Gillette Fat Boy

The fatboy is a great feeling razor with excellent weight and balance. Although the Slim Adjustable gives a slightly better shave around the nostrils, the feel of a Fatboy cannot be duplicated. There is a feel of perfection with this razor. The weight and length is exactly what a safety razor should feel like. Although the razor doesn't deliver in the shave precision, there is a definite quality shave that is experienced when using this razor. I have yet to find a razor of any brand that has the weight and balance this razor possesses.

Another quality Gillette product. I really enjoyed the weight of the razor. My problems are as follows: I have very large hands and I think the Slim and Superspeed fit my hands better than the Fat Boy, like the Slim, it doesn't adjust with the razor doors closed (or at least like my slim, perhaps others do) I really like my Super's ability to adjust easily in the shower, and maybe it was just me, but the adjustments are not quite the same as the Slim and Super as the 7 on the latter two shave me just fine, but the 7 on the Fat Boy was not quite as close. Perhaps it's technique that will be corrected on future shaves. Still, a fantastic razor.

My favorite razor as of this morning. I have spent weeks looking for a Gillette Fat Boy because i believed I needed to try a more aggressive razor. I could not find it on ebay for less than $50, despite the fact that throughout B&B forums it is commonly spoken of as costing $30. Then during lunch yesterday at an antique shop I spotted one. Terrible condition, adjuster was stuck, dirt and crud all in the head and razor blade space was uneven side to side. I brought it home fixed it up with some scrubbing bubbles and hot soapy water and adjuster started working right away. A towel and a wrench fixed the uneven shutter door as well. Now the only thing wrong with it is some guy thought it would be good to put his initials in it "D.A.J." (if your out there, thank you). Back to quality of shave:
-Price for me since it was in bad condition was outstanding at $8, but normally the price is getting very high.
-Quality is a little rough for an old razor, especially the one I found, but it was not too difficult to fix up. Quality of shave is excellent on a 3 for me.
-User friendly, TTO enough said.
-Grip is a great knurling that I will never drop because of slippage
-Ease of blade replacement... TTO
-Aggressiveness was perfect for me on a 3, going to try a 4 tomorrow, however it is adjustable so it can get more aggressive if I need it to and could get milder as well.
-Adjustability is great, now that I got the adjust moving(hot water, soap, and a little help from a towel to not damage the razor and two pliers to get it going)
-Balance is fantastic, I think this had a lot to do with my great shave this morning and cant wait for the next.

I had my eye on a fatBoy for a while thanks to the reviews on various shaving forums.
I eventually set my heart on a late '58 model plated in Rhodium. I paid a lot of money for it..But in the past 4 months I see they have risen by 40% in price so maybe its an investment as well as a icon for shaving..
Mine is in truly stunning condition with not a hint of wear and tear..
I haven't got the original box for it but to be honest I bought mine to shave with and not just to look at.
My first shave with it wasn't a very nice experience because it left me raw on cheek and neck.. I was so very close to selling it on straight away. Luckily I mentioned my issues with it on this forum and was told that the adjuster plate was stuck on number 9 !!. This is apparently quite common with FatBoys.. I was told how to free off the mechanism.
I have it set on 3 / 4 and its a delight to use.
I would describe it as having a "friendly" personality (if that makes sense) and not over aggressive at all.
I also own a Merkur future and a Merkur 38C. I would say both of these are more aggressive but not necessarily "better'..
If you are dithering about getting one of these shaving icons then dither no longer.. They are a delight to use and are a safe bet for a smooth irritation free shave.
I commend these razors to the house !

I guess I should review this now. I've had it for about 6 months.

Ok, this razor shaves nicely. It feels nicely. The grip is superb, and you never even get the idea that it will slip out of your hand.

Adjustment works well, and it stays. It's solid.

Very easy to replace blades, very east to manipulate the TTO feature. Very easy.

Range of adjustment: Goes from mild, to wild. Whatever you need.

Great quality, long lasting piece. Very heavy on the head end.

Overall, I think this is a great piece for the collector. However, I think for the guy who just wants a good DE shaver, there are better things that can be had for the average price that these go for. I've seen these go from 35-600 on ebay. You have got to be kidding me, lol.

So I finally picked up one of these razors (an E1) off bidbay and didn't do too bad at around $50 as it's in really nice shape. Not convinced it shaves any better than the slim adjustable, but it looks awesome and feels wonderful. The balance isn't the greatest, but I didn't have any real issues with it. You do need to mind your technique with it as it can bite if you're not careful. It's too bad these are going for almost crazy money as I can see this might keep some from experiencing it. I watched many on auction for a month or so before getting mine and they all seemed to go for $50-$100+. I'll definitely be looking around town for any.

