I have something of a love/hate relationship with Fatip razors. I have owned (and sold) at least a half dozen different Fatips (including a Schone), but there is something about them that always draws me back again. Today it was a new, gold Il Grosso open comb. I believe the head is the same as the gold, open comb Piccolo or Grande; the only thing new is the bigger, heavier handle. That said, this new Il Grosso head is the best machined and finished Fatip head I have used to date. There is no play whatsoever in the blade once it is placed on the cap, so no fiddling is required to ensure uniform blade exposure. Likewise, the gold finish appears flawless. Between the finish and the design, my wife (who cares not at all about my razors one way or another) remarked as I unpacked the razor, "Wow, that's a beautiful razor!" She was doubly impressed when she learned that it cost under $35 with shipping. But with all that said, the real question is: how does it perform when you put a blade in it and start shaving?
So I lathered up with my Zenith Manchurian brush, CRSW (sadly, now defunct) Jardin d'Orange soap and a Personna Israeli blade with 2 shaves on it and started in on my first shave with the Il Grosso. Perhaps the first thing you notice when you pick up the razor is the bulk of the handle. It is heavier, longer and has a larger diameter than both the Piccolo and Grande handles. It's also significantly heavier than the Nobile or wooden handles. There is no knurling on the handle, and that raised a question in my mind about how slippery it might be, so I rubbed my fingers on an alum block before starting. As the shave went on, it became clear that I was not going to have any issues with gripping the handle. For me the large, heavy handle greatly improved the balance of the razor. As I started shaving, I began to wonder if I had forgotten to put the blade in it. There was virtually no blade feel as it glided around my face. I completed my normal two pass plus touch up shave with nothing that even approached discomfort of any sort. The results were excellent, although perhaps not the absolute closest of any razor I've used. That said, this is only my first shave with the Il Grosso so those results may improve further as I become more adept with the razor. Another thing I'll be watching is whether I develop some irritation on my neck as I use this razor daily. I have had that problem in the past with Fatip razors, but I think the added weight of the Il Grosso may prevent me from putting too much pressure on the blade, which in my opinion is the likely cause of that irritation.
In short, this is an exceptional razor, and it would be a bargain at twice the price. Here are a couple of pics:
So I lathered up with my Zenith Manchurian brush, CRSW (sadly, now defunct) Jardin d'Orange soap and a Personna Israeli blade with 2 shaves on it and started in on my first shave with the Il Grosso. Perhaps the first thing you notice when you pick up the razor is the bulk of the handle. It is heavier, longer and has a larger diameter than both the Piccolo and Grande handles. It's also significantly heavier than the Nobile or wooden handles. There is no knurling on the handle, and that raised a question in my mind about how slippery it might be, so I rubbed my fingers on an alum block before starting. As the shave went on, it became clear that I was not going to have any issues with gripping the handle. For me the large, heavy handle greatly improved the balance of the razor. As I started shaving, I began to wonder if I had forgotten to put the blade in it. There was virtually no blade feel as it glided around my face. I completed my normal two pass plus touch up shave with nothing that even approached discomfort of any sort. The results were excellent, although perhaps not the absolute closest of any razor I've used. That said, this is only my first shave with the Il Grosso so those results may improve further as I become more adept with the razor. Another thing I'll be watching is whether I develop some irritation on my neck as I use this razor daily. I have had that problem in the past with Fatip razors, but I think the added weight of the Il Grosso may prevent me from putting too much pressure on the blade, which in my opinion is the likely cause of that irritation.
In short, this is an exceptional razor, and it would be a bargain at twice the price. Here are a couple of pics:
.
