Toggle passaround review thread.

borked

borked

Shave, collect B&M pokemon, vodka, sleep, repeat
Grand Society
Group Buy Associate
Da Menth Heads
2018 Charity Auction Winner
Joined
Oct 10, 2013
Ok, there's been a few here that have taken my Toggle'for a spin or two around the block.
Figured it's time to consolidate the reviews from these folks and ask of them to post them here :)
Calling @filobiblic @SydBJW @Anthony @FatBoy58 to the thread.

For those that are also interested in taking this for a spin, I hope you note that those thus far are trusted and well known members of the shave community and in a way, it's a reward for their ongoing participation and what they've added to the greater community, yet this does not mean there will not be others in good time :)
 
Aww shucks!
Guess everyone has something they can offer after all :)
 
I was kindly lent a Toggle last year by @borked not long after he found it in the wild (and still isn't letting on where he found it!). For me, I found the length and weight to be in a fantastic balance. Very similar in how it shaves (angle et al) to a FatBoy, and yet the balance of the razor felt even more "right" in the hand. A great razor to shave with. [emoji41]
Thanks @borked for the loaner.
 
Anthony said:
Thank you so much @borked !

I've always been curious about the Toggle, but knowing full well I'd probably never get to hold one (or own one).
But you my friend made that come true! Not only did I get to hold it, but take it for a shave!

Thank you very much for your trust and generosity!
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borked said:
Aww shucks!
Guess everyone has something they can offer after all :)
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Gotta agree with him here @Anthony . An offer like a free lifetime supply of Shaver Heaven, Desperado in Tallow. Jus' jokin' @Anthony . Well done @borked
 
Gillette Toggle (4) 1960 F4
L'Occitaine CAD
Semogue 1250
Vodskhod Blade

SOTD Pt 2 Gillette Toggle
Gillette Toggle 1960 F4
Semogue 1250
Omega Shave Cream
Vodskhod Blade
Myrsol Plastic

SOTD Pt 3 (FINAL) Gillette Toggle & FatBoy (Face Off)
Gillette Toggle 1960 F4 & Gillette FatBoy 1958 D4
Omega 622
Omega Shave Cream
Vodskhod Blade
 
Thanks @FatBoy58
What's next upon your radar?
 
FatBoy58 said:
Gillette Toggle (4) 1960 F4
L'Occitaine CAD
Semogue 1250
Vodskhod Blade

SOTD Pt 2 Gillette Toggle
Gillette Toggle 1960 F4
Semogue 1250
Omega Shave Cream
Vodskhod Blade
Myrsol Plastic

SOTD Pt 3 (FINAL) Gillette Toggle & FatBoy (Face Off)
Gillette Toggle 1960 F4 & Gillette FatBoy 1958 D4
Omega 622
Omega Shave Cream
Vodskhod Blade
Click to expand...

borked said:
Thanks @FatBoy58
What's next upon your radar?
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Hopefully a Western. I like Westerns. Bring on the Desperado (in Tallow).
 
Shave #1 with @borked 's Toggle

@FatBoy58 reached out to me to ask if I had any interest in trying out @borked 's Toggle. A Toggle was on my bucket list in the past, however the high price these things command on eBay and already owning a Fatboy dulled my enthusiasm. To be honest I was going to pass on the offer but Borked pinged me and gave his blessing. I'm glad he did.

The razor:

The Toggle weighs in at approximately 10 grams more than a Fatboy. As @FatBoy58 discovered, the blade gap settings differ between the two razors. By sight, the Toggle on setting 3 is about the equivalent of a Fatboy on 5 or 6. The handle is longer when extended to close the butterfly doors. Borked's razor is in overall good shape but I can understand why he's keen to get it re-plated. The adjustable setting dial needs some force to move between settings (yes, the doors were opened when adjusting) so that will need some attention when getting the razor re-plated. Pre-shave logic was that it would perform similarly to a Fatboy but my expectations were lowered when I picked it up for the first time. The balance doesn't feel as good and the handle length is a tad longer than I prefer.

