The vintage Gillette Fatboy could have been what Don Draper used (and with Don’s frequent five o’clock shadow, it would have gotten a lot of use). Made right here in the USA from 1958 through 1961, it has a feeling of quality and heft like a Mack truck, a feeling you just don’t get from many consumer products these days. You put in a double-edge blade (like a Feather) and drag it over your wet, soapy face. No pressure is needed; the weight of the razor does the work. Each one is marked with the year and quarter it was manufactured and is adjustable to your choice of nine clicks. There is an ingenious mechanism that ensures that the blade is tight, but not too tight – once it’s closed, you give it another quarter turn and it’s locked in. There are plenty around on eBay (for about $25 – $50), which is not too surprising as they are built like Cold War era tanks. Don’t be afraid of a used one. Collectors polish them and soak them in Barbicide and they look brand new and are perfectly sterile. Once you get the setting right, you know just what kind of razor you should use.
Affordability: 5 Luxury: 8
