Thread: Gillette Fat Boy question..

I agree that Fatboys are overrated. Slims are cheaper and IMHO better.

Originally Posted by Birnando

I'm amazed by all the comments on the size of the Fatboy.
I find it to be almost unusable due to how small it is...

I agree with Birnando. I was shocked at how short the handle is on the Fatboy. I went from a Gillette Atra and had real difficulty adjusting to holding a Fatboy. My Jagger 89L is much easier to grasp. I have the Gillette Slim Adjustable and, while its handle is longer than the Fatboy, it is really a skinny handle.

In spite of the short handle, the Fatboy gives me a really fine shave.

My wife gave me my mint Fatboy as a Christmas gift so I can't speak to the pricing.

Happy Shaving!

Originally Posted by Birnando

I'm amazed by all the comments on the size of the Fatboy.
I find it to be almost unusable due to how small it is

Nah, give me a merkur Vision, that is a proper sized shaving tool

I agree it's not massive, but it's hefty and thicker in the handle than other ones. And I'm a sucker for vintage items and in terms of size heft and and weight it can't really be beat. Maybe by a Barbasol, but good luck finding one of those for sale...

I love mine, I picked it up for 15 at an antique shop. Cleaned it up and use it every day.




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Fatboys are the "in" razor. If you follow eBay you'll see that Fatboys; Gillette Adjustable, anything that says it has an Original Case . Now who really knows if it's the original case?? Just follow the reviews here and elsewhere. Get a good ides of what you want . Buy the razor not the case and follow eBay. Certain days and times are better buys. If it to high ; pass on it. . They made millions of them !

Being in this game for over a half year now and having bought a ridiculous amount of razors, I am not overly impressed with the Fatboy. While it is a nice razor, I've also used the Slim and the Super Adjustable (both short and long handle), and the Fatboy is no better. In fact, out of all the adjustables, I think the Short Handled Super Adjustable is my favorite...not sure why, but the silver and black makes for a handsome razor...and no, I'm not a Raiders fan! If you don't own an adjustable already, just get ANY of the ones I mentioned above...they will all give you great shaves, and chances are you'll find one for close to $10.

-Steve

Originally Posted by tonycraigo

Because when I was 7 years old I watched my Dad shave twice a day with one so he could go to school (industrial arts instructor) in the morning, then work until 11PM at night at Sears....

To put food into my mouth.

I have his Fat Boy and it's rather worn... probably because he shaved with it twice a day.

I'd sell it... for 150 million dollars.

Interested?

You remind me of my friend who recently said,
"Everything I own is for sale......for the right price!"

There are some things money can't buy, like the memories you get when using your dad's razor. Thanks for posting. It's a good reminder of what is important in this life.

I own 3 Fatboys, 4 Slims (1 is a '61 Aristocrat) and a Super Adjustable. I prefer the Fatboy due to the feel in my hand and the higher dome of the head. I didn't pay much for any of them (less than $10), but I was patient and shopped estate sales and antique stores to find them. You're paying for someone else's time, shoe leather and gas when you buy on ebay. So quit yer bellyaching, get off your butt and look for your razor!

I picked up my first Fatboy this week. Incl. original Gillette packaging, all chrome and enamel intact. $38. My first DE. Attraction for me is the heft and the "Made in USA" factor--hearkens back to when we produced everyday things of value that were built to last.

I'm guessing that collecting DEs will prove every bit as addictive as collecting straights. I'm already curious about the Merkurs.

Cheers!

I have one Fatboy along with a couple Mekurs. I really needed a Fatboy because it is the razor I used as a teenager, the first razor I shaved with. Maybe mis-shaved with would be more accurate. No one ever taught me how to shave. I don't think my dad knew how himself. I got a "this is a razor kid, go at it," instruction. The result was four years of bad shaves and a lot of lost blood. As soon as I was eighteen I grew a beard and threw the Fatboy away.

Many years later both the Fatboy and I are becoming antiques. Learning to shave correctly with a straight razor I gravitated to DEs for those moments when I did not have the time for my regular shave. Nostalgia led me to a re-introduction to the Fatboy.

It seemed small to me when I saw one again. I guess that comes from slinging six inches of sharpened steel around my face for so long. In my hand however, it felt quite natural (muscle memory I guess). It gives a decent shave and is comparable to my other DEs. What it gives me that the others do not it the back story. We have both seen better days but we're still here.

Sure it's hyped, so what. Doesn't change what it is. A decent razor that was probably America's quintessential contribution to wet shaving. I notice by the entries on youtube that it is popular among shavers in Europe so I guess it is more than hype.

Every once in a while she still bites to let me know that there is still a dumb teenager lurking in this aging body.