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Gillette Adjustable Razor (195, "Fatboy", "Slimboy", "Slim", Super Adjustable, "Black Beauty")

Hellas

Blade Whisperer
So, lets open a thread for the legendary Gillette Adjustables.

To my knowledge the first Adjustable by Gillette came on the market in 1958 and was produced until the 4th quarter of 1961. The model name of Gillette was "Gillette 195 Adjustable Razor", but only affectionately called "Fatboy" by all, because its handle is shorter and thicker than that of its successor, the "Slim".

As all Gillette Adjustables it is a one-piece razor with twist-to-open ("TTO" / "Butterfly") - head and adjusting ring for adjusting the blade distance from the bar and thus the aggressiveness of 1-9. In contrast to some other razors, not only the distance between the blade and the bar but also the angle of the blade itself changes by adjustment, since the blade is bent slightly differently by adjustment.

For me, both the Fatboy and the Slim are quite mild and predictable journeymen, who are a bit as "aggressive" as a Mühle R89 at level 3 and reach the "aggressiveness" of a Merkur Progress at level 2.5 at level 5 and you can slowly get to the bigger levels, whereas it never reaches the aggressiveness of a R41 even at 9. By the way, one of the most blade-tolerant razor I know. There is no (good) blade that works for me in other razors and not in Fatboy. Also for me one of the most beautiful safety razors ever made.

When adjusting - especially from smaller to larger steps - please always make sure to loosen the butterfly head with the lower wheel slightly by turning it to the left so that the mechanics do not get damaged.

For further information about the Gillette Adjustables I can only recommend the page of Glenn Conti:

So here are my two Fatboys An F-4 from the 4th quarter 1960 and a G-1 from the first quarter 1961:

GilletteAdjustable-1.jpg
GilletteAdjustable-2.jpg
GilletteAdjustable-3.jpg
GilletteAdjustable-4.jpg
GilletteAdjustable-5.jpg
 
I've had Slim, Fatboy and Super Adjustable/Black Beauty, and I've never liked the shaves with them. All of them have left the house. Pity, because I really like the looks of the long handled, metal bottomed Super Adjustable.
 
I've always been looking for these scrapers at flea markets, but I never found them there.

Through forum members got access to the adjustable Fatboy and Slim but also I didn't like to shave them.

So also here they are all sold again.
 
Earlier in my Gillette exploration, I had a Fatboy, Slim, Super Adjustable short handle, and gold Super Adjustable long handle. Then I got a Parker Variant and a Merkur Progress and the Gillette adjustables left shortly after that. They are well built razors, but I just started moving away from TTO razors.
 
Nice adjustables everybody!

Here are my Gillette adjustables. I really like the shaves I get from all of them, and my favorite is the Slim - that’s why I have 2 including a rhodium birth year one ... with Coca-Cola red markings just for the heck of it :herz1 I find the Slim one of the very most beautiful DE’s ever made!

8A03AA6B-7400-4A5B-AAA4-03FC8B747C52.jpeg
 
There can't be an adjustable discussion without Gillette coming into it.
I'm done with the Gillette Adjustable rabbit hole. I have a sample of each of the major changes that they made.
Plus there is also a Birth North Shore Slim.

I believe that the Toggle and Bottom Dial (Both F4's) share the same head
My best shaver is the SA84, followed by the F4's and then the Slim. I probably tend to favor the Bottom Dial, just because its rarer but in all honesty, they both give the same shave on the same settings. I usually have a Gillette adjustable in my weekly rotation. (This pic is my current wallpaper)


Gillette Family 2.jpg
 
I have 4 Slim's in my collection, nothing special so far.
However, a Slim has the date code F2 (1960) with a red marking!
However, on all websites it is written that the first Slim was given the date code G3 (1961).
Maybe one of you can tell me more about it.
S3.jpg


S2.jpg



S4.jpg
 
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