A very nice razor and very well-built considering that most are 50 years (or so) old now.

My only rating ding for this razor (in comparison to the Slim) is because the head has a higher profile which can make for slight difficulty in shaving right under the nose on the upper lip.

In my opinion, a safety razor does not get better than this. The solid engineering of it is impressive, and the materials will last not one but several lifetimes. I have found them in the wild, cleaned and sterilized them, and they are good as new. No other safety razor has given me such perfect shaves. I use it at home and for travel. In comparison, I find the Merkurs very poorly made.

Oh the classic Fatboy.... My only problem with this razor is that it is not as balanced as I would like. Still it is a great shaver and built very well.

My "Go To" razor is a Merkur HD.

I've really wanted to get excited about the Fatboy, but can't. I find it gives a good shave, but not any better than my Slim Adjustable or my Murker HD. The large head makes it very difficult for me to shave WTG under my nose.

Price is an 8, because it varies all over the place.

I give the quality a 9. It is a rugged piece of equipment that has held up well.

I dropped the User Friendly a bit, mainly because of the big head causing problems under my nose.

The grip is very good; easy to hold and plenty long enough for me.

Blade replacement is snap because it is TTO.

Both aggressiveness and adjustability are fine, since it is an adjustable.

I find the balance to be very good for me. It is about the only razor where I can follow the "traditional" advice to let the weight of the blade do the work. With most other razors, I feel I have to put a little added pressure on.

Price: You can find good deals (indeed, mine was a PIF--thanks Eric!), but even when a bit pricier, not that bad!

Quality: High quality and built to last. These things just keep on keepin' on...

User Friendly: I don't find any difficulty using this razor and think you'd have to be pretty clumsy to have problems with it.

Grip: Excellent, but I suppose I could imagine a grip more custom made to my whims.

Ease of Blade Replacement: Simple.

Aggressiveness: It can get quite aggressive, but nothing like my straights!

Adjustability: Easy.

Balance: Very nice. Well weighted head with a nice, thick handle. I could imagine making it slightly more custom built for my ideal balance, but this is close to it!

I feel the Fatboy sets the standard by which other razors are judged. I have three of them. For me the adjustable range of the razor is perfect and allows me to fine tune my shave depending on which blade I'm using.

I rate the price an 8 because it is steadily climbing and a really nice one with a case is getting out of sight.

I also rate the quality an 8 because of what I consider a design shortcoming with this model. The screw threads which are what allows the barn doors to open and close are exposed and allow dirt to enter. This can cause a squeak or binding sound to occur when opening and closing the doors. Two of my Fatboys do this. My Slim and Aristocrat and all my TTO razors have closed thread designs and don't do this. I can minimize it by cleaning, soaking and oiling but not fully.

Everything else about this razor is just about perfect. It's my go to when trying something new.

Len

As a strict Merkur HD/Derby blade user for some time now I thought it might be nice for a change this morning and reserect my old Fatboy just to add spice to the daily shave. It's a 1961 G4 model that I got off eBay a few years ago from a chap in the U.S. I wasn't crazy about it at first, used it a few times more, then went back to the HD and left it in the cupboard till now.

What can I say that hasn't been said?

Wow!! After the usual solid prep (Erasmic stick today) I set too. I set it at 3 for the 1st pass and that felt good. Cranked up to 5 for the 2nd WTG and, Wow, that felt good. Up to 6 for the XTG and I was well chuffed. Then the big one - ATG at 7. Man, was I impressed! Almost BBS! I lathered up for the final touch-up to get the bits - at a crazy "9" and very, very light pressure! I got the lot! After a feel around I said words to the effect of "Blinking flip that is jolly smooth!" I was well impressed!

To conclude, this is a hell of a razor - my above scores say it all. Classic and great to experiment with, I'd recommend it to everyone. I'll not give up my HD but I think I'll stick with this for a few weeks until the novelty wears off, hopefully not too soon!

Well, I've gone through two Fatboys, time for a review:

Price is definitely a 8 for me because the price can be as cheap as $4 (my second one cost that much!!), or as expensive as $95!!

Quality, 9. The only thing that keeps it from a 10 is the fact that the numbers can loose their coloring, but that's pretty trivial.

