gillette fat boy vs slim adjustable

[jamesdr]

This might be a loaded question but i am going to ask any way.

Are fat boy razors worth paying extra money for. It seems that the cheapest fat boy on ebay is like $50.00, and a slim adjustable is half that price. I know that some people are in love with one or the other. But is there a neutral opinion out there. if it is a superior razor then i think that i would get one. But i could get a slim and Super Speed for the price of one fat boy. I am new to vintage razors so i hope this question makes sense to some one.

 

[ackvil]

I have both and like them equally. The only difference for me is that the FB is heavier and, therefore, I am less inclined to put pressure on it. However, as I said they are both terrific.

Funny, when I bought a FB I paid less for it than a slim I also bought. However, the slim was in mint condition and came with the original case.

 

[Loric]

I like the Slim a little bit more. The head is slightly thinner (go figure) and easier to maneuver around my nose. The handle is the only other differance. The Slim is longer, where as the Fat boy is shorter but thicker. I have big hands and prefer then length of the slim to the girth of the FB. Though it is much closer than my preference on the heads.

If you can get one on the cheep take that one as they are very similar. If you do have a preference though, just be patient I got my Fatboy for $9.00 + shipping. You can find a deal on anything there if you dont have to have it RIGHT NOW.

 

[filedog]

I'm in the minority. Had several of each, could never get a good shave with a Slim. Fatboys work great for me. I find them a nice, forgiving razor, with an excellent feel. Also, just a beautiful design. I don't shave my upper lip, so the slim's smaller head is not an issue. I think you're gonna just have to try 'em. As with so many other things here, you can get plenty of advice, but you'll never know how something works for YOU (regardless of how many excellent reviews something gets) until you try it. Either way, I recommend having at least one adjustable, it lets you use blades that may not work out in other razors.
If you are patient, you can get an FB for the same price as a Slim. They regularly turn up on BST as well. That being said, I think $50 for a nice, cased FB is a fair price. The one I held onto had a bent hinge, (easy fix) but was otherwise excellent, with a nice case, I think it was $25. They're both easy to sell if they don't work out.

 

[Crixus]

This might be a loaded question but i am going to ask any way.

Are fat boy razors worth paying extra money for.

One of the reasons the Fat Boy usually commands a premium is because there are a lot fewer of them. They weren't produced nearly as long as their spawn, the Slim Adjustable. Couple that with the cult following, and it doesn't necessarily have to shave better to cost a little more.

 

[josie67]

I've been using my Fatboy now for 3 months, and I have NEVER had an issue with cuts or nicks. It is heavy enough that the razor does all the work, and even though the head is fairly large, I have not had one issue shaving under my nose. I absolutely LOVE the way the Fatboy shaves.

 

[amishmotorboat]

You can get a fatboy for a lot less than $50
Both here on the BST, and on eBay. On eBay, just stop typing fatboy into search and start browsing the category. You'll find one cheaper without fatboy in the title.

 

[jansob]

Personally I'd get the Slim now while they are relatively cheap and do a longterm fatboy hunt on EBay or watch the forum here...if you see it in the 4.5 seconds before someone grabs it you'll get a nice one!

 

[jansob]

Posted too soon...
After you try them both, you can sell the one you're less thrilled with...in 4.5 seconds on the forum!

 

[TheVez2]

Fatboy for me! I've never gotten a totally comfortable shave from a slim. I've tried a couple of them. Once I got my fatboy, I've never looked back. It is my daily razor. Absolutely love it. eBay ones were going for around $30 when I was looking for them. I was lucky enough to find one for cheap at an antique store.

 

[Cubits]

I enjoy both, and get equally good shaves from both, but the fatboy blows the slim out of the water in terms of aesthetic appeal. Even the case is an event, with the terrific "adjustable" type font and the surprising spring loaded lid. :>

If i need a thorougly awesome shave the Rocket HD goes to work, but if i want to play/bask in the pinnacle of the american industrial design movement, it's the Fatboy all the way. Fifteen minutes of rocketship tail lights, nuclear powered cars, and streamlined staplers.

The slim was still brilliant, but less ornate, less "needlessly" overbuilt, and you have to lift the lid on the case yourself. It seemed to be disconnected from the american dream of owning jetpacks.

I may heap too much history onto a razor... but i DO have a degree in industrial design (a useless, useless degree)!

 

[kingfisher]

I have used both. At first I thought the Fatboy was quite a bit better, but now that I've been using the Slim for a while I really like it, too.

I think they are both great razors. For now I'm happy with my Slim.

 

[jamesdr]

I ended up buying a fat boy on ebay for $30. I thought that was a good deal. I also bought a aristocrat on this forum also. I might get the slim also.

Another question.

I am currently using a Merkur HD, with a Iridium blades. Now that i have different razors will the iridiums work in the other razors? When i say work i am not referring to the razors taking the iridiums but will i have too start again and find what blades work for me in each razor? Does that make sense?

 

[Go West Young Man]

Some people have different blade preferences for each razor they use; since I bought one brand in bulk, I use the same blades in every razor - if they don't work, I blame the razor not the blades!

 

[bordeaaj]

Your question makes perfect sense. The Fat Boy definitely has an awesome reputation being Gillette's first adjustable, has an extra cool nickname, and is a great shaver. Both the Fat Boy and the Slim are pretty mild shavers even when adjusted to the higher settings. From the research I've done (though I don't claim to be an expert by any means), the Slim was basically the next generation Fat Boy and was obviously seen by Gillette as an improvement on the previous model...with it's ever so slightly longer and thinner handle, a thinner, more maneuverable head, and the capability to dial down to a slightly milder shave.

My own DE experience has been exclusively with Merkur razors for several years, and my initial reaction to recently receiving both the Slim and Fat Boy was a slight shock at how similar and how very tiny they both seemed, esp the Fat Boy. I guess I was expecting a razor that matched the large nickname and reputation. Contrary to what the name would lead you to believe, the Fat Boy really isn't all that fat...it weighs in at 2.8oz and the Slim at 2.5oz...the 1/4oz weight difference alone wouldn't make a significant difference in the shave. I have the 2.7oz Merkur Slant and 4oz Sledgehammer Slant and even with a 1.3oz difference I'm not sure if I can tell the difference in the shave. Anyway, I first went for the more affordable Slim and though I liked it a lot that awesome Fat Boy reputation haunted me...I wondered what I was missing and soon ended up with both anyway. Ultimately, for me, the shaves and shaving experience are very, very similar...and why shouldn't it be...they're almost the same razor. The decision making process is the hard part and is one of those "grass is always greener" things. If you go with the Slim that Fat Boy rep may haunt you as well and eventually you'll have opened your wallet for both. I'm not sure if it works the same the other way around...If you buy the Fat Boy first you may spend more up front but actually save money in the end.

Another thing that interested me was how Slims are apparently often mistaken (intentionally?) for Fat Boys by eBay sellers and buyers (unintentionally). Confusing one for the other apparently happens often enough that there are documents written both on this forum and on the web putting them side by side to demonstrate both the similarities and differences between the two:
Gillette Fatboy (Slim), Now on Ebay
http://wet-shavers.com/gillette-fatboy-slim-now-on-ebay/

Newbie how to tell a Slim from a Fatboy Guide (and other things)
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=94034

 

[jamesdr]

Well i have a little RAD going on right now. I picked up a slim adjustable today. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[garyg]

Awh, James, RAD you say? The Aristocrat hasn't even cleared Cleveland & you've a Slim now?

 

[jamesdr]

What can I say