Does New Mean Better? Rex Ambassador vs Gillette Fatboy Safety Razor 

Do you have a Rex Ambassador or a fat boy? Which one do you like better?

Love your style and straightforward assessment of the products.

Both are phenomenal, the Fat Boy is a legend, the Rex is new meticulous craftsmanship. For me, it’s the Fat Boy because I don’t like blade feel and the Rex has more than I prefer. Also, the Rex drags a bit - I really prefer scallops on the safety bar. Great review!

Hi Greg. First of all, I love your videos. You have such a quirky sense of humor and I love it. I saw this video and immediately recognized the Gilette Fatboy. My father had one of these and unfortunately it is probably gone for good. I remember looking at it when I was a kid. I'd play around with it and pretend to shave (minus the blade), although I'm surprised I never cut my fingers off pulling the blade out. I would soap up my skin and run this razor across my face pretending my beard was coming off. Now many years later and almost 11 years since he passed away, I remember it clearly and I have such a connection with him through this razor. I dearly wish I had one now. Thanks for the memories and keep up the great work.

Hi Greg great video as always. I don’t have the Ambassador or the fat boy but I do have a Rex Envoy and I absolutely love it. Keep up the good work and keep well and keep safe. Look forward to your next offering.

Great stuff Gregg. Excellent shave and video! Thanks again for catching our live. So glad I found out about your RU-vid channel.

Good video and insights. And, as always, the beanie rocks!

I am Gillette man Always will be I love my D4 1958 DE TTO 1-9 Razor Now 65yr old and still Brand new In looks and Feel And Shaving with . Cant Beat A Fat Boy 💈

Great video as always! I love my Fatboy and it is a classic gorgeous looking razor! I've never tried the rex but I am eager to... even now that they have the slant version!! Absolutely love my Rockwell T2

Great comparison video and thanks for making it. I have both razors and agree with you on all of the points you mentioned. If I had to pick one, it would be the Rex Ambassador by the smallest of margins. Both are great and have their advantages, but the Rex is just slightly better for me.

Great vid Greg. Keep em rolling!

I like “confidence in shave” rating!

I don’t have the Ambassador but I do have the Envoy which I love, but I also just picked up a 59 4th quarter Fat Boy with the original display case for $10 at an antique shop. I have to say, the condition I found it in was near perfect. It only has a few nickel flakes missing on the handle and looked like it may have been used a handful of times. Honestly to me it shaves just as nicely as the the Envoy if not a little better, but I think that’s mainly because it has the ability to adjust. Love them both but I may end up using the Fatboy more because of nostalgia. Great video man!

Thank you for making this comparison

Fantastic video Greg!!!

I have a 58 Fat Boy, and I really Enjoy shaving with the it. I’m new to the hobby, but looking forward to growing knowledge and interacting more with the community. Thanks for the insightful videos. I’ve heard nothing but positive thoughts on the Rex Ambassador.

Great video Greg. I don’t have a Fat Boy but now I kind of wish I did. I do have an Ambassador which I love. Every feature of it is good. When I shave with it I know that no matter what the whiskers are coming off. Usually I can’t even shave the following day because I got such a close shave. Is time a variable of efficiency? The Ambassador is so efficient that it shaves my whiskers back in time a whole day!

I own both and find that setting four on the Rex is comparable to the setting nine on the Fatboy.

Great video, Greg!! I got both the Rex and a 1960 Fat Boy. Love them both, but would give a slight edge to the Rex cause of its efficiency. I can get a great shave with one pass and clean ups. And, it's my only SS razor. That adds to the cool factor for me.

Very nice clip Greg…I am new to your channel with a first time comment. Have been reviewing your work on RU-vid and must say I am very impressed. Very informative and entertaining! Keep up the good work sir. Butch from Rockwall, TX

Great as always!

Wow, high quality video! That's well done!👍 I have the slim and the ambassador. I love prefer the Aggressivness from the Rex over the Slim Adjustable. But there are both amazing razors!

What’s the brush called and where can I get one? Please and thank you.

does neewer make shavers?

Nice video as always Greg. Well done sir!

Nice video! I don't have either of these but I have a 1982 super adjustable 109 and I like that one.

Greg, how do you find the Treet carbon steel blades to work for you?

The 195 is a great razor and shaves well. Glad I bought one for $61 instead of the over priced Rex.

I have the rex ambassador. I will admit, I was a bit intimidated by the reviews of it being aggressive with blade feel and I shaved my face with it ( using Astra blue) with a 2.5 and had a superb BBS all the way around. Today I decided to let my rockwell 6s have the day off and went for the rex on my head. I did it using a 3 and was quite nice- although, during my last pass I angled the head wrong and sliced my scalp a bit- nothing extreme. There is a heavy blade feel, but I realized with adjusting the angle to the sound of the hair "rasping" the process can be smooth sailing. I dig it.

Great comparison video Greg!

