They really have shot themselves in the foot with this one.
Rockwell Model T is in!!
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I'm a gunmetal backer as well. I'm an early backer because of my love of all things adjustable, but I know gunmetal will be Christmas time at the earliest. I'm not super happy about the 2.5 year wait, but I am excited to see this thing out. I've come too far to just give up and ask for a refund. Plus, although there are many people who have stretched this whole thing as a huge affront to their dignity and made sundry complaints that are just not based in reality, it's really not all that outrageous to take a long time to get a product to market.
I couldn’t agree more!
+1
Yes, at this point you should definitely hang in there. I received my Model T back in early August and I have found it to be a superb shaver. The problem plagued campaign aside, Rockwell definitely got the razor design right in terms of shaving efficiency and comfort.
I concur with your observation that sometimes stuff happens, and it takes a long time to get a product to market. My issues with the Model T campaign are less about the long wait and more about the lack of forthright communication from Rockwell. Throughout the campaign, it seemed like they were consistently hiding the ball from their backers by repeatedly overstating their progress and not really coming clean about the extent of the delays. I hope for the sake of fellow backers that their latest communication is reliable and that they are now on track to deliver on their promises.
While I opted for a refund on the Model T, Rockwell definitely had a problem with their campaign - and it may be a by-product of crowd-funding. Rockwell can only provide positive information, or else others in the campaign will lose faith in the product. If a seller is overly honest, it can come off as lack of confidence.
I'm glad that Rockwell focuses on releasing the best possible razor, which is ultimately what the customer wants.
I'm glad that Rockwell focuses on releasing the best possible razor, which is ultimately what the customer wants.
Are you saying that they are going to ship an all-stainless adjustable razor?
Amen. The sky is not falling ... at least to a latent Model T. None have gone unshaven. There are no known divorces as a consequence of the Model T's slow arrival.
What we know for sure the Model T's name-sake was super. Ask the Ford Foundation.
Credit to the Rockwell boys for hanging in, taking the heat, staying the course, and striving to deliver yet another high value, great product. Christmas is coming. Hoping I find my new piece of gun metal under the tree. Yippee!
Hey, Heinz ketchup and every kid over 18 knows the better part of Xmas is ... anticipation. May it be worth the wait.
btw, on the China mfg issue ... while not a razor, I was involved in development of a gem-quality product. We asked for prototypes from 14 producers, 2 in China. We then sent the 14 to 2 product experts for evaluation. Both chose the 2 Chinese produced products. And they were the low cost producers. I'd hoped it would be otherwise. The product was a great success and the company was eventually sold to a Canadian group. (No, it wasn't Rockwell. lol)
Thankfully, it appears the dynamics of these gigs, which have been too favorable too long for the Chi-commies, are all in motion. Guess we stay tuned.
Thankfully, it appears the dynamics of these gigs, which have been too favorable too long for the Chi-commies, are all in motion. Guess we stay tuned.
Hear hear!
Nope; afraid not. Rockwell long ago abandoned any pretense of an all-stainless Model T. I'm just talking about the ongoing fundamental promise to deliver a razor to each of the more than 6,000 backers. Which they have now promised as of a time certain, so we shall see.
That's what I thought. Then, they are off track.
Got mine three days ago. I'm on my second shave. I'll would have been on my third if it wasn't for certain circumstances out of my control. So far, so good. I'm going to post a review after the fourth shave.
I've been waiting for my Rockwell model t for quite some time. I pledged $99 for the stainless steel version. As time went by it became obvious it was not going to be stainless. I was very disappointed and the final cost is only a small difference between those that pledged and those that are paying fool retail. Was not happy about this. I finally received the t a few days ago and my expectations were not favorable. Pledging early and the actual price to early pledge was not much difference. I opened the box and it was a beautiful Finnish solidly constructed and the shave was smooth with no irritation and the razor did the work effortlessly. Pleasantly surprised and after a few uses it seems likes a winner. Time will tell if it becomes a heirloom and if the Finnish lasts. So far the shave exceeds my mergress variant and other razors I own and use. The finnished product shaves as well as I was hoping and is a beautiful tool. The pledge was $99 and was going to retail in the $200 range and be stainless. Since quality and final cost is not what I pledged for there is disappoint and maybe Rockwell should have included a few extras. Once again it is a beautiful razor gives a great shave and no problem loading the blade and the tool does the work. I have 2 other stainless steel razors from other companies that I purchased on sale for not much more the the T cost but received quickly without the wait and they we're exactly what they said they we're. Honestly so far I enjoy the model t' shave looks and closeness and quality all around so far better but I will see how it holds up in the next few years. I'm a collector of razors new and old and I'm happy with purchase just not thrilled with pledge amount and that it's not exactly what I thought I purchased. I'm a retired genleman so $100 is a sizable investment for me. My recommendation would be purchase the T you know what your getting for the money as well as material you will be getting. So far it is a great purchase I'm happy I bought it but the there is compatision in this market now so if you invest in a$100 tool research and get what you want. Can't go wrong with this tool it's beautiful smooth substantial. Like it better then the mergress vairient and other adjustables I own and use and at this point you know the end material price and others review of product. If you purchase one I think you will love it. So far it's a great investment ( time will be the final judge for me. Enjoy
Final thought if you pledge for stainless that's what the product should be. Great product so far but in principle will not purchase a Rockwell again. The bait a switch is uncalled for and there are plenty of single edge stainless hitting the market lots of competition. Get what's promised. I just paid $50 for a stainless injecter and as not as good looking as t will last and the shave is superb
I jumped on the pledge pretty early and followed the whole thing. I remember the discussion about possibly producing a stainless version, but the initial pledging was for brass. They did some test balloons for stainless, but decided that it would have been too cost prohibitive to do. To my knowledge, there never was a stainless model offered. There's zinc alloy, which was not in the original discussion at all, which is a bit disappointing, but I had plenty of advance notice and could have pulled my pledge. As it is, I'm glad I didn't because after nearly 20 shaves in, it's one of the better razors I have.
I'll be amazed if this fiasco does not destroy Rockwell. They sorely over-reached on this one, failing to be able to deliver in a reasonable fashion and time period.
More so their chronic dishonesty in their updates has been revealing of their business.
Seems Rockwell's biggest business failure is missing the boat on the importance of reputation in dealing with customers. Unfortunately, they've trashed the goodwill they'd managed to accumulate in providing good products. And the Model T might be one of those. There are simply too many viable, quality competitors in an increasingly crowded market place to believe they will weather this storm.
Still, Rockwell's misfire might be a worthy business school case study on how mismarketing might manage to extermnate a once-thriving business endeavor into oblivion.
For their sake, may my meanderings miss their mark.
More so their chronic dishonesty in their updates has been revealing of their business.
Seems Rockwell's biggest business failure is missing the boat on the importance of reputation in dealing with customers. Unfortunately, they've trashed the goodwill they'd managed to accumulate in providing good products. And the Model T might be one of those. There are simply too many viable, quality competitors in an increasingly crowded market place to believe they will weather this storm.
Still, Rockwell's misfire might be a worthy business school case study on how mismarketing might manage to extermnate a once-thriving business endeavor into oblivion.
For their sake, may my meanderings miss their mark.
Moving forward, particularly if they plan to continue KS driven R&D projects, yes it will probably engender some amount of distrust and hesitation. With the 2c/6s/c line to fall back on I don’t think they’ve lost much in their larger customer base, only in newer prospects.
For most accounts though, as a functional product, it seems the T is slowly building a following.
Rockwell could easily bounce back in reputation with a couple good releases.
