Thread: Adjustable DE's

Do you really think adjustable DE's like the fatboy give better shaves than nonadjustables and how do you maximize the type or brand of blade with the adjustment?

I may be in the minority, but I prefer a fixed head. I tried a fatboy and sold it after 60 days. Can't shave me as well as a Merkur Classic.
Some swear by them, however.

The adjustables work real well in a progression 8-5-3 is what I use to use. Setting 8 wtg. setting 5 xtg. setting 3 atg.

I agree with Don. My Fatboy spends most of its time sitting with the rest of the collection - my preferred DE is a late 40's Super Speed.

Originally Posted by Don

The adjustables work real well in a progression 8-5-3 is what I use to use. Setting 8 wtg. setting 5 xtg. setting 3 atg.

I like the fatboy, though I must add that it's the only DE I've ever used.

I'm also ashamed to say that adjusting the setting for each pass had never occured to me. I simply started at a one and worked up each shave untill I found a spot I liked and just stopped there. I'm excited to try this out now.

Thanks Don!

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Do you really think adjustable DE's like the fatboy give better shaves than nonadjustables and how do you maximize the type or brand of blade with the adjustment?

Hi there,
I've enjoyed many of your posts in the past. I like the direct manor in your answers, often coupled with some interesting info. Maybe I can partially answer your question and sorta earn my keep here in doing so. Keep in mind that these are observations after eight months of DE shaving, and previous to that I used an injector for a while.
So, my answer to your question about a fatboy (or slim also) possibly shaving better because of the adjustable feature.......... is...not necessarily. It's not just about the blade gap, and being able to dial in the aggressive/mild aspect to your liking. Nope, there's a lot more to it than that when it comes to everyone's favorite(s) razor. Hehe, I'll make this as quick as I can.
The most recommended razor for a person new to DE shaving is a non adjustable razor made by Merkur. I've never tried a Merkur, but did pick one up in a store to get the feel of it. I know that the six gillette's I've used so far, which include two non adjustables, all felt different than the HD ( Merkur model #) did in my hand. There would certainly be a short learning curve I'd need to master. In addition, there's no guarantee I'd even find this razor to be a good fit for me, which is true for any new razor.
Anyway, there's all kinds of DE razors and they each have their endearing qualities for someone. Many many DE shavers love the Merkurs, and one of the adjustable model (Progress) that company makes gets excellent reviews.
It's mostly about the right weight (and it's distribution), and also the head design. These are crucial features when finding the perfect razor. Yeah, those Merkur heads are NOT designed like the gillettes I've used, but lots do like em, so they must be good. I'll probably try one sometime.........maybe.
Then there's many shavers who love the non adjustable gillette models such as the Super Speed and Tech and Aristocrat. Once again, they are all different animals, and will shave differently for each individual. Crazy huh? Hehe, yeah, a rhetorical question.
I mentioned I was only gonna answer part of your question and that will do it. Oh.......this was the very short version. The rabbit hole seems to be fairly deep, although I haven't reached the bottom yet. Oy.
That part about the blades and matching em up.........that's another part I hope someone else will answer for you. I'll just mention this quickly.
As you know, blades vary wildly as to how they perform for each user. We all have different faces and beards, and finding the right blade is trial and error. Some feel sharper, some milder, some more aggressive, some more forgiving, some pull and some don't....that sorta stuff. This is true for me and many others. Plus..........and this is something you'll find amusing........the damn blades don't perform the same in all razors. No, you have to match up the perfect blade AND the perfect razor. Hehe, this can take a while, but it's all in the motivation.
That's all I'll say for now about that second part of your question. I WILL just mention that those adjustments DO effectively tweak things nicely. Hehe, think of the possibilities.
Hope that helps in some small way, and once again, these are my observations and would take em as one opinion.
Martin

my aristocrat gives way better shaves than both of my fatboys much closer but if i am not careful it will bite

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Do you really think adjustable DE's like the fatboy give better shaves than nonadjustables and how do you maximize the type or brand of blade with the adjustment?

Not really. What an adjustable does is reduce the importance of blade choice, and lets you compensate to some extent for blade wear. The guys that use fixed-head razors tend to be really picky about exactly which blade matches up with which razor, but I've noticed that the adjustable guys don't seem to care as much and wind up picking blades based on some other criteria (price, availability, sharpness, etc). You'll see a lot more Wal-Mart Personnas being used in Fatboys or Visions than in HDs or Superspeeds for example, because they're both cheap and available and work just fine once you figure out which setting makes them shave well for you.

I use this progression:
5 WTG
3 ATG
3 XTG
9 ATG careful touch-up

This works really well for me.

Hi;

Interesting question about adjustables. I have been using a Fatboy off and on for about 20 years or more. For a long time, I also moved the adjustment around until I found a setting that worked the best and left it there. That was mainly due to the fact that for a long time there were only a few blades out there that were readily available; Gillette and Schick, and they weren't all that much different. In the last few years, with more blades on the market, it has been easier to tell some significant differences between blades. I think the adjustable does allow one to account for those differences to a degree, and I find I can get a decent shave from some blades with the adjustable when I can't from a fixed head. I can use Feathers with a setting as low as a "3" and get a good shave, but go to a "5" or "6" with a Derby or Wilkinson to get the same quality shave. I have used a "6" or "7" or higher with a Polsilver, Dorco, and Bic and gotten good shaves. So, I don't think the adjustable shaves any better than a fixed head (my favorite DE is an Edwin Jagger fixed head), but does allow you to use a wider range of blades and get decent results.