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I Just Got A 1959 (E-3) Gillette Adjustable Fatboy DE Razor!!! (My Very First Vintage Razor!)

Well, I guess I need to post a pic of my Fatty.

Antique store find, very clean. I suspect the owner used it infrequently and put it away. Looking at the blade pack, three were used, and are date-coded the quarter after the razor. If they are the blades that were included with the razor, then it was used for three blades worth of shaves, or the pack was purchased separately at a later date and the razor has more use. Either way, the razor looks new.

fatboy.jpg
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
I have an E2 1959 Fatboy (my birth year) and had it revamped at Razor Emporium. It's a great shaver.

I use it on setting 5 for my WTG and XTG passes, and setting 3 for my ATG pass.

WOW, talk about lucky you! I've heard RE does quality revamps, and I've actually seen a video of them doing a revamp, and it looked like it turned out great to me! Thank you for telling me what settings you typically use, I have a shave update at the bottom of this reply.

I never talk about my Fatboy I suppose because I rarely ever use her……
Mine is a 1959 4th quarter, (E4).
And like dotKomo above, was revamped at Razor Emporium.

IMO, that needs to change, lets start using your Fatboy and talking about it LOL! Interesting, you have the same year razor, just in the 4th quarter of the year, before they did a slight revamp in their design for the 1960's model. You should shave with your Fatboy and tell us what the shaves are like for you, I'd be all to happy to read about it. And thank you for sharing your lovely pictures of your Fatboy, I loved them, and love your Fatboy!!! 😍

I picked up a perfect condition F1 1960 Fatboy on the bay for $45. They are still out there just some patients and hunting are needed.

Perfect condition? Normally those sell for 155 dollars and up! New stock with the full care package, case, dispenser and all, is like 300 dollars. If someone listed a perfect condition Fatboy for 45 dollars, I am thinking they didn't know what they had. This happens in garage sales too, sometimes a home owner doesn't do their research, and they will sell a vintage record player worth 400 dollars, and sell for 30 lol. Well, congrats to you sir! I hope you are loving your Fatboy indeed!

That's a very nice looking example. I would like to add one to my collection, but I'm not willing to pay the price they usually go for. I've got a slim adjustable and a super adjustable, so I'll get by somehow. :)

Thank you so much Borwish! Whats this I hear about being content with a Slim adjustable and Super adjustable? Nonsense, a wet shaver is never content on their RAD. Its IMO, that you should get a Fatboy as soon as possible. Yes, I might be guilty of enabling at times, but you know I am right. Don't let me down now Borwish. LOL 😁

Well, I guess I need to post a pic of my Fatty.

Antique store find, very clean. I suspect the owner used it infrequently and put it away. Looking at the blade pack, three were used, and are date-coded the quarter after the razor. If they are the blades that were included with the razor, then it was used for three blades worth of shaves, or the pack was purchased separately at a later date and the razor has more use. Either way, the razor looks new.

View attachment 1472838

WOW!!! Thank you for telling me the story behind this razor and the blades. I whole heartedly agree with you, this razor, case, and dispenser look absolutely, and positively, brand new to me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was revamped. But knowing how this thing is in new condition, with extremely light use on it, this explains its new condition looking state. I'd say that is what I like to call, a SUPER SCORE WOOHOO!!! 🥳

Your Fatty is breathtakingly beautiful, my heart beats for its gorgeousness. 😍 Thank you so much for sharing, I really love it when you guys share your pictures with me, I really do appreciate it!

Nice! I love my Fatboy. If I truly wanted to, I could never buy another razor again and just shave with it (of course, I don’t want to 🤣 )

Well you should love your Fatboy, because its awesome, and so are you! Yes, I could get behind that decision, but then again, I got total RAD too, and I too, just don't want to. I got 5 razors, 4 modern, 1 vintage. Rabbit hole? Sure, cannonball right into it I say. Oh look, there's no bottom to this rabbit hole, no big deal. Oooooooo, razors, I like that, and that and that, and I want this, and that, and that. HAHA!

_______________________________________________________________________

Today's Wednesday shave report, 2nd shave with the 1959 Gillette Fatboy Razor!

Hello everyone! Todays shave went even better then I had expected. I razed the blade aggression for the WTG passes like I said I was going to do, so here are the results!

(1) WTG passes on level 7, off goes the bulk, just as efficiently as my Rex Ambassador & Merkur Futur on their level 4's. Listen to my Fatboy sing, as it cuts the whiskers away.

(2) DTG passes on neck level 3, tricky hairs removed.

(3) ATG passes on neck on level 3, finishing touches applied, BBS achieved! SMOOOOTH!

(4) XTG passes on face, level 3, XTG bulk removed. Feels face, almost BBS in moostash area!

(5) ATG passes on moostash and chin area, beginning on level 1, then finish off on level 3, BBS achieved!

(6) Slight buffing was required because I am OCD

Conclusion? I got a 100% BBS shave today! 0 nicks, 0 weepers, 0 capillary bleeding of the unwanted. Todays score, 10 out of 10!

