****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I've been using a safety razor for 15 years now. I had been using a Merkur Slant Bar Safety Razor for about six years, and fell in love with the Rockwell from their ads and reviews, so I bought one through Amazon.I started off on the middle setting "3". Nice and smooth but not nearly aggressive enough. I moved to a "5" and then the closest setting "6". None of the settings was anywhere nearly as aggressive as the Merkur. I feel that the razor should expose enough of the blade, that if you don't pay attention, you WILL nick yourself. To me that's the only way to be assured of a very close shave.I use Astra stainless blades, and have so for about five years, they're plenty sharp, give a very close shave (without too many passes or irritation), and as a bonus they are CHEAP. These blades did well with Rockwell, but as I said, no where nearly close enough.I have an old late 1940s vintage Gillette razor I inherited from my uncle, and it also does a great job with the Astra blades. It's just a little small in the handle area for me.So, in closing, this is an extremely well built and handsome razor, which should last a lifetime, but just not as aggressive a razor due to the sheltering of the blade, to make me happy. I used it for three shaves as mentioned, but not to be. Thankfully, Amazon has a pretty awesome return policy, and that's just what I did. It would probably be a great tool for someone new to double-edged shaving though.
