Order of Gillette Adjustables

[Northstonehill]

I noticed a lot of "clubs" here but surprisingly haven't seen anything for strictly Gillette adjustables.

Well, in the name of all that is good and decent, there should be one!

So, I'm starting the Order of Gillette Adjustables or "OGA"

To join, just post a picture of your Fat Boys, Slims, Supers etc. It's that simple... and be sure to put OGA in your sig!

Thanks!

Hello all, as a firm believer and lover of Gillette Adjustables I would like to join your Order. Thanks for considering.

I love Gillette Adjustables for their high quality and easy shaves. They’re really mild if you want them to be, which I prefer. Also, Adjustables are amazingly beautiful, true icons of American industrial design with their simple and durable mechanics. When you are not shaving you can just sit and hold them, look at them and let the vintage DE bug really take hold (I actually do that sometimes). In short, owning a vintage Gillette Adjustable makes you desperate to succeed with DE shaving as you feel you can never be without it again…

Of the three types I have (Fatboy, Slim, Black Beauty) I find they all have the lead in one dimension or other:

Overall winner (by a small margin): The Slim
Balance: Slim
Size of head: Slim/BB
Grip: Fatboy
Weight: Fatboy
Looks: All beautiful, but to my surprise I find that the Black Beauty has a certain something/"Je ne sais quois"

Here is my humble Adjustable collection. Next up, I am considering getting a birth year/quarter Slim and get it replated in Rhodium by Dave at Razorplate, just for kicks.

 

[Northstonehill]

Thank you Emwolf (Ted)! It was a most unbelievable find. I happened to mention that I was particularly fond of early Gillette Super Speed razors to the shop's owner, who just so happened to be the granddaughter of the Victor Strum, who ran a very successful grocery store and general merchandise business out of the building which he built on Main Street in Clarksville. Her words, when I finished, were "Did you see these?," which of course we did not, as the baggie full of razors were in a back room just out of customer view. "My grandfather just passed away a few months ago, and these were his razors." Inside the baggie were three Gillette Flare Tips- an E1, B2, and Z3, perfectly clean with virtually no soap scum or shaving detritus. "My grandfather sold these here in his store. As you can see- he took very good care of them." Also in the bag was his E1 195 Adjustable and its case. The note inside the bag read THREE DOLLARS EACH. From the baggie's contents, since he had three Flare Tip Super Speeds dating up to the same production quarter as his E1 Fat Boy- I could only assume that Victor was a Flare Tip man, purchasing the adjustable only to satisfy his curiosity, as he was a Gillette dealer, and could purchase whatever he wanted from the company at cost. My guess is that he either thought that his E1, 195 Adjustable eclipsed his beloved Flare Tips, or he simply did not care for it all that much and went back to using what he was accustomed to. I am curious as to why he did not choose the more expensive Gillette offerings, as he certainly could have afforded them. Perhaps they were gifts from the factory representative. Whatever happened, we shall never know. Cap cleaned them all and commented in particular that the Fat Boy was one of the best he had ever seen. A tribute to the original owner, Victor Strum. I can picture him shaving in his otherwise spotless bathroom. God Bless! Tony Brown RN mgbbrownView attachment 778574 View attachment 778575 View attachment 778577

Tony, I just have to tell you that I find you an amazing story teller. I absolutely love reading your postings. And as regards this one specifically: What an amazing bathroom, never seen anything so pristine, beautiful. Thanks for sharing that also. You always add these fascinating extra flavors to your shaving stories, and I feel much connected to your linking shaving with people, culture, and life in general.
Sincerely,
Peter

 

[mgbbrown]

Peter; Shaving is indeed linked intrinsically to those who shave. The task itself has little importance other than for personal appearance, but it is significant for instructing the next generation of offspring on how it is done properly, why it is important, and how it relates to just how others may see us with our best foot forward and always the gentleman. However, no matter how mundane, shaving is as much a part the cultural scene as say hair or clothing styles. Thankfully, the early Super Speed era was lived by that Greatest Generation, and we do not want to ever forget their contribution in our lives today. Thank you Sir! Tony Brown RN mgbbrown

 

[emwolf]

Today was a flawless shave using my Long handled gold plated Super with a GSB blade. First pass on 3, second on 7 and final head only on 9.

 

[jerrylee101]

Incredibly smooth DFS with this set up.
I 2 Slim
Big Ben blade
Williams Mug shave in a Col. Conks scuttle
Vander Hagen Badger brush
Thayers and Pinaud AS

 

[Dryphter]

My Gillette Adjustables

I4 Slim, G1 Fatboy, L1 Slim

Slims are for my boys when they grow up. Until then I get to use them

 

[tehnothing]

I wants I wants I wants to join this club. Preferably a slim or Fatboy. I watch that auction site like a hawk for a nice one in my budget.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[jerrylee101]

Tonight's shave.
F-1 Fatboy
Dorco Prime blade.
Williams Mugshave soap.
Van Der Hagen Boar brush.
Thayers Witch Hazel Splash.
English Leather AS

 

[tehnothing]

I scored a slim off that auction site. It cleaned up pretty.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[jar_]

 

[jerrylee101]

Tonight's adjustable shave.
Gillette I-2 Slim
Dorco Prime Blade
Van Der Hagen Soap
Van Der Hagen Badger Brush
Thayers Witch Hazel Splash
Pinaud Clubman AS

 

[AZCat]

Hello everyone! Here are my adjustables:

1966 (L2) Slim Adjustable

1987 (H4) Super Adjustable

Still trying to find a Fatboy for a decent price and maybe a short handle black beauty.

 

[emwolf]

Hello everyone! Here are my adjustables:

1966 (L2) Slim Adjustable

1987 (H4) Super Adjustable

Still trying to find a Fatboy for a decent price and maybe a short handle black beauty.

View attachment 794931

Very nice. The super is my favorite.

 

[jerrylee101]

Tonight's shave.
1980 Gillette SA
Dorco Prime
Van Der Hagen Soap
Burma Shave brush
Thayers Witch Hazel
Pinaud Clubman AS

 

[emwolf]

View attachment 795154 Tonight's shave.
1980 Gillette SA
Dorco Prime
Van Der Hagen Soap
Burma Shave brush
Thayers Witch Hazel
Pinaud Clubman AS

classic!

 

[tehnothing]

I want to lovey slim, but, I just get inferior shaves from it no matter the setting. I suspect it is my angle, bit, due to the bulbous hangar door head, I can't quite get it. Any suggestions? I would really like to master this as it will keep me from enjoying any Gillette TTOs.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[AZCat]

I want to lovey slim, but, I just get inferior shaves from it no matter the setting. I suspect it is my angle, bit, due to the bulbous hangar door head, I can't quite get it. Any suggestions? I would really like to master this as it will keep me from enjoying any Gillette TTOs.

I've found that my Slim and my Super Speeds require a slightly different angle than my Merkur 34C or DE89. I need to hold the handle a little further from my face and ride the cap. I think it's a little easier with the TTO head because I can see if the center bar is touching my face or not (if that makes sense). The only place I notice the head on them being big is under the nose but the only razor that works really well under the nose is my Tech.

 

[cwsnc]

my 1960 (F2) Gillette Fatboy

 

[jerrylee101]

Tonight's Adjustable shave
Gillette F-1 FatBoy
KAI
Williams Mug
B&B 10th Anniversary Boar
Thayers Cucumber WH
Old Spice

 

[jerrylee101]

Tonight's Adjustable Shave
Gillette I-2 Slim
KAI
Williams Mug Soap
B&B 10th Anniversary Boar
Thayers Cucumber WH
Old Spice AS