Review? My review rating stands, 2nd shave with the Gillette 7 O Clock blade in my Gillette Fatboy razor, and I got a even better and more complete BBS shave today. This razor is without a doubt in my mind, a solid 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Recommendation? Gillette Fatboy razor, !!!HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Arsenal slot position? The Gillette Fatboy has secured its position as #2 in my razor arsenal, only second to my holy grail razor, the Timeless Titanium TI95. SWTC is very happy right now. 😍
 
WOW, talk about lucky you! I've heard RE does quality revamps, and I've actually seen a video of them doing a revamp, and it looked like it turned out great to me! Thank you for telling me what settings you typically use, I have a shave update at the bottom of this reply.



IMO, that needs to change, lets start using your Fatboy and talking about it LOL! Interesting, you have the same year razor, just in the 4th quarter of the year, before they did a slight revamp in their design for the 1960's model. You should shave with your Fatboy and tell us what the shaves are like for you, I'd be all to happy to read about it. And thank you for sharing your lovely pictures of your Fatboy, I loved them, and love your Fatboy!!! 😍



Perfect condition? Normally those sell for 155 dollars and up! New stock with the full care package, case, dispenser and all, is like 300 dollars. If someone listed a perfect condition Fatboy for 45 dollars, I am thinking they didn't know what they had. This happens in garage sales too, sometimes a home owner doesn't do their research, and they will sell a vintage record player worth 400 dollars, and sell for 30 lol. Well, congrats to you sir! I hope you are loving your Fatboy indeed!



Thank you so much Borwish! Whats this I hear about being content with a Slim adjustable and Super adjustable? Nonsense, a wet shaver is never content on their RAD. Its IMO, that you should get a Fatboy as soon as possible. Yes, I might be guilty of enabling at times, but you know I am right. Don't let me down now Borwish. LOL 😁



WOW!!! Thank you for telling me the story behind this razor and the blades. I whole heartedly agree with you, this razor, case, and dispenser look absolutely, and positively, brand new to me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was revamped. But knowing how this thing is in new condition, with extremely light use on it, this explains its new condition looking state. I'd say that is what I like to call, a SUPER SCORE WOOHOO!!! 🥳

Your Fatty is breathtakingly beautiful, my heart beats for its gorgeousness. 😍 Thank you so much for sharing, I really love it when you guys share your pictures with me, I really do appreciate it!



Well you should love your Fatboy, because its awesome, and so are you! Yes, I could get behind that decision, but then again, I got total RAD too, and I too, just don't want to. I got 5 razors, 4 modern, 1 vintage. Rabbit hole? Sure, cannonball right into it I say. Oh look, there's no bottom to this rabbit hole, no big deal. Oooooooo, razors, I like that, and that and that, and I want this, and that, and that. HAHA!

_______________________________________________________________________

Today's Wednesday shave report, 2nd shave with the 1959 Gillette Fatboy Razor!

Hello everyone! Todays shave went even better then I had expected. I razed the blade aggression for the WTG passes like I said I was going to do, so here are the results!

(1) WTG passes on level 7, off goes the bulk, just as efficiently as my Rex Ambassador & Merkur Futur on their level 4's. Listen to my Fatboy sing, as it cuts the whiskers away.

(2) DTG passes on neck level 3, tricky hairs removed.

(3) ATG passes on neck on level 3, finishing touches applied, BBS achieved! SMOOOOTH!

(4) XTG passes on face, level 3, XTG bulk removed. Feels face, almost BBS in moostash area!

(5) ATG passes on moostash and chin area, beginning on level 1, then finish off on level 3, BBS achieved!

(6) Slight buffing was required because I am OCD

Conclusion? I got a 100% BBS shave today! 0 nicks, 0 weepers, 0 capillary bleeding of the unwanted. Todays score, 10 out of 10!

Review? My review rating stands, 2nd shave with the Gillette 7 O Clock blade in my Gillette Fatboy razor, and I got a even better and more complete BBS shave today. This razor is without a doubt in my mind, a solid 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Recommendation? Gillette Fatboy razor, !!!HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Arsenal slot position? The Gillette Fatboy has secured its position as #2 in my razor arsenal, only second to my holy grail razor, the Timeless Titanium TI95. SWTC is very happy right now. 😍
Well, it appears that you've found "the one" and can stop searching...or keep going, you know, just to be sure.

Glad it has worked so well for you.

Quick addition to the story of my Fatboy:

I made an offer that was about 30% less than marked, and the clerk called the owner to see if she would accept. She did, and she also told him that it was her deceased father's razor.

This might sound dumb, but somehow I feel a duty to take great care of it.
 
Perfect condition? Normally those sell for 155 dollars and up! New stock with the full care package, case, dispenser and all, is like 300 dollars. If someone listed a perfect condition Fatboy for 45 dollars, I am thinking they didn't know what they had. This happens in garage sales too, sometimes a home owner doesn't do their research, and they will sell a vintage record player worth 400 dollars, and sell for 30 lol. Well, congrats to you sir! I hope you are loving your Fatboy indeed!
Here she is in all her glory

 
Here is a nice chart I found in my Photo archives that was used by a Gillette sales man who would talk to retailers as he traveled promoting the new razor on the benefits of the adjustable razor and the aggression settings.
Looks like a well cared razor you came across @Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker, Enjoy!
View attachment 1472908
Have some great shaves!

