Fatip Appreciation

Missoni

Missoni

Fellow Traveller
...I have the Fatip Piccolo, Fatip Grande (Gunmetal) and a Fatip Piccolo head on a webber bulldog handle. All three heads are V2 with the logo on the baseplate, blade alignment is spot-on. The plating on the Piccolos are ok as are the tolerances. The gunmetal finish on the Grande was slightly incomplete from new, a tiny patch of brass showing through on the head. I find the different handles give a different feel and shave. The solid, short, thin, brass handle of the Piccolo affords the razor a beautiful balance, agility and maneuverability. A smooth really close shave comes easilly. The compromise though is that the handle can at times feel infuriatingly thin especially when switching to the Fatip from another razor. The balance on the Grande is very different. The longer, lighter, fatter, hollow brass handle shifts the weight to the head and for me does not feel as intuitive to use; it also feels less agile and manouverable although a smooth close shave is readilly secured. The Fatip OC on a webber bulldog handle again shifts the weight, this time to the handle and while it still gives a smooth, close shave the razor feels somewhat conventional even ordinary. The delicacy of the balanced piccolo is absent. I find it interesting that Fatip on their website refer to the handle on the Grande as "oversized". The Fatips will shave for me at a shallow and a steep angle, similar to the R41; however I have found that I need to keep the angle more shallow to avoid razor burn creeping-up after several weeks shaving. I am a daily shaver (7 days a week) and use the Fatips for several months at a time before rotating to another razor. At the moment I find myself reaching for the Piccolo more but I want to love the Grande more...as I prefer its aesthetics. Going forward I now want a Fatip OC head in stainless steel (if only) on a custom handle the same weight and length as the Piccolo handle with slightly more girth but less girth than the Grande. I also hear the Joris calling...
 
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2hot 2trot

2hot 2trot

Forum GOD!
Missoni said:
...I have the Fatip Piccolo, Fatip Grande (Gunmetal) and a Fatip Piccolo head on a webber bulldog handle. All three heads are V2 with the logo on the baseplate, blade alignment is spot-on. The plating on the Piccolos are ok as are the tolerances. The gunmetal finish on the Grande was slightly incomplete from new, a tiny patch of brass showing through on the head. I find the different handles give a different feel and shave. The solid, short, thin, brass handle of the Piccolo affords the razor a beautiful balance, agility and maneuverability. A smooth really close shave comes easilly. The compromise though is that the handle can at times feel infuriatingly thin especially when switching to the Fatip from another razor. The balance on the Grande is very different. The lighter, fatter, hollow brass handle shifts the weight to the head and for me does not feel as intuitive to use; it also feels less agile and manouverable although a smooth close shave is readilly secured. The Fatip OC on a webber bulldog handle again shifts the weight, this time to the handle and while it still gives a smooth, close shave the razor feels somewhat conventional even ordinary. The delicacy of the balanced piccolo is absent. I find it interesting that Fatip on their website refer to the handle on the Grande as "oversized". The Fatips will shave for me at a shallow and a steep angle, similar to the R41; however I have found that I need to keep the angle more shallow to avoid razor burn creeping-up after several weeks shaving. I am a daily shaver (7 days a week) and use the Fatips for several months at a time before rotating to another razor. At the moment I find myself reaching for the Piccolo more but I want to love the Grande more...as I prefer its aesthetics. Going forward I now want a Fatip OC head in stainless steel (if only) on a custom handle the same weight and length as the Piccolo handle with slightly more girth but less girth than the Grande. I also hear the Joris calling...
Click to expand...
I have literally just received a Fatip Grande from my favourite postman this afternoon.
This will be my first time using an open comb. My immediate thought was where the balance lies on this razor. It also feels to be too close to the head for my liking but I will give it a go next week. I bought it second hand for little money with the view to purchasing the R41 at a later date if I can get on with an open comb.

