Getting Re-acquainted with the Gillette Adjustable after an involuntary absence from shaving.

[Iridian]

Welcome back, kinda weird to say this, but one year in coma and hearing how many surgeries they performed on you, now that must be a very surreal experience indeed!

Best wishes for a ... speedy recovery sounds now kinda weird, too, right? But you are back and back to shaving, now that's definitely a good thing!

Whether you want smoother, harsher, more efficient or whatever kind of razor, from lightweight to the unfortunately still not created steep-shaving tungsten monster handle razor I would love to try, this forum will inspire you for sure.

When I think of the Slim I think of the Timeless Slim OC. I am still waiting for them to finally make a SS version of their Ti Crown handle.

 

[emwolf]

Wow, congratulations on your amazing recovery. I'm busting out My fatboy in your honor.

 

[Curly Straight]

WOW! That’s some story. Welcome back to the land of the living and may your recovery continue quickly, and uninterrupted! If you’d like a replacement for your Merkur Progress, PM me and I’ll send you one. I have a spare.

Most Sincerely,

Curly

 

[Nidan]

Your story is incredible. Every day must seem like a gift now!

It's been a long time since I used a Fatboy. My dad had one when I was a little kid and it always fascinated me--one of the many mysteries of the adult male world. When I got into DE shaving a Fatboy was my one of first vintage purchases. Some time later I got a Slim and somewhat reluctantly discovered that the Slim worked better for me, at least with the examples I had. I got rid my 2 Fatboys. Maybe I should try one again, I love the look and heft, and I've discovered that revisiting stuff I rejected at earlier points in my shaving journey is often surprising.

 

[dmshaver]

I am glad you recovered. I wish you continued healing on your journey.

 

[Retroman1969]

Thank you all for your kind words, it really does mean a lot!
Great to hear some stories from you about your experience with the fatboy as well.
Also thank you so much for the offers to replace the Progress. I actually have a new one I gave to my dad several years ago that he never used, so I have a spare I could scare up if I needed to. ….however I’m enjoying getting chummy with this old 195, so everything is cool.
I’m now wondering if my old Slim was slightly tweaked or off in some way as it was harsher and more nick-prone than my current Fatboy.
I’ve found I can get as smooth and comfortable a shave on any setting below 4 as modern mild razors like the DE89, but more effective.
Settings above 4 are very efficient, but noticeably harsher so I have to watch myself when using it.
Overall, getting to like it more and more.
Happy shaving everyone, and have a great week!

 

[desrgrl]

I read the first half of your story and thought, no don't apologize, back stories are wonderful, even as the rest of the sentence registered, and my stomach lurched. I am so glad that recovery is going well, and hopefully being back here will be a bit of fun while still working on getting your feet under you.

I started a thread asking about adjustables because I wanted to buy one, I'd been on this sight years and years ago, and knew that it was a good place for opinions/recommendations. From what people were saying, I figured I'd try a Slim, and lo and behold the kindly @airmech not only PIF me one, but threw in a Black Beauty because he saw on one of the threads that I liked longer handles. I started a review of the Slim, but am doing a second part soon. I'd heard some people found little difference between the adjustments, or that it was top heavy to mild, or to aggressive. I found mine had a nice range, with 1-2 being insanely too mild for me, 3-4 in the range of my Flare, and 5 just a shade more. On the other side, 9 was a bit less aggressive then my Parker open comb, which is good, because that was the one a bit too aggressive for me and why I was shopping around for something new. 8 was nice, but I was running out of real estate (with legs, underarms, chin, I was starting one side 1 going up, the other side at 9 going down. Next review will be the 6-7-8 range, which I'm sure somewhere in there will be my overall sweet spot. (The whole idea of an adjustable being more range with one razor for chin/underarm/legs). Later I'll do a review of the Black Beauty. I know, the whole shave experience is different for a woman, too a point, but I figure if guy's reviews can help me out, my reviews might be of help to them in some way or another. Hopefully at least mildly amusing sometimes.

I'm glad to hear the Fat Boy is working well for you. I had one for a brief point in time, and liked the shave, but I don't really do well with short/heavy... long handle heavy, or short light (not as much) I can work with. The Slim and Beauty are much more in my comfort zone for balance and handling. It seems like having a minimum of three razors is a rule for the forum, so you can always get a Progress and keep the Fat Boy. Also, strange thought, but I'll share. If you really like the Fat Boy and want to keep with it, you should look for a birthday Fat Boy, a celebration gift so to speak.