Certainly looks like setting 5 is the sweet spot for most people.
 
I have many vintage Gillette razors, and some modern. This is what I think: when Gillette made double edge safety razors, from the very beginning to, let's say, the mid sixties, they invested a lot of money, really lots, in R&D to obtain the razors we know, and obtained these marvels as a result for an affordable price. That was thanks also of the millions invested in machinery to build these razors made of bronze (material that was much cheaper than now), and as a result we still can enjoy these razors. They built millions and sold them all over the world.
On the other side, as these days a small percentage of men use double edge razors, the factories who make modern DE razors have a huge barrier to invest lots of money in R&D plus machinery to make razors that can have an improved performance over vintage.
That's my humble opinion
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Here she is in all her glory


And she is absolutely gorgeous, that is a piece of art in your hands right there, cherish it. 😍

Does seem that way but for myself setting #7 seems to work well for myself.

Like you Ron, I find level 7 best for my WTG passes, to remove the bulk.

Congrats!!!! The vintage Gillette rabbit hole is a very deep one, tread carefully! But it is also a most enjoyable rabbit hole.

Enjoy your shaves!

I think the Gillette Fatboy is really the only vintage razor that I am interested in, so I think I will handle the vintage rabbit hole, better then I have the modern rabbit hole lol.

I have many vintage Gillette razors, and some modern. This is what I think: when Gillette made double edge safety razors, from the very beginning to, let's say, the mid sixties, they invested a lot of money, really lots, in R&D to obtain the razors we know, and obtained these marvels as a result for an affordable price. That was thanks also of the millions invested in machinery to build these razors made of bronze (material that was much cheaper than now), and as a result we still can enjoy these razors. They built millions and sold them all over the world.
On the other side, as these days a small percentage of men use double edge razors, the factories who make modern DE razors have a huge barrier to invest lots of money in R&D plus machinery to make razors that can have an improved performance over vintage.
That's my humble opinion

Yep, I think modern razors are really trying to mimic what vintage razors do so well. At least when it comes to my Fatboy, I just feel that its an amazing razor that Gillette should have continued making all through the years.

Kudos!

E-3 sounds like a military paygrade or a Sherman tank prototype to me, but apparently it does shave very well. 😎

Ya I know, but its just the serial code of the razor, which tells you 3rd quarter of 1959. Each Gillette razor uses a serial date code. I wish they could have just wrote the actual dates on the razors instead of using the cryptic code you got to look up, but I figure they did that for their warranty return system, back in the day.

And you better make sure that Sherman tank has an upgraded engine in it, so you can insure you get out of trouble, just as quickly as you got into it.

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Here is a nice chart I found in my Photo archives that was used by a Gillette sales man who would talk to retailers as he traveled promoting the new razor on the benefits of the adjustable razor and the aggression settings.
Looks like a well cared razor you came across @Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker, Enjoy!
View attachment 1472908
Have some great shaves!
Now there is my perfect job!!!!! A razor salesman…..I’m retired now, but can I please have a “re-do”.
If I only knew then what I know today!🧐
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Finally got my own. It showed up a little rough, but I disassembled it, cleaned and polished, adjusted the slightly crooked doors, and repainted the numbers. Also, it is a wonderful shaver.
View attachment 1477754View attachment 1477755View attachment 1477756View attachment 1477757

Oh my gosh, your pictures bring me to heaven! @LMcC 😍

You are right, your razor is in excellent condition! Of course you had to make a few adjustments, and a little polishing, but I think it turned out great! I couldn't quite make out the date code on it. Also, you must have the brass version of the Fatboy, the color really looks good, especially with it polished up like that.

I am so glad that you have managed to secure one of these razors. Your going to wonder how you have gone through life without it. On my very first shave with mine, the thoughts in my head were, I should have just bought this razor at the very start of my wet shaving journey lol. Congrats, and hope you have many amazing shaves with it! :thumbup:
 
Oh my gosh, your pictures bring me to heaven! @LMcC 😍

You are right, your razor is in excellent condition! Of course you had to make a few adjustments, and a little polishing, but I think it turned out great! I couldn't quite make out the date code on it. Also, you must have the brass version of the Fatboy, the color really looks good, especially with it polished up like that.

I am so glad that you have managed to secure one of these razors. Your going to wonder how you have gone through life without it. On my very first shave with mine, the thoughts in my head were, I should have just bought this razor at the very start of my wet shaving journey lol. Congrats, and hope you have many amazing shaves with it! :thumbup:
Oh, it’s an F1. And original nickel plating.
 
@Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker, the Fatboy is a gateway drug 😄. It was the first vintage Gillette razor I ever bought. I've been bingeing since. I've lost a precise count of how many vintage Gillette razors I now have, but it's approaching 100. I think I currently have four Fatboys with at least two more on the way. Both of those are super grungy, but I'll get them back into working order, likely for someone else to enjoy. The vast majority of vintage Gillette razors are incredibly well made. Even the original OLD types usually still shave perfectly even when the handle is cracked (which is nearly always).
 
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