Nice vid. I actually found this video after typing in "Rex Ambassador vs Tatara Muramasa". I bought the Ambassador 2 months ago and I've been searching for a video comparing it to the Muramasa but all the videos are in a different language with no subtitles.

stumbled on your channel and I can say I have a Gillette fat Boy that belonged to my Step dad that bought it when he entered the US Marines in 1950 and it shaves like a champ.

Another fantastic video! I don't have a Fatboy or an Ambassador, but I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Konsul slant from Rex Supply that I've preordered. In fact, I was very much against anything that smacked of Gillette untill I started to watch Matt's videos on Razor Emporium. Before that, I saw Gillette as the monster that had brought the "plastic hell of multiblade cartridges" upon us. Now I've learned to appreciate that the story is at least more interesting and offers a valid contribution to our hobby. Keep up the good work, Greg, your videos are unique.

OK, I subscribed. I enjoyed the comparison. Great review.

I’ve got a’59 Fatboy. Great shaver. Something kinda classy about it’s looks. Never used an Ambassador. I would somehow use a hotdog to compare these two razors….no wait that’s something else entirely. Nice video and thanks for sharing Greg!!

I don’t have either razor but I would go for the Rex.

It's been quite awhile since I've used any of my vintage stuff, but although I do like my Fatboy (and Slim) I would have to pick the Rex Ambassador over them. It initially took me some time to warm up to it and my Envoy XL, but now I'm getting really good shaves plus I appreciate the excellent grip that the knurling affords. I would prefer the XL version of the Ambassador but as is it feels much more substantial that the old razors. I will say that I would pick any of them over the Tatara Muramasa, which although giving really good results with a Feather blade has very poor ergonomics. I wish I could trade it for the new Konsul that Matt is coming out with.

Tough call. I prefer the twist to open blade change of the Fatboy, but at the same time, I prefer the rigid blade feel of the Ambassador due to how well it's two piece design clamps down the blade. They each have their own strong points over the other that make it really hard to pick a favorite, but if I absolutely had to, I think I'd go with the Ambassador.

Great video, yeah finding a Gillette fat boy razor in good condition is hard to come by. I like my super speed Gillette. Rex ambassador does feel good in the hand. It’s ridged! 😁

I agree. I love both, each for its own reasons. If I had to pick only one, my Fatboy would win. Partly because mine has custom blade gaps that make it more efficient. Partly because it just feels perfect to me in my hand. The weight and the balance just fit my technique.

I can't find anything I like as much as the Fatboy and Slim. Wish there were a true clone in nickel plated brass.

Great video Greg, this video makes me subscribe in your channel, keep it up 💞 How can I purchase the Fat Boy, is it still aviliable in some where, please advise Thank you

I probably have about 800 of the Treet Carbon. I use them almost exclusively as they are the only one to give me a nickless shave 99% of the time. Extra forgiving yet efficient

Here we are in 2024 and at 72 years of age I shave with a 1962 Gillette Slim Adjustable using high quality super sharp "Feather" blades. Get amazing close shaves while using imported artisan shaving cream from London. Let go of those expensive cartridge razors and step back in time with an old version razor. Plus, today's double edge blades are far superior to cartridge blades and better than blades made back in the 40s, 50's, 60s and 70s. Instead of several bucks for a throw away cartridge I pay between 25 cents and 40 cents for a quality DE blade depending on the brand and if I buy in bulk or not. I get superior shaves at far less expense.

Cost alone - the Gillette Fatboy and Slim. Paid about $35 for each of mine. Don't know what the new one goes for but guessing much more than $35. Also, I DETEST 2 and 3 piece razors!

top video !! thanks

Hahaha "Im not in it save money" Two beauties for sure Greg, nothing wrong with have both my friend!

I have a 1959 Fatboy and a 2021 Ambassador... The Rex Supply Co Ambassador is my daily driver - I use it almost every time I get to shave. I like the efficiency, the handle, the head and the overall feel of the razor. However - it lacks some of the feel/personality of the '59.. If I was forced to choose - gun to my head - I would go Ambassador - I think it would stand the test of time (from now 'til 2086) better, given that the '59 already has 63 years on it's back.... I'm lucky to have both ❤

Nice video. I love my Fatboy. Still have not gotten an ambassador. I might skip it for the Konsul.

There’s a reason most WetShavers favor Vintage Gillette

I have both and love both of them. For everyday shaving I will take the Fatboy over my Rex. If I have multiple days of growth I would take my Rex. I haven’t ever shaved with my Rex on any setting above 3. My Fatboy goto setting is 6, and I have shaved with 9 without any issues. I’m going to send my Rex back to Razor Emporium to get the longer handle put on it.

"Garbage Futur"? Why the panzer tank of adjustables is a fine unit sir, though I grant you the changing of settings can be a thrill if your hands are wet. Fun review as always! Cheers.

