My new "Gillette NEW Short Comb" arrived. Yay!

[rabidus]

View attachment 817171

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[Esox]

The SC is so buttery smooth that is the reason I put it ahead of my Schone. The SC real excels in that regard. People like the Schone because they say it is a tad smoother than the Fatip OC's. For me the Gentile does that every bit as well as the Schone. I would put the Gentile in the upper mid-range aggressive category for the sake of discussion. It is a deceiving razor. Some people say that they were expecting a Fatip with a bar but it was different more mild. I say it is exactly like a Fatip with a bar once you get the angle dialed (I have heard comments on the angle) which frankly isn't that hard it is a Fatip lol! Like all Fatip's there is plenty of blade feel. For me the Gentile ranks above the SC in that my stubble comes in quicker after shaving with the SC even with BBS. The Piccolo is just tops in efficiency and a joy to use. I have an r41 and it must be the angle of the blade, or rigidity, but it is not a smooth shaver. I can only do 2 with touch up passes with it, and if I do a 3rd I pay for it. The Piccolo is nearly as efficient but way smoother. I can easily do 3 passes with touch up and get a way better shave than 2 and touch up with my r41. I cannot get bbs with 2 passes on any razor including the r41 (which may be my lack of technique I'm a bit of a Mongo). If you have shaved with an Old and like it you will love the Piccolo imo. I'd say if you are shopping for Fatip's get a Piccolo first it is the best imo. Then get a Gentile to mix things up. There is no real reason to get a Schone because those two razors have all the bases covered.

Yes the Yellow's are sharper! I find it a nice smooth blade sometimes at other times not so much. I have a love hate relationship with them (I'm only a SWB after all) I definitely like the Platinum's over the GSB. Not quite as smooth as the GSB until broken in, but close and slightly, pleasingly, more efficient.

I can get a BBS shave with my SC that lasts 9 or more hours. Using an extremely steep angle it lasted 10 hours with a Derby Extra, but I cant say it was one of my most comfortable shaves. Its so rigid and so smooth buffing with it is a pleasure.

Since using my Regent I've found I like the blade a bit more forward which is why I'm going to have to order a FaTip and find out once and for all. That razor gave me a BBS shave on my cheeks and below my jawline was still a very good DFS after 23 hours with a Polsilver. I really dont enjoy buffing with it, yet anyway. I've only had 3 shaves with it.

I'm not sure I can get a faster more efficient shave than a 2 1/2 pass shave, but the Regent has me wondering if a more blade forward design wouldnt make that possible.

I've never used an OLD type. I'm torn between one and a FaTip, and will likely end up with both. The only reason I've hesitated on buying a FaTip are the blade alignment issues I've read about so often. I have no issues at all on any of my Gillette razors and dont even think about it. I just drop the blade in and tighten it down without a second thought.

 

[rabidus]

I can get a BBS shave with my SC that lasts 9 or more hours. Using an extremely steep angle it lasted 10 hours with a Derby Extra, but I cant say it was one of my most comfortable shaves. Its so rigid and so smooth buffing with it is a pleasure.

Since using my Regent I've found I like the blade a bit more forward which is why I'm going to have to order a FaTip and find out once and for all. That razor gave me a BBS shave on my cheeks and below my jawline was still a very good DFS after 23 hours with a Polsilver. I really dont enjoy buffing with it, yet anyway. I've only had 3 shaves with it.

I'm not sure I can get a faster more efficient shave than a 2 1/2 pass shave, but the Regent has me wondering if a more blade forward design wouldnt make that possible.

I've never used an OLD type. I'm torn between one and a FaTip, and will likely end up with both. The only reason I've hesitated on buying a FaTip are the blade alignment issues I've read about so often. I have no issues at all on any of my Gillette razors and dont even think about it. I just drop the blade in and tighten it down without a second thought.

I shaved with the SC I sent @1Cal right before I mailed and it took about 12 hours for stubble to break skin. I get the same long lasting BBS shaves from my MMOC, El Jefe, and 1912. I don't think it's possible for me to get any closer than that!

 

[Raven Koenes]

I've never used an OLD type. I'm torn between one and a FaTip, and will likely end up with both. The only reason I've hesitated on buying a FaTip are the blade alignment issues I've read about so often. I have no issues at all on any of my Gillette razors and dont even think about it. I just drop the blade in and tighten it down without a second thought.