The shave:

Surprisingly it was an excellent shave on all 2 passes. One small nick on the chin going ATG but I put this down to my instant cockiness. No balance issues and the handle length did not bother me in the slightest. The first WTG pass removed quite a bit of my 2-day course stubble with ease and total comfort. Rinsing my face in preparation for pass-2 revealed very smooth skin. The ATG pass was equally as good. Lovely on the tricky chin and upper lip areas. It shaves smoother than it's mechanical and ruggedness looks would suggest.

Conclusion:

My expectations were low but this razor surprised. There were a couple of first time products I used, including Coate's Shaving Cream and a highly recommended Black African soap bar to wash my face. How much of an influence these brought to the shave is hard to say. Thankfully @FatBoy58 picked up on the blade gap difference with the Fatboy otherwise it may have turned into a very aggressive and uncomfortable shave. Beginners Luck always plays a big part for me but this was one excellent shave. Looking forward to the next few shaves.
 
Glad to hear my harlot is performing as expected and enlightening those that use her :)

Out of curiosity, is there anyone else in Vic that's a long standing active member here, that would like to give her a spin, albeit with a few reasonable caveats?
Might as well whore her out while down there, as it's probably the last time she will be there.
 
borked said:
Glad to hear my harlot is performing as expected and enlightening those that use her :)

Out of curiosity, is there anyone else in Vic that's a long standing active member here, that would like to give her a spin, albeit with a few reasonable caveats?
Might as well whore her out while down there, as it's probably the last time she will be there.
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I wouldn't say no.
 
The Toggle is now in the experienced hands of @Nightguard . My thanks to @borked for his trust in letting us pass around his rare specimen.

I had one more shave with the handsome beast. The razor was brought back down to par with a much shorter stubble. So it appears to have excelled with my 2-day growth but lost is pizzazz on the subsequent day. Nothing wrong with the shave but not as close or smooth as the first shave.

The solid and rugged looks of this razor really caught my eye. A bit of TLC to loosen the adjuster dial is all I would do. The user grade outer layer really appeals to me.
 
Having used @borked's Toggle for the last 4 shaves it's about time I gave my thoughts on it.

First off, I love the look of the Toggle overall. Either in rough user grade condition or in perfect condition. It just looks likes great. Although @Lifes a Peach is spot on, the adjuster could really do with a service on this particular one.

Shave one was on the number 3 setting for all three passes and an effortless, irritation free perfect BBS was achieved. 1 day's growth.
Shave two and I decide to open it up to 7 for the first pass, 5 for the second and 3 on the third. Again, an effortless BBS, although there was some very slight irritation on my lower neck. 2 days growth.
Shave three and I cranked it all the way up to 9 for the first and second passes, back to 3 for the third pass. This was the best shave of the lot, completely perfect BBS, no irritation at all and my face felt great all day. 1.5 days growth.
Shave four and I left it at number 3 for all three passes, again a perfect BBS but with some slight irritation. 1 day's growth.

All in all it's certainly a good razor with a fantastic look and feel in the hand but is it worth the massive price they go for? To me, no. That said, if I was lucky enough to find one for a reasonable price I'd buy it in a heartbeat purely for the looks.

Again a massive thanks to @borked for being so kind and generous as to lend me this razor.
 
What blade did you use in there @Nightguard? I have about two shaves worth of experience with adjustable DE's but it seems amazing to me you got a good shave on anything from 9 to 3! Impressive.
 
Sxot said:
What blade did you use in there @Nightguard? I have about two shaves worth of experience with adjustable DE's but it seems amazing to me you got a good shave on anything from 9 to 3! Impressive.
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Vintage Personna as that was already in use when it was passed to me. Given that @borked hasn't got back to me yet on where to send it though I might sneak a shave in tomorrow with a Rapira.
 
Nightguard said:
Vintage Personna as that was already in use when it was passed to me. Given that @borked hasn't got back to me yet on where to send it though I might sneak a shave in tomorrow with a Rapira.
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Sneak away ;)

Anyone else down south that views themselves worthy of giving this a run ?
 
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