(PS - butterfly was mandatory for a new razor, and lots of people suggested 2 and 3 piece, but I'm with you...finicky)

 

[LooneyToons816]

Glad to hear about your recovery goin so well! Welcome back to the gentleman's club!

I love both of them fatboy and the slim ive never used a progress, the fatboy just has the perfect weight and hand feel and it allows me to almost use gravity to shave, i used to be a slim everyday shaver for years but when i got my first fatboy it just felt so right in my hand, the slim is close behind it but neither for me has trouble under the nose or any other place. I run my fatboy at a 7-8 switching at my neck where my hair goes wonky and behind my jaw to avoid ingrown hair that seems to do the trick for me. Hell an adjustable just allows you to customize the shave on the fly in half a second. I love vintage Gillette especially the adjustables i dont think i could use any other brand and theyll last me a lifetime of great shaves

My friend was lookin at a picture of one of my 195 and her friend says “what is that” the other friend says “its Thors hammer”

Glad you made it back my friend

 

[Retroman1969]

Thank you so much! It has been a very long and painful recovery, but it could have gone much worse, I’m glad to be back, thank you sir!
Yes, after many months with the 195, I have to say I think it’s close to the perfect razor.

 

[Rob72]

God bless & keep you, my friend!

 

[MaineYooper]

I have no experience with the razors, but all my sincere wishes for a continuation to full recovery
and a better life ahead !

So glad to see by reading between the lines that you have decided to fight for recovery. You already know that B&B is a friendly place, but please keep us updated in your recovery, and in any way that us folks here can be of assistance.

Welcome back, kinda weird to say this, but one year in coma and hearing how many surgeries they performed on you, now that must be a very surreal experience indeed!

Best wishes for a ... speedy recovery sounds now kinda weird, too, right? But you are back and back to shaving, now that's definitely a good thing!

Whether you want smoother, harsher, more efficient or whatever kind of razor, from lightweight to the unfortunately still not created steep-shaving tungsten monster handle razor I would love to try, this forum will inspire you for sure.

When I think of the Slim I think of the Timeless Slim OC. I am still waiting for them to finally make a SS version of their Ti Crown handle.

I will piggyback off of these comments as they put it better than I could have. Welcome back and thanks for sharing your story with us.

 

[FarmerTan]

I will piggyback off of these comments as they put it better than I could have. Welcome back and thanks for sharing your story with us.

You are too kind, and are much more articulate than this northern hillbilly my friend.

 

[StewB]

Thanks for sharing your story. Best wishes for your continued recovery.

The Gillette 195 ("Fatboy") is a great razor!

 

[LooneyToons816]

Thank you so much! It has been a very long and painful recovery, but it could have gone much worse, I’m glad to be back, thank you sir!
Yes, after many months with the 195, I have to say I think it’s close to the perfect razor.

It really is true perfection in my book, *as my eyes wonder over to my 5 fatboys* theres only one major downside, its a hell of a shaver dont get me wrong, but the fatdiction, whats a fatdiction you ask? Well i just need one of each year, each quarter then im gonna need one of each year, each quarter in both gold and nickel, then im gonna need one of each in Rhodium(maybe), then i have the slimdiction on the side! God help me

 

[FarmerTan]

It really is true perfection in my book, *as my eyes wonder over to my 5 fatboys* theres only one major downside, its a hell of a shaver dont get me wrong, but the fatdiction, whats a fatdiction you ask? Well i just need one of each year, each quarter then im gonna need one of each year, each quarter in both gold and nickel, then im gonna need one of each in Rhodium(maybe), then i have the slimdiction on the side! God help me

Yeah, you got it bad brother!

 

[LooneyToons816]

Yeah, you got it bad brother!

Oh yeah i do, cause now ive decided i even need one in full base metal brass! Still workin on the right way to pull the nickel plating off. Dont worry i bought the cheapest most nasty caked on lime scale little rusted FB and Slim ive personally ever disassembled(they looked like they may have been stored in the wet basement of the statue of liberty) So im workin the problem and its lookin like 45% boiled vinegar may be the way to accomplish this feat!