My appreciation of the Rockwell 6C has been growing with almost every shave. And I'm learning more about shaving technique as I go. I hope other people may find my experience helpful, especially if your initial impressions of the 6C are not very favorable.
I had been using a Merkur 34C razor since I started wet shaving about a year ago. But I wanted to try an adjustable razor, since I found that I got varying results depending the condition of my beard and the brand of the blade I used. Based on the great number of positive reviews for the Rockwell 6c and its reasonable price, I bought one from Pasteur Pharmacy.
My first shave was a disaster -- one of the worst I'd had since I started wet shaving! I used one of the Rockwell blades that came with the razor and the "4" spacer on a four-day growth. The razor felt like it was scraping my skin, and it left a number of weepers at the most sensitive spots. I was shocked! Did I get a faulty razor? Is the Rockwell blade that bad? Or did I just choose a too aggressive adjustment plate to start out? Was I using the razor improperly? And what about all those rave reviews? A few days later, I tried the same Rockwell blade in my familiar old Merkur 34C, (which looks to be about an equivalent to between a Rockwell 2 or 3.) It didn't draw blood but, it certainly didn't measure up to my favorite blades.
So, for my next shave with the Rockwell, I inserted a 3 plate and a new Astra Platinum blade (a familiar favorite). What a difference! The razor just glided. It felt efficient, but with no harshness. The second pass, still with the 3 plate, was about as good, but felt like I could probably go down to a 2.
In ensuing shaves, I've tried a 3, 2, 1 progression of passes, with very good results. Actually, with the 1 setting, it felt like there was no blade in the razor at all.
For my last shave, a couple of days ago, I tried something I had didn't have the nerve to try before -- a Feather blade. I started with a 2 plate for the first two passes, and got excellent results with no drama. Then I inserted the 1 plate for the last pass and final "pick-ups." I got an exceptionally smooth shave with no scraping, nicks or irritation. My face felt smoother than ever before.
I'm impressed, and glad to add my 5-star review to the others.
Other factors: The Rockwell is quite hefty (I like that), nicely made and finished, and the texture of the handle provides a good grip. Swapping adjustment plates between passes takes only a few seconds. The only quibble I could make is that it sometimes takes a few seconds to rinse clean under running water, rather than a quick swish in the sink.
So, if you have be thinking of trying a Rockwell 6C, go ahead, and be patient. If you're disappointed by the Rockwell blades, try one of your favorites on your next shave. One of the benefits of an adjustable razor is that you can "tune" it for different blades.