Interesting read and thanks for sharing.
Wayne
 
Missoni

Missoni

Fellow Traveller
2hot 2trot said:
I have literally just received a Fatip Grande from my favourite postman this afternoon.
This will be my first time using an open comb. My immediate thought was where the balance lies on this razor. It also feels to be too close to the head for my liking but I will give it a go next week. I bought it second hand for little money with the view to purchasing the R41 at a later date if I can get on with an open comb.

Interesting read and thanks for sharing.
Wayne
Click to expand...
...they are superb shavers and a steal at about £20 now. Hope you enjoy and let us know your thoughts in due course...
 
Missoni

Missoni

Fellow Traveller
Cornishman said:
You could say that I have an appreciation for Fatip razors.
Here's my lineup:

Fatip Gentile Gold, Grande Anthracite, Grande Chrome, Grande Nickel, Piccolo Mk1 and Piccolo Mk2
View attachment 12257
Click to expand...
...thats what I call appreciation...great collection...do you have a preference for the Piccolo or the Grande?' I am currently finding it tricky to maintain an effective angle with the Grande where as the Piccolo shaves great for me...
 
R

R181

Grumpy old man
I bought the Piccolo a few years ago and immediately hated the handle. I put on a handle from a fat handle Tech and been happy with it ever since.

The nickel plating is very good but it does show tool marks on the ends of the top cap. I do have to be a bit careful when installing a new blade to ensure equal blade exposure on both sides. I am quite prepared to accept those flaws for the price of the razor. If anyone wants to experience the feel of the shave an old time Gillette OC can give the Fatip can't be beat for that. There is not much out there that will give you as close and long lasting a shave for the price as a Fatip. I'd say it is a pretty aggressive razor and that is likely why it shaves so well as long as the user is up to it.

Bob
 
2hot 2trot

2hot 2trot

Forum GOD!
I have recently purchased the Grande. It was my second DE razor. My first was the Murker 34c HD. The method behind my madness was to try an open comb razor.

What a result. I have found it an amazing bit of kit.
From what I have researched it sounds to me that the piccolo is the preferred choice but I have not had the fortune to try it.
It was only until recently I was told that the difference is the handle and the head is the same. (Learning something new everyday is a blessing.)

The Grande is an awesome razor, although if I was to put any negatives on it, I would say that the overall finish is nowhere near the quality of the Merkur.

I would describe it as smooth and a medium aggressive razor. As a relative newbie, I may be a long way off with my opinion but it is more aggressive than my Merkur. YMMV.

I have found that the Astra SP blade works perfectly with it and the results have been really positive. If I am to be totally honest with myself, I would say that the Grande gives a closer shave than the Merkur and I have not had any irritation, cuts or weepers with it (YET!:))
To conclude, for the money this razor is fantastic and everyone of us should try one.

Take care and happy shaving everyone!

PS. @Cornishman you have made me so jealous and congratulations on your beautiful collection.
.
 
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Franklin Furter

Franklin Furter

Forum GOD!
The FaTip Gold Gentile is one of my three favorite razors. As its names implies (Gentile is Italian for Gentle), it is a mild, closed comb razor. It is ideal for use with a sharp blade and will provide a bbs shave. With some of these razors (mine included) blade alignment is sometimes an issue due to loose tolerances. This can be corrected if necessary by manually aligning the blade while the handle is carefully tightened to the razor's head. This has never presented a serious problem for me.
 
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vtmax

vtmax

Forum GOD!
The Testina Gentile ruined it for me. It's better than my Wolfman SB and other standard DE's. I didn't want it to be better but it just is.

Not talking adjustables here just regular DE's. The head design is absolutely perfect. Bends the blade beautifully and with a sharp blade gives the perfect shave. The brass can fade and sometimes one has to manually align the blade but the results are in the shave.

I wish more young guys getting into wetshaving would concentrate on their results rather than wait lists. Sometimes the superior razor is right there in front of them.
 
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