Gillette Gold Toggle F4

These suckers are hard to find. I finally found one that had the adjustment wheel frozen and the seller was willing to part with it for a lower price. I then spent another $50 just to have it rehabbed into working order. It is a great razor, a great adjustable and very pleasing to the eye. I love the quick release of the toggle and since I have a goatee I don't shave under the nose and the head size was no issue. I just wish that with their apparent availability, the price wasn't what it is.

I have had many Toggles since I joined B&B. It is my favorite adjustable razor. The sheer elegance and sexy looks makes it a piece of art.
The Toggle is Gillette heaviest razor. It outweighs even the Big Fellow razor. It was thought up by Joseph Muros, he filed a Patent claim # 1,850,240 n April 10th 1931. (3 years prior to the introduction of the TTO). The Toggle was a long term work of art.

On November 27 1948 Muros files patent claim # 2,644,229 for the Quick opening razor. This Toggle design is what sets the wheels in motion, it was a non adjustable Toggle design.

November 1 1955 Joseph Muros files patent claim# 2, 848,806. This is for the adjustability part of the Toggle. He decides on making it adjustable instead of just TTO. (design, same head adjustment mechanism as the regular Fatboys and Slims)

June 26 1957 Muros files patent claim# 2,934,821, the patent for the turret type adjustable head.
The final product is a Toggle that is heavy and shaves of any beard type with smoothness and purpose. No matter how thick, it just shaves it off yet wont leave any nicks or irritation. In between shaves the toggle switch can be pushed open by a slight squeeze, which can make rinsing it under water fun and easy.
There is a slight draw back though. The Toggles are known to jam up which makes users think that it may be becoming defective. However, it is just a slight inconvenience that a quick jiggle can take care of. It may happen once in while if the razor is not used much.

Earlier this week I purchased one of the much sought after Gillette Toggles. The pic here is of the one that I actually purchased. Well, really, I passed up on it Sunday, and sent my wife back after it on Monday. This one has the F4 date code, the last batch made according to our wiki researchers.

I decided that I would not keep it, and sold it to another member. before it was to leave my possession, I decided I would at least give it a try. As hard as these are to come by in the area, coupled with the outrageous prices they are going for on eBay, I figured it was not likely that I would come across another. based on the current running prices, I purchased mine for an absolute steal, although it was the highest price I have yet to pay for a razor.

On to the shave.

Last night, I loaded my go to blade, Shark Super Stainless, into the Toggle. I found the doors easy to open and close, and when the doors closed they were very secure. I cranked it up to 3. Thus far, it behaved much like an average Fatboy, but the similarities about ended here. I lathered up with some Green Mountain Soap shave soap with my Jaguar boar brush and went to work. I was blown away at the smoothness, the closeness and the superiority of the Toggle! This is far from a typical Fatboy. I went 1 pass WTG, 2nd pass XTG with a modified "Gillette Slide" motion, and a final pass ATG. The results were irritation free BBS!

Despite the great shave, I do have one thing against the Toggle: 1) it is too much like the Fatboy head, making it a pain under my nose in the mustache area; and 2) I didn't really notice in difference in the aggressiveness between 3-9.

Bottom line: I think the rave about the Toggles are well-founded.