first four with fat boy

[clayglen]

Well I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to have a fat boy. I bought one off Etsy.com and got a better price that what I was bidding on the bay. I was happy. A gold one came up on the bay and no one seemed to be bidding on it so now I have two.
They were there waiting when I got home from work so naturally I had to try them out. I had just gotten off of 26hrs of airports and airplanes so I had a bit of fur... not too much mind but enough.
I picked the Etsy first. Nice nickle finish, little brass showing if any and still had paint in the numbers. Pretty choice for what I was looking for. It didn't have the new from the factory smell but I like do-hickeys you can use.
I read on here some pluses for the L'Occ(whatchamacalit) shave soap so I broke it back out. I put it aside as I wanted to stick to a known until I had things down before switching all over the show. I love the smell of the stuff and I learned a trick or two while at work so I gave it a go.
Amazing shave... but. One side seemed to be more aggressive than the other. Set at 2 the more aggressive side worked better.
Shave two. My 25 dollar bid from England came in. A shiny nearly new kit (that I have little use for) came it. A bored lad in the jungle buys things you see. In the kit was a 60's English Tech. I put a Feather in it and gave it a go. The aluminum handle feels weird... too light and funny, almost plastic. The shave was ok, had to mind my p's and q's with head angle... to compare I went back to the E-Fattie. Better, by leaps and bound. Put the tech aside.
Shave three.... the gold plated Fattie. Both sides seem to shave the same but 2 was a waste of time went to 3 and had a good shave.
Shave four, all the same soap, keeping with the Merkur blades and 3 wasn't cutting it, went as far as five on goldie and after some work and two and a half passes I got a good shave.
I'm wondering is the E-Fattie's bar bent? Why is there a difference in gap... seems to be the same amount of blade sticking out. Hmmm. Why is one '61 Fattie an awesome shave and the other blase at the same setting? Is this normal?
I had to order more stands today. RAD is a bugger. I'd still like an open come... or two and a Progress.
I've only been having with DE for about 6moths now. I wonder if a newbie should be required to get a SS, perfect his technique before moving on. My Merkur 180 is painless, flawless and simple to get a bbs shave. It can make you lazy. My SS was my next favorite before the Fat Twins. I'll have to learn the fatties before the beat the 180. That gets me to thinking... would the Progress be the ultimate?
I think I'll give my face a break until the new scuttle shows up. Good lord, what else did I buy???? Oh yea, I think there is some Speik shave stick on order too.
(sigh) too many toys not enough face.

 

[ironfist]

The gold one is known as an an executive

 

[clayglen]

That's what I've heard, except I didn't think Gillette plated Fat Boys with anything but nickel from the factory.

 

[IronHammer]

Correct. The 195 "fat boy" only came in nickel. Gillette produced a gold version briely, call the Executive. It was almost identical except for the gold plating and the knurling was the same as they would use later on the Slim Adjustable.

 

[clayglen]

different knurling? Both of mine are '61s. The gold was billed as an executive but who knows really. Any idea about the difference in the razor gap from side so side? Is it normal or can a person shim it out? Both of the razors are the same. I like the shave set on 4 on the aggressive side of the razor, the other side seems to to miss a bit or clog. It seems odd that one side would be different than the other.
Cheers

 

[IronHammer]

It would be easy to identify the gold one if you post a pic but the knurling (the grippy nubs on the handle) are slightly different on the gold plated "fatboy" (really marketed as the Executive).

On a perfectly functioning razor the gap should be identical on both side of the head. If they are not, and you have to look very closely to see the difference, the head may need to be "adjusted" to even out the sides.

To adjust a crooked center bar, you stand the razor on a table and look at it from the side. The gap should be even all the way across. If it's not, you can even it out by placing the razor on a towel, then cover the center bar (doors open) and gently tap one side of the center bar to even it out. It won't take much and you want to use a towel to keep from marring the nickel finish.

Hope that helps!

 

[clayglen]

It would be easy to identify the gold one if you post a pic but the knurling (the grippy nubs on the handle) are slightly different on the gold plated "fatboy" (really marketed as the Executive).

On a perfectly functioning razor the gap should be identical on both side of the head. If they are not, and you have to look very closely to see the difference, the head may need to be "adjusted" to even out the sides.

To adjust a crooked center bar, you stand the razor on a table and look at it from the side. The gap should be even all the way across. If it's not, you can even it out by placing the razor on a towel, then cover the center bar (doors open) and gently tap one side of the center bar to even it out. It won't take much and you want to use a towel to keep from marring the nickel finish.

Hope that helps!

Ah yes, looking now the gold one has straight knurling and the nickle has cross hatched knurling.

As to the unevenness. It seems to be more the the posts that move up and down with the adjustment and not the center post. On both razors. Actually looking closely it only seems to high on one corner on the nickle and one side on the gold. Hmmm, looks like someone probably dropped both at some time.