I Want to Love My Model T

[HarleyDChevrolet]

Well, I waited two years for my Rockwell Model T. When it finally arrived I must admit, I was duly impressed. The chrome is flawless, the fit is perfect and both the TTO and adjustment dials are silky smooth when turned. Having a soft spot for adjustables, I was looking forward to a long relationship and thought, does she shave as good as she looks?

Based on my experience with a 6S, I was expecting a similar experience. My sweet spot with the 6S is plate R4 soooo, I dialed the MT up to 4, loaded a GSB, my go-to blade and lathered up with my go-to soap, Stirling Spice. There was no joy. I have tried fine-tuning the angle, blade gap, even tried other blades and just can't get it right. It leaves me with areas of irritation, particularly my neck and never really BBS. With the doors locked down tight, there seems to be significant blade-chatter.

Tonight I tried my go-to setup with the 6S and voila!, everything was rock-solid. Back to a smooth, effortless, three-pass BBS shave with no irritation.

Have any of you other Model T drivers out there had a similar experience? How did you dial it in? I really want to love this razor but...

 

[Stevieboy1966]

My story is almost identical. My 6s on R4 great shave every time but the MT I just cannot dial in. It’s either not a close enough shave or I am covered in weepers. I’ve tried different blades paid attention to the angles and nothing seems to work. After 3 years of waiting I’m so disappointed it’s sits rejected at the back of my shave den cupboard a testament to the never ending truth that in all things shaving YMMV

 

[BigJ]

Sorry!!

Some razors that just don’t work for me. Those don’t stick around. That decision became easier once I decided that I am a ’user,’ not a collector.

 

[larsak]

I share your experience, I would also really like to love my Model T but it keeps giving me weepers and irritation. For me, there seems to be an optimum at setting 3 with a Nacet, but not even that is an effortless shave.

I will continue to use it now and then because maybe there is a lesson to be learned. We'll see...

I was part of the Kickstarter so I've had it since April last year and tried lots of different combinations of blades, settings and products.

/Lars

 

[Spang]

I have had the opposite experience; i.e. I find my Model T to be an excellent shaver. This could be simply a case of YMMV, but I am curious about the observation of blade chatter. I have not experienced this at all; my Model T seems to clamp the blade very securely. Blade chatter was also identified by Ruds Shaves in his review of the Model T; he noted it at the higher settings, 4 and above. There have been some other QC issues with the Model T, so it is possible that you may have gotten an out-of-spec Model T? It is a fairly complicated design and Rockwell's protracted troubles with the manufacturing process are well known. It may be worth checking in with Rockwell about this.

Again, maybe just a case of YMMV, but your description of the rough and not close shave seems so far out of sync with my (and others) Model T experience that it makes me suspicious that there is something "off" about your Model T

 

[larsak]

I haven't really experienced any chatter in mine, I think the problem for me mainly is more blade exposure than I can handle. I think it's a well made razor with a nice look and feel, probably just incompatible with me.

 

[HarleyDChevrolet]

I had my AHA! moment with my MT tonight. Not wanting to give up, I loaded a fresh Feather Platinum, dialed the adjustment down from 4 to 3 and man what a difference. Every bit as good as my 6S with the R4 plate, and the 6S is my go-to razor.

 

[emwolf]

My experience was the opposite. I had been using the 6c and I would honestly be interested in a plate 8. It is a wonderful mild razor, but my general preference is more aggressive. The Model T suits me to a T.

 

[Clouds]

I found the opposite to you.
I also use the R4 plate in my 6S. My Model T on 4 is slightly more aggressive than the R4 plate. The top is more "domed" so I find it a bit more difficult to get under my nose.
I generally like it on about 4.25

 

[NoLimit2]

I’ll add my two cents here.

Got my model T in gunmetal. Waited far longer than most due to a technical glitch on Rockwell’s end.

When it finally arrived I had big problems with the butterfly doors sealing flush and tight.

They told me that perhaps I could as tempt to correct the problem myself.

I declined saying it was **** poor to ship something with a multi hundred dollar price tag and not do any quality assurance.

They did the honourable thing and sent me a replacement.

It too suffers from doors that don’t seal flush and have a gap.

Am I just knit picking? Are your own model T’s the same? Or do your doors seal tight and flush?

Regards.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Spang]

Am I just knit picking? Are your own model T’s the same? Or do your doors seal tight and flush?

No, definitely not knit picking. That is in no way correct fit for a Model T. There should be no daylight when the closed doors are viewed from above. The doors on My Model T (white chrome) fit tightly. Time to get back to Rockwell and ask them to send you a razor that has had proper QC and is mechnically sound.

 

[AlBHappy]

Lesson to learn is never buy a butterfly over $100. A 3 piece, absolutely. Not a butterfly.

If the razor doesn't work, stop trying to jam an oval into a circle. Use what works and stick with it.