Opinion on FatBoy Auction (Why So Much?)

[LiveOak]

Did anyone else see this (completed) FatBoy auction?

It looks to be a normal FatBoy in decent condition, although it is hard to tell definitively because of the plastic sleeves added to the handle to make it even fatter. I would remove these things instantly were it mine.

The weird thing is the suspicious red dot that was seemingly painted on the adjuster knob. It is obvious this is not a red dot. It doesn't have that jack-o-lantern grin when you open it.

Why did this go for $81? Am I missing something? Did the bidders and eventual winner see something I am not? Were these people duped into bidding for a not-so-Red-Dot?

 

[_MementoMori_]

I have no words.

 

[rajagra]

Seems to be modified for/by someone with weak hands? I wouldn't be surprised if the additions were glued on, making them difficult to remove.

 

[Rasierhobel]

what an ugly modification^^

 

[LiveOak]

The white sleeve seems to have a little set screw. Maybe the tan sleeve has one too, but it is not shown in the photos. That might be how they are held on. My question is what drove this price to $81? That's not unimaginable, but too much IMHO.

 

[ShavinBacon]

The one has a screw in it to affix it. Look at the comments from questions asked. Maybe someone who had arthritis??? I think it was someone who go older and just didn't want to give up their beloved Fatboy as they got older and weaker. I may have to do it myself. I applaud them!

 

[hypo_style]

I was confused by this as well.
I was guessing it was a professional modification to a razor done for someone with muscular degeneration.
But was it done by Gillette? A factory modification? Some sort of prototype?
Or just speculative bidding by two wetshaving newbies?
In any case, those two bidders seemed to think they were on to something.

 

[Slivovitz]

I was watching that, with no intention of bidding, but just to see what happened. In fact, I would have started my own thread if this one hadn't been here. I guess you'd call this a "Fatter Boy".

Don't know why it went for so much. The modification is certainly unique, and no doubt suited the original owner. Maybe he had Stahly envy. Still, for a subsequent buyer, you'd think it would decrease the value, not increase it. The seller certainly had some nerve with the statement "WE think this is near mint."

It wouldn't have gone for so much, though, if the winner had sniped to avoid that nibbler who kept raising his bid.

 

[KM-instructor]

I think FB's are over commonly over priced on this Ebay thing, some go for what is a decent price 25-45 give or take, this one however I think is a tad more unique , UGLY but unique enough to get a high price like it did.

 

[kirk 988]

i was about to make the same thread i nearly had a heart attack when i saw how much it sold for.

 

[inkcoffee]

WHat the hell..?

 

[hypo_style]

From an aesthestic standpoint, I don't think it's ugly at all. Just different and unexpected. Certainly no uglier than an ABC Empire Pocket Edition or Ball-end Old Type. I kind of appreciate the differentation in colors for the plastic, and different diameters, and the way the plastic contrasts with the nickel plating and knurling.

 

[MacDaddy]

I had this one saved in my "***" list on eBay, too. No earthly idea why it would have gone so high. The last two bidders took it all the way up from $20 over the last two days.

The brown piece looks like a section of thick rubber tubing, and the bottom piece does look like maybe nylon held on with a set screw. It's like a homebrew version of something like this:

 

[Sledgehammer39]

Insanity.

 

[oldspiceboy]

Hmmm? I tell you after seeing this I leads me to believe I could cobble together something similar and slap it on the bay call it rare and laugh all the way to the bank.

But this does have a function for someone who has trouble gripping their razor. The real question is whether or not Gillette made the modification. I'm guessing no.

Interesting specimen none the less.

 

[buma]

I wanted to ask about this auction too... I was so sure that this one was gonna be the cheapy Fat Boy that comes up every new moon or something, then all of a sudden, BOOM it was at $20, then BAMMO it was $30, and then SMACK it was at $80 and I was all flabbergasted...

I'm kinda glad that others here are also at a loss of just why this FB went for so much - there were several others at BIN prices a lot lower than this one that were untouched for a bit at the same time as this auction.

go figure

 

[Chester]

Why did this go for $81? Am I missing something? Did the bidders and eventual winner see something I am not? Were these people duped into bidding for a not-so-Red-Dot?

This is a razor that has been modified for someone with a disability. I worked for a couple years in a nursing home, and this is an adaptive modification. When your hands grow weak, and when your joints are ravaged by arthritis, increasing the diameter of handles helps you hold them more firmly, and with less pain. Imagine not being able to make a fist, and having a grip that is weaker. You don't need to be an oldster to need adaptive modifications to things you use. People with neurological problems/conditions and brain injuries often modify things to be easier to use.

Doing this kind of modification to kitchen utensils, tools and household handles and knobs helps people extend their ability to live without professional supervision or aides. It's also very costly to do. While it may be over-priced to our eyes, it will easily be worth every penny to the disabled shaver who wants to live independently.

Let's not be too quick to judge or scoff. This razor is proof that some stubborn old codger wanted to use his fatboy for as long as he possibly could. To that guy, ugly though it may seem to us, it was likely worth its weight in gold.
-- Chet

 

[shanman]

Bizarre. I really want to know why someone went through so much effort to mod that thing. Arthritis?

 

[Dalejr]

Crazy, who ever bought it must think because it's unique it's worth more, lol...

 

[Jooky]

This is a razor that has been modified for someone with a disability. I worked for a couple years in a nursing home, and this is an adaptive modification. When your hands grow weak, and when your joints are ravaged by arthritis, increasing the diameter of handles helps you hold them more firmly, and with less pain. Imagine not being able to make a fist, and having a grip that is weaker. You don't need to be an oldster to need adaptive modifications to things you use. People with neurological problems/conditions and brain injuries often modify things to be easier to use.

Doing this kind of modification to kitchen utensils, tools and household handles and knobs helps people extend their ability to live without professional supervision or aides. It's also very costly to do. While it may be over-priced to our eyes, it will easily be worth every penny to the disabled shaver who wants to live independently.

Let's not be too quick to judge or scoff. This razor is proof that some stubborn old codger wanted to use his fatboy for as long as he possibly could. To that guy, ugly though it may seem to us, it was likely worth its weight in gold.
-- Chet

I was going to say something similar, but you have beaten me to it and have said everything I was going to say. When I clicked the link, my first thought was that the original owner had arthritis. I think its pretty sweet that the original owner had it modified so that he could continue using it.