Love for the black beauty

[gmgaj]

Where's the love for the black beauty? I recently got a U-4, and I think it may be the best of the Gillette adjustables. Demand seems to be for fatboys, slims, and black beauties in that order, but from my experience comes out just the opposite. (Here is where the mandatory YMMV is inserted). Am I the only one who feels this way? Or is demand due only to scarcity of the fatboys/toggles?

Right now, I think I'm going to keep a birthyear slim, black beauty, and a futur for my adjustables and get rid of my fatboys, and extra slims. My plan is to pare down to just those items that work the best, and get rid of the extras to keep my collection down.

 

[Mick]

I still have the ones I bought new. I used the super adjustable exclusively for over 40 years until I found B&B and lost my way .

I have since added the short handle to the ones I bought new decades ago.

 

[gmgaj]

So turtle, how do you feel they shave compared to the slims and fatboys?

 

[Mick]

So turtle, how do you feel they shave compared to the slims and fatboys?

Much smoother and more comfortable than either of the others

 

[michiganlover]

I have owned a Fatboy, a Slim, and a Super Adjustable as well. After experiencing them all, I felt the Super Adjustable was the smoothest, followed by the Slim, and then the Fatboy. I honestly feel the Fatboy is the most overrated. The Slim is just as good (I think better), and can generally be had for a whole lot less coin.

I recently purchaed a mint condition (short handle) Super Adjustable from Ebay for a mere $25 shipped.

 

[tacchini]

out of the 3 i think the slim is the best shaver, the fat boy is kind of iconic though, and the best looker, i think its might be overrated because of this, the fatboy razor seems to be that must have razor.

 

[mistercitizen]

I rank the vintage Gillette adjustables this way:

1. Super Adjustable (Short Handle)
2. Fatboy Adjustable
3. Slim Adjustable
4. Super Adjustable (Long Handle)

I love the grip and the thin head profile of the SA short handle, but I like the shorter handle.... which is why the Fatboy and the Slim are ahead of the SA long handle. I like the heft of the Fatboy, but the thinner head profile of the Slim.... they are just about a tie for second, but I like the looks of the Fatboy better. I set my adjustables to 8 for the 1st pass and move it to 5 for the remaining passes.

Ben

 

[dreadpirate]

I personally don't like the plastic handle.

 

[Shave_Rat]

I personally don't like the plastic handle.

It's actually not plastic, it's metal with a resin coating...

I like all three about the same, I can get pretty much a great shave out if each of them, but I am not partial to the long handled Black Beauties. I prefer short handles on most of my razors.

 

[StuMcB]

Here's mine. I had three all in one go but sold them all as the shave quality wasnt there for me. Then March last year I picked up another short handle and it became my fave safety bar razor, out doing my slim and others. It was the only razor for a long time. I then hit shave heaven when I met the OC crowd. Now another Gillette is my go to, a Gillette OC Aristocrat. Here's a pic of my shortie.

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[mark_mw]

of Black Beauty luv!

 

[Batman]

LOVE the SA short handle!!!

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

I'm there....................

 

[Shave_Rat]

of Black Beauty luv!

You appear to be lacking the gold plated one they did for the last quarter of '69 and the first quarter of '70. I'm bummed since they only did them in long handled, that I have ever seen. I grabbed the '70 anyways, birth year display piece, after I made sure to shave with it at least once. lol