At the moment, I think I prefer my Fatboy ever so slightly over the Ambassador. They’re both awesome razors that I get great shaves with, but I think the Fatboy gets the slight edge with the nostalgia of the vintage Gillettes.

I don’t own either but have researched and considered both razors. Rex is a little steep as far as price but the fatboy could be as well by the time you purchase in auction from bay for a good price and then have restored, or pony up and shell out money for one that’s been maintained/restored (plus they can get knocked out of whack after 60+ years of use and need safety bar squared and evened up, or have some internal mechanical issues where it doesn’t function properly). Looks like you purchased one that has original box (in great condition I might add) with everything that was originally included maybe even instructions pamphlet. But from my research I’ve always read n heard the Gillette’s are mild but good shavers generally. I noticed you mentioned the Rex to be more efficient/aggressive but from my research from some chart on de razor aggressiveness, it would place the Gillettes better at that category if you were to base on blade gaps!?! Maybe I’m forgetting or confusing the Rex with Rockwell 6’s’s or some other razor as I haven’t looked at that chart in some time; I don’t think Rex was even on that same comparison chart which is readily found but I’m almost positive I’ve read it’s specs for blade gaps setting’s somewhere and they’re smaller than Gillettes. So I’m assuming that isn’t the case or your experience. Does the Gillette adjustables hold the blade with some rigidity and solid security or does it move around and make clanking noises while shaving with its TTO mechanism? Does TTO apply some kind of blade torsion or bending to blade to achieve rigidity?

Pretty sure my ol dad used to shave with the fat boy, I am thinking now that is was also used for my first shave.

I have the Rex Ambassador, love it even more after trying some other cheaper safety razors. I even tried a 8/8 straight razor which I'm shi**ing myself using...

I have a fatboy. And you can call me crazy but my gillette black beauty is my favorite. The long handle does it for me.

Another enjoyable video, Mr. Tardif. Now go and take your Christmas decorations down. We’re halfway through January ☝️

I couldn’t agree more about saving money. I started this journey over 10 years ago to save some cash. Now I’m into this 5 or 6 razors; multiple brushes and a ton of creams, soaps and after shaves. I have a Rex Ambassador and I like it a lot. It’s my daily shaver. But I am considering a Rockwell T2 just because it’s a cool looking razor. I think the vintage razors are pretty sweet and love the videos on them….but I’m a germaphobe and it creeps me out.

Nevermind the razors.....I wanna know more about that Unicorn calendar!! Is it a Unicorn only calendar or is mythical beasts monthly? Like Loch Ness November, Sasquatch September and Mermaid March! Or if it's Unicorns only, does it include the Pegasus? They're technically Unicorns but with wings right... Great video brotha! A great buddy of mine used to possess the Rex but found it too aggressive. For which he said would be right up my alley. Guess I like running Zero Turns across my face

Great video, saving vs 🐇hole I won 😉Have a great Sunday and stay 🪒💈

Gillette slim and Fatboy are amazing. I got one for 15 bucks and it's a joy to save with. Also after using tto I can't go back to 3 piece. You should mention how expensive the ambassador is compared to a mint condition slim on ebay... Hell for the price of ambassador you can get a mint aristocrat!

I just got a 1961 Gillette Slim. It’s like a Fatboy that went on a diet😜

I’ve got both and love them. However, if I could only have one, I’d keep my Rex over the Fatboy. For me the deciding factor is the adjustment dial. I love how smooth the Rex adjusts and sometimes have trouble turning the dial on the Fatboy while shaving unless I stop and completely dry off my hands. Enjoyed the peekaboo at the end. Classic

3:42 this part had me laughing 😂

Welp, I once had an Ambassador and a 1970 Slim 109. I still have, and shave with, the Slim. Yup. So, I gotta go with the Fat Boy. Booyeeeeee!!!

You can easily get cut on settings 789 on the FatBoy so I wouldn’t say that it’s mild ……it’s everything. Like I can’t get cut with a Tech or 34 c even if I pressed as hard as I can. So if you can’t get cut it’s not agressive and if YOU CAN get cut ….yeah it sure is It has the mildness The medium-ness? And the agressiveness

The fat boy rules. Best de ever

BS master! Good job my friend

From all the videos and comments I have seen on the two razors there is one category that the Rex will win hands down. Blood loss. 🙄

I have great shaves with the Progress 500! How dare you! 😌

Fat boy adjusted for inflation cost 20 US dollars in 2022. The Rex costs what?

Power is nothing without control. So the Fatboy wins. 👍

best - better - good - modest - bad - worse (new) - worst (smart)

I don’t think your Fatboy was revamped, all its features look very sharp and crisp and revamped ones tend to get more rounded due to polishing of the small details., ever so slightly though. Besides the shade of the nickle plating looks spot on. Revamped ones look more like a light color.

I owned both but I still on my fat boy and got rid of my Rex …. FATBOY!!!!!