Birth year razor - 1959

[mikelz777]

A large part of the appeal of DE wet shaving is going old school and shaving like many of our fathers and grandfathers did. As such, I really like the idea and nostalgia of getting a razor from my birth year, (Nov) 1959. The razor that has really caught my eye, as it has many others, is the Gillette Fat Boy. I think this razor is a thing of manly beauty. It's look seems to beg me to pick it up and use it. I'd love to get my hands on an E4 someday since I'd be classified as an E4 if I were a razor though I certainly wouldn't rule out an E1, E2 or E3.

Looks-wise, I don't really care for the red/blue tip Super Speed or the Flare Tip. The only pictures I found of a '59 Tech had a barber pole type of knurling on the handle I didn't really like. (I don't kow if there were other styles.) I think the Fat Boy would be my ticket. I realize that looks aren't necessarily everything so I was wondering how the Fat Boy shaves compare to modern razors. Specifically, how does the Fat Boy compare to the EJ DE89? What setting on the Fat Boy would be approximately the same as the EJ DE89? Would a "9" setting on the Fat Boy be significantly or noticably different than the EJ DE89? I know a lot of people love this razor and I hope to be in love with a Fat Boy too some day. (Don't tell my wife! )

 

[ERVARGASNY]

FatBoy is built like a Tank, Your gonna love it )

 

[Maxime D.]

I think you wont even try 9 ^.^ If you need 9 well purchase a straight.

 

[Mark1966]

Go the Fatboy - an E 4 should not be too hard to find. I'd guess that the FB on 3 or 4 would be equivalent to the EJ DE89 from memory

 

[AjaxLepinski]

+1 on the EJ = Fatboy on 4. You can't go wrong with a Fatboy - it's IMHO the best adjustable Gillette made, closely followed by the Slim and metal bottom Super Adjustable.

 

[celestino]

+1 on the EJ = Fatboy on 4. You can't go wrong with a Fatboy - it's IMHO the best adjustable Gillette made, closely followed by the Slim and metal bottom Super Adjustable.

+1 Both are great razors, but i prefer the EJ89 with one shim. Fantastically smooth shaver and becomes quite "aggressive" with one shim. You might as well get both to try out as you are going to end up keeping both!

 

[crfcom]

I have exactly this razor. '59 Fatboy mint. Picked it up on Fleabay and paid a little too much, but its the right one. All you have to do is be patient and it'll show up. Nice Slims are actually not that hard to find. One is about as easy to handle as the other. The Slim handle is a little longer and the Fatboy larger diameter and for me, the net effect is even in the handling department. Both are wonderfully made. If you get one that's truly mint, the knurling on the handle will look fresh, the nickel plating will be bright with no brassing, and the lock-down mechanism will still have the full quarter-turn of lock-down they were designed with when new. There used to be a thread here that was posted by the late 'Coon-cat Bob, complete with pics, on how to dis-assemble and adjust the quarter-turn of lock-down into a worn mechanism. The more you learn about the old Gillette adjustables, the more impressed you are with the engineering and build quality.
EJ89 is a completely different animal and, in its own way, just as great a razor. I don't see comparing the two, but I do see both having a sure place in a collection.

 

[mikelz777]

I lke the look of a Slim and it would definitely be in the running except it doesn't look like it was made until 1961. I want to stick with my birth year, 1959. The mechanical and exterior condition of a razor this old is something that concerns me. To get one that's in excellent/near-mint/mint condition is probably going to cost a bit more so I want to get what's advertised. I'm not a purist so I wouldn't be against getting one that was replated. I saw a picture of one done in black nickle that looked awesome. I've had enough experience with Ebay to know that I would need to proceed with caution. I'm sure I'll need to consider several sources. Is the date code stamped directly on the razor?

 

[Mark1966]

Is the date code stamped directly on the razor?

Yes, under the head. The letter on one side and the number on the other. Zoom in on the pic here on Achim's site and you can see it.

 

[facetime]

Fatboys are great razors. performance, flexibility, durability. you need not settle just keep your eyes open in the wild, on the "bay" and definitely here in the b/s/t. they are available. In fact, not to make you miserable but I just sold an E-4 on the b/s/t one day before you posted this. Sorry you missed it.
good luck in your search.

 

[mikelz777]

Thank you gentlemen for the link and the advice. It's great to know there's a place like this where you can go to get the answers you need!