Fat Boy versus Slim

[nicodemus38]

Im just curious, from what I gather there are differences in the shave, but how much of a difference?

[brothers]

There are differences, and I presume each user who notices differences will be the judge of just how much or how little it may be. Too subjective.

[nicodemus38]

well how can we get things subject.

I know the head is bigger on the fat boy, is it actually any chance of a situation comparable to say old type to new standard?

I like my new standard a lot, the whole geometry of the handle. Does the fat boy handle make balance better then the slim?

[CMur12]

I have a Fatboy and I had a Super Adjustable. I also have a Slim (actually an Aristocrat Adjustable, which is just a gold-plated Slim), but I haven't ever tried it.

I like the short, thick handle of the Fatboy and I like the balance. I require a mild razor and at a setting of "4" the Fatboy works well for me. I don't find it as effective a shaver as my Mergress, however.

Most like the Super Adjustable best of the Gillette adjustables, but I didn't like mine. I was unable to see any misalignment or damage, but it tended to bite me, unlike my other razors. I gave this one away.

I think the Merkur Progress (Mergress in my case) is a better design for an adjustable than the Gillettes. The Gillettes change the blade angle in order to change the blade gap. I haven't tried mine at many different settings, but this situation would strongly suggest different shaving characteristics, beyond just blade gap, with the change of setting. The Progress/Mergress keeps the blade at the same angle, moving the whole head assembly up and down above the safety bars. Changing blades with the Progress/Mergress is fussier, however, than it is with the TTO adjustables made by Gillette.

- Murray

[Squire]

For me the short, fat handle and long, slim handle have different balance points. I prefer the slim.

[nicodemus38]

I like my super adjustable. the whole weight is mainly in the head. gets some really good maneuvering on it. I get best results keeping my hand down near the bottom half of the handle.

[ShadowsDad]

I never had a SA, but I have a Slim, and I might still have the fatboy. I never cared for the fatboy, but there for a time I really liked the Slim. For me it was the head. But I'm one of those folks who prefers pre-'21 fixed head Gillettes.

[nicodemus38]

well im hoping the larger dimensions on the handle of a fatboy would help give me a shave more like the new standard does.

[nicodemus38]

well it came, and I liked it.

the size is perfect for me. To be honest on a setting of 2 it was awfully damn smooth. Note I have used that platinum plu blade for 9 shaves now. and tis still good.

it maneuvered like my aristocrat. perfect under the nose. im curious as I hear the head is "too big" for under the nose comfort.

[CMur12]

Glad to hear you like it, Nic! I really like the thick handle, the heft, and the balance of the Fatboy. It is a supremely comfortable razor to handle.

- Murray

[Straight Arrow]

Fatboy is a truck
Slim is a mid-size sedan
Both deliver well

[nicodemus38]

I used proraso blue over a layer of erasmic. geesus Christ it was a slimey bubbly mess. but shaved GOOOOOD.

I admit ive had techs get HOT from rinsing under the tap, but this puppy just got warm, and it had better glide I think when it got WARM.

[jww]

The key difference is the profile of the head of the razor which I am attaching to this post - from left to right, Fatboy, Slim, Slim Long Handle. The Fatboy being the highest from bottom plate to top of the head, and the long-handled (black) slim being the lowest.

I have settled on setting 4 of the slim for my daily driver.