Since they've retooled Fatip's mine all align pretty much right off most of the time. They align like an Old Type where you have to manually align them or at least check. That is because the Fatip head is based on the three post Old Type head for the old style three hole blades. The head on the Fatip is thicker and there is more blade showing than on the Old, but it is basically the Old Type design. It's just really old school, and aligning it just comes with the territory.

 

[Esox]

I shaved with the SC I sent @1Cal right before I mailed and it took about 12 hours for stubble to break skin. I get the same long lasting BBS shaves from my MMOC, El Jefe, and 1912. I don't think it's possible for me to get any closer than that!

I remember reading that. I didnt think it possible to do better than the 9-10 hours with a Polsilver or Blue Diamond. A shave with a Derby Extra usually gave me a 4 hour BBS finish. The 10 hour BBS was a shocker and I wasnt even sure that blade was capable of that.

That 23 hour shave with the Regent has me thinking though and I'm not sure I understand why theres a difference with it and the SC. The only obvious difference to me is the Regent seems to be a bit more blade forward judging from the pics I posted earlier in this thread.

 

[Esox]

Since they've retooled Fatip's mine all align pretty much right off most of the time. They align like an Old Type where you have to manually align them or at least check. That is because the Fatip head is based on the three post Old Type head for the old style three hole blades. The head on the Fatip is thicker and there is more blade showing than on the Old, but it is basically the Old Type design. It's just really old school, and aligning it just comes with the territory.

Yeah I get that, I'm just not in the habit of checking. I suppose that will need to change since I seem to have been spoiled lol.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Yeah I get that, I'm just not in the habit of checking. I suppose that will need to change since I seem to have been spoiled lol.

Lol!

 

[Cal]

Yeah I get that, I'm just not in the habit of checking. I suppose that will need to change since I seem to have been spoiled lol.

When I got my first Fatip Piccolo (Mk1), I'd never heard of stuff like "blade alignment." I simply loaded the razor and shaved. It was only through reading B&B threads that I discovered this "problem."

I immediately looked at my Piccolo, laughed, and took a pic:

On experimenting, I discovered that it would align itself anywhere between perfect and the above. This hadn't bothered me before and I'd never got cut... probably because I know the secret.

Spoiler

Razors are SHARP!

But, of course, from that moment I've always looked. And if it's off (significantly) I'll adjust.

Later on I purchased the Piccolo Mk2 (after Fatip had retooled). All three parts on the Mk2 are slightly different to the Mk1; most noticeably the cap, which is wider (less aggressive). My Mk2 lines up blades perfectly each time (unlike my Old Type and NEW SC where there can be a little play).

MINUTIAE:
That said, I'm currently using my Mk2 Piccolo with the narrower (18mm vs 19mm) Mk1 cap. And strangely enough, even though the Mk1 locating pins are also narrower than the Mk2 locating pins... it aligns perfectly each time too.

 

[rabidus]

My Mk2 lines up blades perfectly each time (unlike my Old Type and NEW SC where there can be a little play).

I guess I know the secret also! I never manually aligned any Gillette with the aligning bars, your included! Never had any issues.

 

[Esox]

When I got my first Fatip Piccolo (Mk1), I'd never heard of stuff like "blade alignment." I simply loaded the razor and shaved. It was only through reading B&B threads that I discovered this "problem."

I immediately looked at my Piccolo, laughed, and took a pic:
View attachment 817234

On experimenting, I discovered that it would align itself anywhere between perfect and the above. This hadn't bothered me before and I'd never got cut... probably because I know the secret.

Spoiler

Razors are SHARP!

But, of course, from that moment I've always looked. And if it's off (significantly) I'll adjust.

Later on I purchased the Piccolo Mk2 (after Fatip had retooled). All three parts on the Mk2 are slightly different to the Mk1; most noticeably the cap, which is wider (less aggressive). My Mk2 lines up blades perfectly each time (unlike my Old Type and NEW SC where there can be a little play).

MINUTIAE:
That said, I'm currently using my Mk2 Piccolo with the narrower (18mm vs 19mm) Mk1 cap. And strangely enough, even though the Mk1 locating pins are also narrower than the Mk2 locating pins... it aligns perfectly each time too.

Thanks for the picture!

