I have both the Slim Adjustable and Fatboy. I don't get particularly good shaves with either one of them. In fact I gave the Slim to my son for his first DE and he didn't care too much for it either. I still use the Fatboy on occasion but I get much better shaves from a Merkur.

[thirdeye]

Before the adjustables, Gillette sold the blue tip for men with soft beards, the red tip for guys with tougher beards, and the tan or plain tip for the majority with average beards. The adjustable was a brilliant move...a razor any man could buy and adjust to his own preference.
My brother is three years younger than I, he started shaving about 1960 or so and brought home a fatboy as his first razor. I told him the numbers were for keeping track of when to change blades. To set it at "1" when he put in a new blade, crank it to "2" for the second shave, on up to "9", afterl which he neededl a new blade. Heh heh! The poor guy struggled along with that until our old man took pity on him and set him straight...

That is to funny.....:lol:

[dmnall]

I've never used a Superspeed but I have both the Slim Adjustable and Fatboy. I don't get particularly good shaves with either one of them. In fact I gave the Slim to my son for his first DE and he didn't care too much for it either. I still use the Fatboy on occasion but I get much better shaves from a Merkur.

Whoa crazy, now this is a first to hear you do not get a good shave with a Slim or fatboy?? I started with a Superspeed and moved onto a Slim Adjustable and get bbs almost every shave... If I use my SS, I can get bbs but it takes more time since it is a mild razor *except this morning, I got a bad Astra *first blade I have ran across with one sharp side and one really dull side after a corking 2 pass each side*.... But I never have a problem with my slim set on 8 now!


Roman414: Before the adjustables, Gillette sold the blue tip for men with soft beards, the red tip for guys with tougher beards, and the tan or plain tip for the majority with average beards. The adjustable was a brilliant move...a razor any man could buy and adjust to his own preference.
My brother is three years younger than I, he started shaving about 1960 or so and brought home a fatboy as his first razor. I told him the numbers were for keeping track of when to change blades. To set it at "1" when he put in a new blade, crank it to "2" for the second shave, on up to "9", afterl which he neededl a new blade. Heh heh! The poor guy struggled along with that until our old man took pity on him and set him straight...

Now I almost spit soda all over my work computer after reading this one.. LOL

[ScYcS]

I wouldn't know what to do without my Super adjustable. It's my favorite Razor!!!

[tom myers]

I guess the adjustables have their place in being something to experiment with to find out just how mild or aggressive you like your shave to be. I think, however, once you have a feel for what you want a razor to shave like, if you can find a non-adjustable that will do the same job, why not use the simpler fixed position alternative?

Actually I can't seem to make up my mind what I think the optimum setting is on my adjustables to make them shave like my red tip Superspeed. That being the case, I've put the adjustables back into the status of an item in my collection, but the red tip stays on my shave shelf along with my c. 1905 Gem Jr. lather catcher. I tend to use the red tip a couple of times a week just for the variety . . . The Gem tends to be my go-to razor.

I really feel that if they had stopped design and development of razors a hundred years ago, the world would not have missed out on much of value. (Unless you are a collector, that is. ) :001_rolle

By the way . . . I really liked Roman414's story about the fat boy. Poor kid, can't even trust his big brother. :lol:

Regards,
Tom

[castlebar]

I have a heavy beard so the more aggressive nature of an adjustable appealed to me. However, after using them, I don't think there is all that much difference, and the adjustable feature is a bit gimmicky IMHO. Plenty of guys disagree with this, and this is yet another classic YMMV situation. I don't even see the need for the blue, black, and red tip SSs. Gillette reached its pinnacle in the late 40s and early 50s with the pre-date code SuperSpeeds and Aristocrats - once they started micromarketing in the form of different colored tips and adjustables, it was all downhill from there. The regular flare tip SSs from the mid 50s- mid 60 are a notable exception to this decline.

Although I don't like them, the Fat Boys and Slims are very impressive pieces of engineering and it's worth it to own them just to realize how well made they are. The Fat Boy came out at the height of the Cold War, and I can't be the only one who looks at the precision of the silo doors and sees the analogy to the missle silos of the same period. The fit and finish are simply outstanding. From the late 60s onward Gillette entered one long decline, first replacing the heavier all metal SSs with the black handled ones (a much lighter feel and less effective, although again they have their fans), and on into the late 70s and early 80s where they substituted plastic in parts of their razors (look at a late 70s superadjustable, the build quality diminishes appreciably over the superadjustable of a decade earlier).

Just my two cents, but the standard old Gillettes are the best for me...

[Proinsias]

I'm glad I started with a superspeed, late 40's style. I then got a gem Micromatic and a 1912 Star which was a shock to the system, trying to learn three different razors. My new Fatboy from Guido seems like nine new razors have arrived and it's going to take me long time, and quite a few nicks, before I decide where I want it to be. My best shave so far, in that it held the bbs feeling the longest I've had, was from the Fatboy set on 7 but that was on my first go and I've got a lot of playing around to do before I try it again.

The past few days I've been reaching for the SS as picking it up means I don't have to stare at it wondering where to put the dial and it works a treat.

This is all just biding time until my new shave ready straight arrives, papasmurf sent me a beautiful edge a few months ago and now I know what not to do with a razor and a paddle strop.