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aristocrat = fatboy?

Ok now that I have your attention. The gillette fatboy has been on my list for quite some time now. I already have an old aristocrat. I don't have the aristocrat in front of me at the moment to see what date it is, so I may be asking a question with too many variables, but here goes:
Is the head of a fatboy the same or very similar to an aristocrat? Is the shave from a fatboy the same or similar to an aristocrat? If so, I may remove the fatboy from my wishlist. If not, the saga continues.
 
Dont have an aristocrat but from what i have heard it give a moderately aggrssive shave. The fatboy on the other hand gives a very aggressive shave. I usually have to dial mine down 1.5-2 settings to us it
 
The Fat Boy is adjustable and has a wide range of aggressiveness. The heads of the Fat Boy and Aristocrat are not similiar to each other.

I've said it before, if you think the FB is overly aggressive than something is probably wrong with your razor. A FB on 2 should be much milder than a Tech and SS. I commonly dial mine past 7 without ill affects.
 
aggressive @ 2?

sounds like it's overclocked.

you need to stick a pin in the adjustment clicker and keep turning it until the adjustments start happening again with a smaller blade gap.
 
The Fat Boy is adjustable and has a wide range of aggressiveness. The heads of the Fat Boy and Aristocrat are not similiar to each other.

I've said it before, if you think the FB is overly aggressive than something is probably wrong with your razor. A FB on 2 should be much milder than a Tech and SS. I commonly dial mine past 7 without ill affects.

I too had trouble with the fatboy's seemingly aggressive nature at first. After looking closely at the razor and comparing it to my HD and Aristocrat, I discovered that the problem wasn't the razor, it was the angle with which I was shaving. If I used the same angle of attack as, say, my Merkur HD, I would scrape my skin terribly (regardless if I was on 2 or 7). Due to the geometry of the Fatboy's head, I've found that shaving with the razor much more perpendicular to the face (parallel to the floor) is necessary. It took me a while to get the hang of this larger angle, but since then I've been able to achieve MUCH better results with my Fatboy. Might not be everyone's experience, but it sure helped me a lot!
 
Is the head of a fatboy the same or very similar to an aristocrat? Is the shave from a fatboy the same or similar to an aristocrat? If so, I may remove the fatboy from my wishlist. If not, the saga continues.

They are very different. I'd recommend trying a Fatboy to anybody. The head of a Fatboy is taller and more rounded than the Aristocrat, maybe to better accommodate the broad range of adjustable settings.

In terms of aggressiveness, my '40s Aristocrat shaves about like my '59 Fatboy set on 6. To me, the '40s and '50s Aristocrats have a certain smoothness to their shave that is unique among the Gillettes I've tried. My Fatboy seems to go from very mild to aggressive more steeply than I expected, with a few clicks. I'd describe the Fatboy as more "precise" than "smooth." In spite of the weight, it gives me very sensitive feedback or feel to the shave because of the big head.

My Fatboy (2.8 oz/81g) is noticeably heavier than my '40s Aristocrat (2.3 oz/66g). They handle differently, but I really like the feel of both for what they are. The Fatboy feels much "bigger" to me, in kind of a good way, than the Aristocrat. Can't really explain it.

The handle thickness and length between the two is similar, except for the very thick TTO knob. I really like to hook a second or third finger around that ridge when head shaving, it makes a big difference in control over odd angles.

For me, I give the edge to the Aristocrat as a shaver because of the flatter head shape, my preference for non-adjustables, the smoothness, and the gold bling. But I really like the Fatboy both as a shaver and looker, and think it is one of the best looking razors Gillette ever made. It's practical '50s technology and pop art. And the settings are fun to play with. A Fatboy is always in my rotation.

Sane prices can still be paid on eBay for un-boxed Fatboys in sub-mint condition, like mine.
 
I've said it before, if you think the FB is overly aggressive than something is probably wrong with your razor. A FB on 2 should be much milder than a Tech and SS. I commonly dial mine past 7 without ill affects.

Would you say this is true of the Slim as well? My Slim did a trick on me at 3 and is still more aggressive than my X2 SS on 2.

And, can it be dialed in to be less aggressive?

Jack
 
They are very different. I'd recommend trying a Fatboy to anybody. The head of a Fatboy is taller and more rounded than the Aristocrat, maybe to better accommodate the broad range of adjustable settings.

In terms of aggressiveness, my '40s Aristocrat shaves about like my '59 Fatboy set on 6. To me, the '40s and '50s Aristocrats have a certain smoothness to their shave that is unique among the Gillettes I've tried. My Fatboy seems to go from very mild to aggressive more steeply than I expected, with a few clicks. I'd describe the Fatboy as more "precise" than "smooth." In spite of the weight, it gives me very sensitive feedback or feel to the shave because of the big head.

My Fatboy (2.8 oz/81g) is noticeably heavier than my '40s Aristocrat (2.3 oz/66g). They handle differently, but I really like the feel of both for what they are. The Fatboy feels much "bigger" to me, in kind of a good way, than the Aristocrat. Can't really explain it.

The handle thickness and length between the two is similar, except for the very thick TTO knob. I really like to hook a second or third finger around that ridge when head shaving, it makes a big difference in control over odd angles.

For me, I give the edge to the Aristocrat as a shaver because of the flatter head shape, my preference for non-adjustables, the smoothness, and the gold bling. But I really like the Fatboy both as a shaver and looker, and think it is one of the best looking razors Gillette ever made. It's practical '50s technology and pop art. And the settings are fun to play with. A Fatboy is always in my rotation.

Sane prices can still be paid on eBay for un-boxed Fatboys in sub-mint condition, like mine.

Many thanks to all, but especially to you sir. This is exactly the kind of well thought out, specific information that I was looking for, though sometimes I don't ask very clear questions. Thanks for putting so much time and effort into your reply. And thanks again to everyone who replied. You all have answered my question and the saga continues!
 
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