30 year mystery solved

[Ratso]

My father-in-law passed away 30 years ago. We knew he had a Gillette Fat Boy even though we didn’t know the model at the time, but remembered the plastic case with the round lens. My wife was digging around in our linen closet today and out came the Fatboy. We’ve wanted to give the razor to my oldest son, but by now we thought it was gone forever. The razor was loaded with crud so I immediately started to clean it up. It’s an E2. 2nd quarter 1959. The top photo is without any cleanup. Bottom is after initial cleaning with more to come.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I was horrified when I saw the first picture! But I felt a bit calmer after the 2nd picture. lol. I didn't know that they had adjustable razors back then, I thought that didn't become a thing till way later. I learn something new everyday. That thing is a fully mechanical butterfly, its gonna need some good lube thats for sure. Hope you can revitalize it back to life.

 

[Ratso]

It’s working as advertised. I have it pretty clean and polished and the quarter turn working as it should. I was issued a Schick adjustable in boot camp circa 1970.

 

[desrgrl]

I was horrified when I saw the first picture! But I felt a bit calmer after the 2nd picture. lol. I didn't know that they had adjustable razors back then, I thought that didn't become a thing till way later. I learn something new everyday. That thing is a fully mechanical butterfly, its gonna need some good lube thats for sure. Hope you can revitalize it back to life.

Lovely resource: Gillette Adjustable Razors – A Reference Resource and Historical Archive - https://gilletteadjustable.com/

 

[desrgrl]

It’s working as advertised. I have it pretty clean and polished and the quarter turn working as it should. I was issued a Schick adjustable in boot camp circa 1970.

It looks great, and I'm sure better than that when you're completely done. I was impressed how nice the box came out, scratched plastic can be a pain. I'm new to adjustables, was just given a Slim as a PIF, which was amazingly kind, but while looking around I heard that sometimes the 1/4 turn thing can get jammed, so glad to hear its working okay. I'm thinking the lighting made the razor look a bit more like it was rusted out, rather than a lot of soap and hair, from what I can see. Always nice when things like that happen out of the blue.

 

[APBinNCA]

I hope you didn't bin the Plus Platinums...

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Excellent finding a family heirloom like that. I have my FIL’s F1 195 and it’s a real treasure.

 

[Ratso]

I hope you didn't bin the Plus Platinums...

Nope. I can’t tell how many are left in the tuck. I tried to push a blade out to read the printing that was covered and I smeared the ink on the blade.

 

[APBinNCA]

Nope. I can’t tell how many are left in the tuck. I tried to push a blade out to read the printing that was covered and I smeared the ink on the blade.

They can get stuck together, but usually it's untouched ones. The only remedy is to crack the case unfortunately as too much futzing risks damaging the edges. Might want to just keep them aside...

 

[santamariasteve]

What was the round lens on the plastic cover for? Was it to magnify or to emphasize the adjustment dial for promotional reasons?

 

[Ratso]

What was the round lens on the plastic cover for? Was it to magnify or to emphasize the adjustment dial for promotional reasons?

I think that’s what it was for. The round lens is positioned over the adjustment knob.

 

[BigJ]

Wonderful razor! Great clean-up!!

 

[Ratso]

Wonderful razor! Great clean-up!!

When I first looked at the razor I thought it was toast. The doors appeared to have the nickel worn down to the brass, but it was actually crud I was able to remove. My father-in-law used Noxema face cream for shaving cream. The stuff in the blue jar. I’d never heard of that before. I remember Noxema sold an aerosol can of what they called Medicated Comfort Shave and played the song “the Stripper” in the commercial as a sexy voice said”take it off. Take it all off.”

 

[mgweatherly]

Beautiful job resurrecting this tank of a razor. I've done the same on a few Gillette adjustables, and I find them to have been incredibly well made and that nickel plating to be super durable. I love these razors. This one, with its connection to your family, is extra special for you. I recently asked my 85 year old dad to save any razors that he uses and was disappointed to discover that he has none (he uses cartridges). My stepdad has never stopped using a DE razor, so I've got one coming (hopefully way down the road).