Rockwell Razors 6S Double-Edge Safety Razor in Matte Silver with 6 Adjustable Shave Settings and 5 Fully Recyclable Blades. Reusable Safety Razors for Men & Women

I'm @ 54 y/o, and have used a standard disposable 3-5 blade cartridge razors for my entire life. I had a friend who started using a safety razor and liked the results; it's cheaper over a fairly short amount of time and, most importantly - a good close shave. For a point of reference, I've got what I would call relatively "lite" facial hair and can often get away with only shaving every other day if needed. If I wanted to look extra squared away, I would have to shave every day though.I believe that when you buy quality you only cry once, so I bought this model specifically as it was stainless steel, made in the USA, and shouldn't rust. I like how it fits in my hand, and the picture shows how the item looks, as I just now went up into my bathroom, took it off the caddy, and snapped a picture (no extra cleaning - what you see is how it cleans up). I'm an average-sized guy I'd say: about 5'10" & 220 lbs. The dollar bill in the picture was to give a better idea of proportion. Also, in the picture, you can see the number "3". That's a "setting" that you can adjust by changing the bottom piece. I describe it a bit more below. Those with bigger hands - or if your current razor is longer - might want a longer handle, but this bad boy isn't light! When you have it in hand, you know you've got a hunk of good quality stainless steel there. :) The handle texture is pretty high, and I think it helps keep a good grip on it when being used. I've never felt it slip in my hand while shaving; definitely a positive!It was a bit of a learning curve as I was probably more cautious than I needed to be from watching lots of videos on using safety razors and folks saying you needed to be careful not to cut yourself. I especially liked the ability (by way of the 6-way adjustable bottom sides, via 3 separate bottoms) to manage how "aggressive" the shave is. I started off on the mildest and have worked up to the #3 side. Each of the three bottom pieces has two different levels; so, you get 1 thru 6 overall. It's super easy changing the bottom part: It just unscrews from the handle. You will have to be a tad more careful when you change blades, but I don't think it requires any specific skill or dexterity. However, if you DO have some manual dexterity challenges, you might need a helping - errrrr hand - to swap the blade. A 1 / 10 for effort, but maybe a 5 or 6 out of 10 for dexterity needed to change them. I think a small child COULD do it, but with a super sharp blade, you'd probably not want to take the chance.So far, not a single nick! :) I very much like the shave, but you do have to adjust your method, as I can see the potential for a cut if you were to try to shave using the same manner as a disposable. I now shave with much shorter strokes and with less pressure, as the best description, I can offer.The included blades worked perfectly. Now that I got the hang of it, I bought another 100 count package of another brand, based on some other reviews & cost analysis. Nothing I disliked about the included ones. It seems that safety razors are pretty much a standard with design.The item has NO rust or other discoloration to date (having been used over a month now - but I actually bought it on August 2021, and waited to finish off my last cartridge razor). I usually shave in the shower and make sure that I rinse it well before I put it back in the hanger (my shower caddy has a space just for razors).I've found that some pre-shave lotion works wonders as I transitioned to this style from my original cartridges. BUT, some of these lotions can be kind of.... "gummy" and cause the small pieces of shaven hairs to clump up and clog the drain sections of the razor. No-fault of the razor, more an issue with some lotions.I tried both foam and gel AND even some classic paste/brush type, to see if there was any noticeable difference. I'd say all have performed more or less the same for me, but your mileage will vary. :) Sometimes I like the older fashion paste/brush, as it's got a nice Sandlewood smell that my wife really likes, but mostly I use a good quality gel for day-to-day.I would definitely recommend some type of container to store your used blades. Me: I get about 5 or 6 shaves out of an individual blade before I start to notice that they're getting dull, so I don't go through too many. Still, they come off the razor still... razor-sharp; you wouldn't want to just toss the bare blade in the garbage. :) I bought a fairly small dedicated metal razor blade storage case that I will just toss in the trash when it fills. This case will hold a stated 300 blades, so it'll last me YEARS!The pictures are untouched and I didn't do any special cleaning of the item before the pictures, just to show you how things really are with really basic care. As with any good tool, one does need to put SOME effort into keeping it clean, so I normally give it a good rinsing under the shower head when I'm done.Overall, a positive experience, and I would highly recommend this unit. For a PURE beginner - say a young person just starting to shave, maybe a less inexpensive model to see if they like the style, then upgrade to a better quality version. This wasn't a cheap buy.EDITED 5 Nov 2022I've had my version now for over a year now. The razor itself hasn't rusted, but if you let the blades stay in the razor for too long - WHILE WET - the blades rust & they will stain the razor. See the pictures. You can see in 2 pictures, where there is NO staining - that's where the blades were NOT touching. In the other 2 pictures, you can see where the blades rest inside the razor (as used) and you can see the light staining. I did NOT clean up the razor at all - the "rust" is an issue with the blades. NOT the razor. FWIW, I shave in the shower and have a small razor hook where I hang it, so it drips dry and doesn't stay wet.