Its a bit hard to tell but it looks as though the blade and the cap can both be slightly misaligned? It sounds like the base plate does more of the aligning job than the cap.

I've not had any issues at all with my SC, and I did keep and eye on it the first few times putting a blade in or flipping it and it's never been off at all that I could see. I always lay the cap on my hand, drop a blade on it, lay the base plate on top of it and then screw the handle on. None of my Gillette TTO's have ever been misaligned either.

One thing I have noticed with my SC is the blade edge can develop a ripple or a wavy edge if its tightened a bit too snugly. If you look at the edge of the blade against a light you'll see a reflection on the blade edge. I can watch that reflection and see how tight to snug the handle down before it starts developing that wavy edge. I'm not sure if its the top cap or the base plate, or both creating that, but once I figured out how snug it likes to be it hasnt been an issue since. There is a drastic difference in shave feel between a too tight handle and a just right handle tightness though.

I'll likely order it from Maggards next week when I get home from a weekend trip up north. I should have the other day when I ordered a tub of cream lol. Then again maybe not, it seems Maggards is out of stock on the Piccolo. I'll have to shop around...

 

[Raven Koenes]

Then again maybe not, it seems Maggards is out of stock on the Piccolo. I'll have to shop around...

Wow! I looked around and it seems like a few places are out of stock. They must be selling! Amazon is listing them for 34 dollars. The Italian Barber and Phoenix Accouterments have them in stock for around 22 dollars.

 

[Esox]

Wow! I looked around and it seems like a few places are out of stock. They must be selling! Amazon is listing them for 34 dollars. The Italian Barber and Phoenix Accouterments have them in stock for around 22 dollars.

With nearly the same cost for shipping to Canada, and once the money conversion is in place it can approach $50CAD for a $20USD razor. This is why I dont enjoy looking around very much lol.

I'll check amazon.ca though!

Edit: FaTip Grande shipped from Maggards would cost me $43.65CAD. Thats the nice thing about Maggards, they offer shipping for $4.22CAD.

 

[Cal]

This is why I don't enjoy looking around very much lol.

Nevertheless, just check out B&B vendor Gifts&Care in Spain for shipping rates.

Spoiler

Specially recommend for tough bears.

 

[Esox]

Nevertheless, just check out B&B vendor Gifts&Care in Spain for shipping rates.

Spoiler

Specially recommend for tough bears.

$29.61CAD shipped. Thats pretty good. I'll have a poke around that site. Thanks for the link.

"
Fatip "Piccolo" Nickel Double Edge Safety Razor. Three piece open comb razor that provides a close shave. Specially recommend for tough bears." LOL Somethings dont translate well? Haha

 

[rudyt]

$29.61CAD shipped. Thats pretty good. I'll have a poke around that site.

I don't know which model you're after, so of it makes a difference to you, make sure you ask the vendor if you're going to get the v1 (more aggressive, more exposed blade) or v2 (less blade exposed and milder).

Since rigidity matters to you, the v2 might be more rigid because of the wider cap and less blade sticking out.

Last time I asked G&C a few months ago, they still only had the v1.

 

[Esox]

I don't know which model you're after, so of it makes a difference to you, make sure you ask the vendor if you're going to get the v1 (more aggressive, more exposed blade) or v2 (less blade exposed and milder).

Since rigidity matters to you, the v2 might be more rigid because of the wider cap and less blade sticking out.

Last time I asked G&C a few months ago, they still only had the v1.

Oh, thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to check, I didnt think anyone still had stock of the v1.

 

[TobyC]

Mine's a V1, and the alignment is perfect!

 

[rudyt]

Oh, thanks for the heads up. I'll be sure to check, I didnt think anyone still had stock of the v1.

Some vendors must have bought a truckload. Fendrihan Canada also had only the v1 a few months ago.

 

[Esox]

Does anyone know which one this model number represents?

Model FA42100

Fatip "Piccolo" Nickel Open Comb Safety Razor - Gifts&Care

I've Googled around and cant find the info.

Some vendors must have bought a truckload. Fendrihan Canada also had only the v1 a few months ago.

Hmmm, thanks.

 

[Cal]

Virtually all reliable suppliers will be selling the Mk2. I would think eBay would be about the only/best place to get the Mk1. And it should arrive in the correct box (as shown in their pics).

Mk1 box left. Mk2 box right.