why are the Vintage Gillette Fatboy's so expensive?

compared to other razors the Fatboy seems rather expensive for a vintage. on ebay they are going from $40-$70. i guess that doesnt sound expensive but compared to other vintage models they tend to be the more expensive ones. Gillette made millions of these right? you'd think they would be cheaper? no?

They were only made from 1958-1962 - hence the higher price for the FB.

Also, they're iconic razors that epitomize when America took pride in the quality of their products. The Fatboy is built like a tank and they're still going strong even after more than 50 years being around. The Slim, the sleek 60's adjustable brother to the FB, is equally as good, a little cheaper and also a delight to use.

If I recall correctly, Fatboys were made for like 3 or 4 years. '58-61, which is less than other razors. So although they still made a lot, they made less than other types. That's why superspeeds aren't that pricey. This doesn't apply to all rare models, but the more rare, the more expensive. Fatboys are common enough not to fetch >$70, but rare enough to fetch more than $30.

DEshave said:

compared to other razors the Fatboy seems rather expensive for a vintage. on ebay they are going from $40-$70. i guess that doesnt sound expensive but compared to other vintage models they tend to be the more expensive ones. Gillette made millions of these right? you'd think they would be cheaper? no?

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The demand for some of these items are cyclical. Sometimes everyone wants a particular item, and after a while it kind of cools off. The bubble may burst and the Fatboy may go for less at some time in the future.

Also keep in mind, that even though they were made by the millions, we don't know how many have survived the trash can over the course of 50 years. If there were 2 million made, it's possible only 500,000 remain.

So an increasing demand, and a finite supply would by rights equate with an always increasing price.

I bet it would be a lot less than 500,000. I mean, I have owned probably 5 mach 3 type razors and I have 1 left, the others went to the trash.

+1 Krona~ Definitely Built Like A Tank.. And I Do Think, That Most Wet Shavers That Haven't Tried One? Its The Hype And Curiosity Factor
There's Nothing Like A Old School MADE IN U.S.A shaving Instrument....

one again i have been enlightened by the bread and butter of this site...its members. looks like i'll be looking for a good ole Fatboy to add to my collection.

The fatboys are amazing shaving juggernauts that have everything a man needs. They are beautiful, hefty, built like ww2 german tanks and even their name fatboy sounds much better then slim, futur, progress, etc.

Supply and demand. I just need for everyone to stop talking about them and I might be able to get one at a decent price.

I found one last week for $5, and have used it twice. I think once the blade dulls, I'll put it up.

People go with what works. The Fatboy gives a great shave, is adjustable, can withstand a nuclear blast, and looks beefy. The Slim is a little less heavy and gives a comparable shave, IMHO. Think of them as the Cadillac and the Porsche.

+1 on build quality. Like a tank indeed yet easy enough to take apart to clean. Amazing razor.

Very sturdy and well-built.

Fatboys are like the American cars of the period; classic, heavy, well-built, collectible.

Also, they share the same characteristic of being incredibly comfortable and easy to move in a straight line but things can get "bloody" on the curves.

Having said that I still love my FB and it gets a place in the rotation (next to a slim, an EJ 89 and an OC).

michiganlover said:

So an increasing demand, and a finite supply would by rights equate with an always increasing price.

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This, right here. It's the basic rule of suppy-and-demand. A high (increasing) demand, and low supply.

An example of this is the DeBiers diamond cartel. Most people don't know that diamonds are actually as common as dirt in Africa. DeBiers has WAREHOUSES full of diamonds, but they keep the supply to the world at a trickle to keep the price sky-high. They have artificially reduced to the supply to inflate the price, and make themselves a virtually criminal amount of money. If they actually allowed their stock to hit the global market it would crash the entire diamond industry. People would be buying diamonds with their pocket change. All of a sudden those super-fancy jewelry stores with black-clad women who look like a stick is shoved up their [censored] would have to start selling keys and candy bars to afford their rent.

EDIT: Gillette Fatboy and Gillette Slim. Fatboy Slim. Mind blown.

I inherited my grand fathers fat boy along with his adjustable slim . I had no clue what it was. Just some old razor.
then I found out, what luck.
That is the only thing of his that I have.

Gillette's Adjustable 195 came and went at a time when I wasn't looking for another bladed shaving tool; a couple of years after the Slim replaced it, I bought two of those, and still have both. When the members' friendly arguments about various Gillettes inspired me to seek a user grade model for myself, I patiently waited for a listing with mispelled descriptions and fuzzy photos, and got one for less than $25, as I recall, with the shipping. It cleaned up very nicely.

Because people are crazy and the law of supply and demand