When the adjustment dial is turned in my Fatboy, exactly what is adjusting? I can't see any movement or any difference in the head no matter if the dial is on 1 or 9.
What am I missing?
What am I missing?
Gillette Fatboy Adjustment
- Thread starter Ray Settanta
- Start date
The dial should raise and lower the plate that holds up the blade, thereby changing the blade gap.
Yours may be stuck: try soaking it overnight in warm water and dishsoap.
Yours may be stuck: try soaking it overnight in warm water and dishsoap.
+1 . . . turning the dial to a higher number should lift the adjustment tang up, raising the blade off the base plate and increasing the gap at the blade edge.
If the tang is "stuck up" allowing the dial to turn without contacting the tang, nothing changes. With the dial set at '1' and the doors open, you should be able to push the tang up with your finger. Upon releasing, the tang should then drop back down (using gravity) and contact the top of the dial. Two things will prevent this from happening . . . crud or physical damage.
Crud can be cured by soaking in very hot water and dish soap. Physical damage must be "eyeballed" and adjusted accordingly.
If this hasn't helped, snap some pictures of your razor in various states of adjustment and let us take a look-see!
- Thread starter
- #4
OK. I can see it now. The movement of the plate is small and it is somewhat sticky. Thank you, gentlemen for your comments. I really appreciate it.
It's much easier to see the difference between settings with a blade in.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks! Should have thought of that.
Also, I believe it's recommended to loosen the TTO a little to allow for free movement of the adjuster - at least that's what I have observed.
~Frank
~Frank
It is certainly much easier to change the adjustment with the TTO off the spring . . . less effort is required to turn the adjuster that way! Many (myself included) have recommended over the years that the TTO be opened before adjustments are made. Gillette's printed instructions, however, clearly indicate that adjustment may be made under either condition.
Many hours of study, observation, conversation, and testing leads me to one conclusion: No harm will come to the razor if one does adjust it with the doors closed . . . the change in adjustment actually causes the spring to compress (or relax) a little more to the point it would be at if the adjustment were made first and then the TTO was tightened. The spring will certainly compress before anything bends or breaks!
