I'm very new to the wet shaving game. I'd like my second razor to be something vintage, and I've fallen in love with the Gillette FatBoys. Looking over eBay, I can't quite get a grasp at what a reasonable price would be. Being so new to razors, I don't have the experience at polishing/cleaning a rough one, so I'd like to purchase one that's still fairly good looking. So, long story short, what's a decent price point I should be looking at for a FatBoy? Thanks for your help guys!
Fatboy questions
- Thread starter MiniJ83
- Start date
I got two very nice ones (minimal plate loss, no crud inside of the barrel, smooth, undamaged adjustment mechanism) for $55 and $60 shipped. I think I did pretty well. You can occasionally see a decent one go for less, but patience is often rewarded. If you're impatient, many decent Buy It Now auctions are around $80 - $100. Don't be intimidated or fooled by the $200+ ones you see. Those don't sell often at that price, and when they do, often times there is something special about them that might not be apparent to a non-collector. For example, the last Red Dot Fat Boy (somewhat rare, early prototype) that I saw went for almost $300. It wasn't specifically listed as a Red Dot, so non-collectors, not knowing the difference, think they should ask that much for a regular one. Others are completely rebuilt, restored and plated in rhodium, which is a labor intensive process involving exotic metals and expensive chemicals. Of course they're worth more. That does not mean that "Fat Boys are worth $200."
Finally, be sure to read a good tutorial on how to discern a Fat Boy from a Slim. (Or any other vintage razor.) Slims, while still a fantastic razor, are much more common, and worth a bit less. They look very similar to the untrained eye, and many astute sellers have noticed higher prices for auctions containing the word "Fat Boy" in the title, so they just throw it in there, because, hey, why not, right? Some even put "Fat Boy?" in the title because that question mark somehow implies they don't know they're lying. If the auction has a halfway decent picture, you can pretty easily tell if it's a Fat Boy or not, as long as you have an idea what to look for. If the title is anything like "GILLETTE FAT BOY VINTAGE RARE SLIM NOS MINT" that means the seller is just trying to cram as many high-value words into the title as he or she can. You should probably move along.
FWIW, I think the Fat Boy is, pound for pound, the best all-around shaver ever made. I wish you the best of luck in your quest. You won't regret it!
Finally, be sure to read a good tutorial on how to discern a Fat Boy from a Slim. (Or any other vintage razor.) Slims, while still a fantastic razor, are much more common, and worth a bit less. They look very similar to the untrained eye, and many astute sellers have noticed higher prices for auctions containing the word "Fat Boy" in the title, so they just throw it in there, because, hey, why not, right? Some even put "Fat Boy?" in the title because that question mark somehow implies they don't know they're lying. If the auction has a halfway decent picture, you can pretty easily tell if it's a Fat Boy or not, as long as you have an idea what to look for. If the title is anything like "GILLETTE FAT BOY VINTAGE RARE SLIM NOS MINT" that means the seller is just trying to cram as many high-value words into the title as he or she can. You should probably move along.
FWIW, I think the Fat Boy is, pound for pound, the best all-around shaver ever made. I wish you the best of luck in your quest. You won't regret it!
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks chamm, I appreciate the help! There's so much information, I'm getting lost lol. Your advice has been very helpful. Thanks again.
Etsy is an option as well. If you search like old razors or stuff like that you will find some unlabeled but recognized by the picture. I got one for less then half the going price. There is one on there now for $60. Plus on Etsy I always dicker.
I gave up on eBay.
I gave up on eBay.
Two very good threads to read, and where I got all my info before starting my hunt:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...Slim-from-a-Fatboy-Guide-(-and-other-things-)
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...oy-red-dot-but-the-adjuster-is-stuck-Any-help
Also a good guide to cleaning.
Good luck!
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...Slim-from-a-Fatboy-Guide-(-and-other-things-)
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...oy-red-dot-but-the-adjuster-is-stuck-Any-help
Also a good guide to cleaning.
Good luck!
