As promised, here's my review of GSC Fat Guy razor. And don't think I can't hear some of you sneering in the background. 
Much to my surprise, the razor arrived in a padded mailer a day earlier than expected. The presentation was all right, I guess. Tucked inside the box were five "complimentary" Dorco stainless blades. Nice gesture on GSC's part, but I'll never use these.
My first impressions of the razor were: "Ye gods, this thing is shiny." I understand that a chromed Fat Boy clone is anathema to some people, but the plating is done decently, at least. There are a few nicks and dings in the silo doors which is about what I expect from a $30 Parker, but not a $109 "flagship" razor. It's got some decent heft to it, but it doesn't weigh as much as my Parker 87R.
The TTO knob is a little wobbly when it's open, but it firms right up when locked. The adjuster detents are fairly solid, but there's some definite binding around the 4/5 mark. Impressively, the doors open and close smoothly with only the slightest hitch when unlocking. A couple of the numbers aren't completely filled with paint, but the metal underneath has a yellowish appearance.
A close inspection of the business end revealed some surface texturing inside of the silo doors. "Huh," I thought, as I initially believed that this thing was made from brass stampings; I'll hazard a guess that its parts are cast or (admittedly unlikely) MIM. The combs look about as straight as my untrained eyes can tell.
Just for S&G, I loaded up a Gillette Platinum blade and tested the Fat Guy on all settings from 1-9. Aside from an ever so slight bowing of the blade that disappeared on higher numbers, things looked pretty much even on both sides. The silo doors close tightly with no rattle or slop.
Long story short, do I think this is a $109 razor? Hell no. I can see it as a $59, maaaaaaaybe $69 razor for what it is and how it's constructed, but hey, I guess Sheldon has a business to run.
Do I trust it enough to shave with it? For now, I do, and I'll follow up with my shaving experiences with it in the near future. My biggest concerns with longevity are the mechanics of the adjuster dial and the plating, but we'll see how it holds up in the long term with frequent use.
OTOH, I could just return it and get my money back. Decisions... Decisions...
Much to my surprise, the razor arrived in a padded mailer a day earlier than expected. The presentation was all right, I guess. Tucked inside the box were five "complimentary" Dorco stainless blades. Nice gesture on GSC's part, but I'll never use these.
My first impressions of the razor were: "Ye gods, this thing is shiny." I understand that a chromed Fat Boy clone is anathema to some people, but the plating is done decently, at least. There are a few nicks and dings in the silo doors which is about what I expect from a $30 Parker, but not a $109 "flagship" razor. It's got some decent heft to it, but it doesn't weigh as much as my Parker 87R.
The TTO knob is a little wobbly when it's open, but it firms right up when locked. The adjuster detents are fairly solid, but there's some definite binding around the 4/5 mark. Impressively, the doors open and close smoothly with only the slightest hitch when unlocking. A couple of the numbers aren't completely filled with paint, but the metal underneath has a yellowish appearance.
A close inspection of the business end revealed some surface texturing inside of the silo doors. "Huh," I thought, as I initially believed that this thing was made from brass stampings; I'll hazard a guess that its parts are cast or (admittedly unlikely) MIM. The combs look about as straight as my untrained eyes can tell.
Just for S&G, I loaded up a Gillette Platinum blade and tested the Fat Guy on all settings from 1-9. Aside from an ever so slight bowing of the blade that disappeared on higher numbers, things looked pretty much even on both sides. The silo doors close tightly with no rattle or slop.
Long story short, do I think this is a $109 razor? Hell no. I can see it as a $59, maaaaaaaybe $69 razor for what it is and how it's constructed, but hey, I guess Sheldon has a business to run.
Do I trust it enough to shave with it? For now, I do, and I'll follow up with my shaving experiences with it in the near future. My biggest concerns with longevity are the mechanics of the adjuster dial and the plating, but we'll see how it holds up in the long term with frequent use.OTOH, I could just return it and get my money back. Decisions... Decisions...
The adjuster seems to have freed up a bit and the detents are softer now. This razor reminds me a lot of my Parker 87R in terms of efficiency and mildness.
