Hello gents, hope you're all well.
As you can see, curiosity got the better of me and I had to order a Fatip Testina Gentile in gold no less. Now, I already own a Piccolo, Grande, (both of which are OC) and a recent addition to the Fatip family, the Lo Storto slant, which I cannot praise highly enough. What a weapon man! Just buy one and you will see for yourselves. After sitting on the fence I decided to try a Testina Gentile (gentle head) even though I'm an out and out open comb man, with the Muhle R41 in the arsenal since 2012 (by definition a hybrid I believe) and now the incredible Muhle R94 Rocco all stainless (closed comb but up there with the R41, go figure!!!) that I bought at Christmas, I've got the best a man can get!
Now, searching the net for the best deal, Connaught Shaving in Suffolk, UK is the best price, go direct to the website and not eBay, where you will pay more for the same thing. I also bought Cello Bio from them in the same order and the Fatip comes with a 5 pack of Gillette Silver-Blue so now you're talking!
THE SHAVE
So I prepared to shave with the Gentile with 4 days of growth. Hot shower, Proraso pre shave in the shower, steaming hot face clothes after that, lashings of Cella Bio (this is slicker than the red almond I hasten to say) on my Omega Hi-Brush and I'm off with the Gentile loaded with a Silver-Blue.
WTG - First Impressions, quiet, no feedback, like using no blade. Touched face after the pass and it was smooth, very smooth.
XTG - No blade feel, you can add as much pressure and go as fast as you like, no nicks, no irritation. After this pass I was beyond DFS and close to BBS.
ATG - Again very little blade feel, quick passes and caution to the wind by now to a lovely BSS finish. I think I was done in 8 mins flat.
VERDICT
It's a great smooth and efficient razor that allows speed, pressure and a carelessness during the shave that you simple cannot afford with an R41 and the like. It is a three pass exercise that is a joy to use. It's also better than the Edwin Jagger DE89 in it's efficiency and execution. It takes me more effort with the DE89 which I never really warmed to. So all in all the Fatip Testina Gentile is a superb closed comb that's well thought out and designed and I can highly recommend this razor to a novice or even a seasoned DE shaver, plus the gold is gorgeous in a collection.
FATIP : ROUGH AND READY?
Now Fatip fit and finish gets a lot of scrutiny and flak from discerning shavers simply because you can see visible machine marks on them, the finish can wear off revealing the brass underneath, then there's the dreaded blade alignment malarkey, in which funnily enough, I've never had to wrestle with as I've never had a bad shave with a Fatip. But Fatips are not expensive and can punch far above their weight at more expensive razors made of stainless
steel and alloy. I love my Fatips, they are very special razors like no other and they have a place in my heart after nearly a decade of using them.
Jump on the Gentile if you're making the switcheroo to DE shaving, looking for a new closed comb or just want an excuse to try another great razor!
Thanks for reading, take care.
As you can see, curiosity got the better of me and I had to order a Fatip Testina Gentile in gold no less. Now, I already own a Piccolo, Grande, (both of which are OC) and a recent addition to the Fatip family, the Lo Storto slant, which I cannot praise highly enough. What a weapon man! Just buy one and you will see for yourselves. After sitting on the fence I decided to try a Testina Gentile (gentle head) even though I'm an out and out open comb man, with the Muhle R41 in the arsenal since 2012 (by definition a hybrid I believe) and now the incredible Muhle R94 Rocco all stainless (closed comb but up there with the R41, go figure!!!) that I bought at Christmas, I've got the best a man can get!
Now, searching the net for the best deal, Connaught Shaving in Suffolk, UK is the best price, go direct to the website and not eBay, where you will pay more for the same thing. I also bought Cello Bio from them in the same order and the Fatip comes with a 5 pack of Gillette Silver-Blue so now you're talking!
THE SHAVE
So I prepared to shave with the Gentile with 4 days of growth. Hot shower, Proraso pre shave in the shower, steaming hot face clothes after that, lashings of Cella Bio (this is slicker than the red almond I hasten to say) on my Omega Hi-Brush and I'm off with the Gentile loaded with a Silver-Blue.
WTG - First Impressions, quiet, no feedback, like using no blade. Touched face after the pass and it was smooth, very smooth.
XTG - No blade feel, you can add as much pressure and go as fast as you like, no nicks, no irritation. After this pass I was beyond DFS and close to BBS.
ATG - Again very little blade feel, quick passes and caution to the wind by now to a lovely BSS finish. I think I was done in 8 mins flat.
VERDICT
It's a great smooth and efficient razor that allows speed, pressure and a carelessness during the shave that you simple cannot afford with an R41 and the like. It is a three pass exercise that is a joy to use. It's also better than the Edwin Jagger DE89 in it's efficiency and execution. It takes me more effort with the DE89 which I never really warmed to. So all in all the Fatip Testina Gentile is a superb closed comb that's well thought out and designed and I can highly recommend this razor to a novice or even a seasoned DE shaver, plus the gold is gorgeous in a collection.
FATIP : ROUGH AND READY?
Now Fatip fit and finish gets a lot of scrutiny and flak from discerning shavers simply because you can see visible machine marks on them, the finish can wear off revealing the brass underneath, then there's the dreaded blade alignment malarkey, in which funnily enough, I've never had to wrestle with as I've never had a bad shave with a Fatip. But Fatips are not expensive and can punch far above their weight at more expensive razors made of stainless
steel and alloy. I love my Fatips, they are very special razors like no other and they have a place in my heart after nearly a decade of using them.
Jump on the Gentile if you're making the switcheroo to DE shaving, looking for a new closed comb or just want an excuse to try another great razor!
Thanks for reading, take care.