Fear not cartridge razor users, this is the razor you want! I was very tentative at first, due to me having very sensitive facial skin. To the extent that I only shave every other day due to facial skin irritation. I also picked up other items on Amazon; a shaving brush to whip up hot lather, a marble bowl, and “The art of shaving unscented shaving cream”. Isn’t Amazon amazing, they have everything! I was really worried that I would cut my face, but that fear was unwarranted. I started with the least aggressive plate, #1 (#6 is the most aggressive). You get three plates, with each having two numbered sides, numbers 1,2/3,4/5,6. Shaving with #1 was not close enough. Switching to #2, also not close enough. But #3 was just right, matching the comfort and closeness of my cartridge blades perfectly. The number you want to use is viewed from the bottom of the razor. Baby skin smooth and no skin irritation, even with the supplied razor blades. This razor glides very well and is the perfect sized head, not to big nor to small. It has some substantial weight, which feels good in the hand. And what I find amazing is that I have yet to cut myself. The adjustable plates are absolutely ingenious, as you can dial in the closeness of the shave to match your whiskers and skin. Now it does take longer to prep (see below), but it is like owning your own expresso machine; the results are worth the prep time. And I actually enjoy shaving again, it is fun! The big advantage is the money you will save. My cartridge razor blades are $1.70 plus apiece, compared to $0.11 cents apiece for a double edge safety razor blade. I purchased a 200 count of “Astra Superior Platinum” blades on Amazon, which have an excellent reputation and reviews. That is a lot of shaves, as each blade will last approximately 3 to 5 shaves depending on the coarseness of your whiskers. The shaving cream I bought is higher end (see below), but it will outlast on a price per shave of any bottled shaving cream.My Shaving ProcedureI pre-soak the marble bowl in very hot water as it retains heat, while letting the shaving brush also soak in the water. I then wash and splash very hot water on my face. I drain the water out of the bowl, a light shake of the shaving brush to remove the bulk of the water, add a very small dab of the shaving cream into the bowl, and then whip it up with the shaving brush to a nice lather. You don’t need much of the shaving cream! Max of a nickel sized amount, as a little goes a long way! It will take approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute to whip up into a lather. Add a few drops of water when needed, until you have the perfect consistency and moistness of foam that is right for you. Brush into your face vigorously, then I like to squeeze out the extra foam within the brush with my hand, and apply a nice thick coat on my face, kind of like the way I apply whipped cream to pumpkin pie. Just my preference. A thicker coat also allows more shaving time without the shaving cream drying out. The shaving cream I previously mentioned does not dry out like the cheaper shaving soaps in bar form. I shave with the grain the first time, re-lather, and then finish off against the grain. Rinse with cold water to close the pours, blot dry with a towel, then add a splash of your favorite aftershave. Rinse the bowl, brush, and shaver under running water and you are good to go. You now have a baby smooth face! I hope this gives the newbies some insight and alleviates any fears you may have of using a safety razor. Happy Shaving!