User Friendliness is a 10 because it's an adjustable. You can be as mild or aggressive as you need, which is the whole point.

Grip is 10 for me. It's one of the best grips for my hand, heavy and thick....hence the name Fatboy I would assume...

Ease of Blade Replacement is a 9 because it's a TTO...'nuff said.

Aggressiveness, see user friendliness above. Also a 10.

Adjustability, same as aggressiveness and user friendliness. 10.

Balance is a 10 for me because it's got the best balance on a TTO straight barred Gillette for me. Way better than any SS I've tried.

Well there you go, another log onto the Fatboy flame!!!

Everyone has to own a FAT BOY. It is the icon for DE shavers everywhere. The beauty of this razor is that it can be adjusted to fit everyone's needs. I even change the adjustment for each pass. I can't say enough. I live this razor!

a perfect razor beautifully made ,i just cant understand gillette today .i got mine on ebay for about twelve pounds.my blade of choice is russian 7o clocks ,perfect shaving !

OK better late than never - decided to invest and get a fatboy. Paid 7.00 GBP exc. shipping from that infamous auction site for a 59 E2.

Also got a mint boxed slim adj. and a 'needs work - super speed red tip.' The latter are not here yet tho. OH this RAD...(just want a feather/cobra and a mergress for rotation obviously...)

ITs a love/hate thang with my RAD! I know everyone feels my pain.

Cleaned up as per advice on forums plus lubed. WOW what a beautifully engineered product. Much like the merc s-class of old, i am ofcourse referring to Idi Amins 600 SEL Pullman with hydraulic windows! Fantastically made, a panzar tank also springs to mind.

Those lucky buggers in the fifties took these razors for granted at only $1.95!

I now am truly disgusted with the plastic-fantastic that procter and gamble churn out under the gillette brand. WHAT CRAP!!! Total blasphemy!

Anyway - Started my shave by thoroughly washing my face and then original proraso creme in a bowl.

Went up the scale found nirvana at setting number '5' WTG, ATG and touch up. Missed a few spots but thats my fault (-almost late for work!)

The grip, balance and agility are all outstanding. Very comfortable and irritation free ! Felt unbalanced at times but easily fixed with a change of grip:-towards the lower third of the razor with little or no pressure. Felt very natural after this point. At a relatively high setting of '5' I gripped with a little less authority and lighter than usual to allow for the aggression setting.

Change of blade is childs play the simplest and most effective innovation - twist to open(TTO).

Found doing under my nose a doddle and BBS 98% of my face. Will be 100 next time.

If you haven't already - GO GET ONE you will not be dissappointed, now to go get a mint boxed fatboy for everyday and NOT for display.
If I had a 600 SEL I would have to drive it and polishing just wouldn't cut it for me - PUN INTENDED!
If anyone wants to try an above average (NOT mint tho) Fatboy - cleaned and shave ready from the UK - PM me !!!

Picked this up as my second DE Razor. My rating scale is based on 5 being 'average'.

Price: The vintage used Gillettes on the market hold their value well. I believe you get what you pay for with this razor. For a 'shaver' (i.e. not collector), find a good condition razor at the average price and you can't go wrong. The Fatboy's seem to be bringing a premium as of late.

Quality: Vintage Gillette quality is excellent. These aren't still in use 40-50 years after manufacture date by luck.

User Friendly: Very straight forward. Try it at different settings until you dial it in for your needs.

Grip: Excellent. I much prefer the feel of the Fatboy over the slim adjustable.

Ease of Blade Replacement: Does it get any easier than the Gillette TTO's? If so, I haven't experienced it yet.

Agressiveness: Adjust to your preference. I do find it to be slightly more agressive than the slim adjustable, however.

Adjustability: The Gillette adjustables are the only adjustables I have used. They seem to go from 'tame' to 'fairly wild' with the 1-9 settings, however.

Balance: Excellent. The Fatboy feels perfect in my hands.

(Razors in my current arsenal: Schick Krona, Merkur HD, Merkur Barber Pole Slant, Gillette Fatboy, Gillette Slim Adjustable)

I used one for decades. Still would be, if I hadn't switched to straights.

I really love this razor. My skin seems to agree, especially combined with Feather blades. A mint one isn't cheap, but it won't break the bank either. The built quality is just excellent, my 1960's Fatboy has been used before and I use it daily. You wouldn't know that by looking at it.

It ain't an aggressive razor, but you got to pick a razor dat suits your skin and technique. This razor works with mine.