My opinion on the Rolls razor.

[ShaveMark]

Well, I decided to dedicate this past week to trying to get a decent shave with the Rolls. I still can't get as good a shave with it as I do with any DE or SE but it's getting better.
First things first, I think that the Rolls is a wonderful Idea and a great collectors item and a fun razor to experiment with. It doesn't get me the most comfortable shave in the world and it takes a lot of work to get a great shave. I can get as close as with any other razor....it just takes a lot of babying the shave.
I have the same predicament with the Rolls as I do with a straight, the shave starts out great and glides across both cheeks like butter but by the time that i get to my upper lip and chin area the razor is quite dull. My beard does that to all razors actually but especially the Rolls and straights.
One problem that I have with the Rolls is that there isn't a lot of variety that you can do with the honing and stropping. I mean sure it's very cool to have everything you need to maintain your razor in one kit but you are very limited. At least with a straight you can try several different grades of stones and with water or lather and you can try several different strop set ups with all kinds of dressings and rouges and chromium oxide. With the Rolls you are limited to the hone and strop that it comes with, and I can only get it so sharp and that's it, there's no varying the stroke as in X's or half strokes.
In the end though I think that it's a pretty cool set up, you can literally buy a rolls starting at about $10.00 and actually never have to spend another dime on any shaving equipment again, except for soap or cream. I will keep using it as I am getting better and it is just so cool but I do wish there was a way to get it scary sharp and just maintain the edge.

 

[keeptahoeblue]

Doy have a picture of the de?

 

[taffy]

I took my rolls blade apart and run it over my nirwania combo and a c12k, then used the rolls strop, the blade was sharper, but in all honesty i dont think i spend enough time on it, you do realise when you start using a straight and stones, how small an area of honing the rolls actualy gives you, compared to a honing stone, my shaves have always been on the rough side with a rolls, one day i will spend the desired time on the rolls sharpening and see if i can get it any better, also my local antique store has come up with 5 or 6 brand new boxed rolls blades, which may be worth getting.

 

[galopede]

Odd thing, the Rolls. With a lot of work I got my couple of blades pretty sharp. The actual shaving isn't as smooth as a DE but the finish is better! Figure that out.

Gareth

 

[Ski-Patroller]

Odd thing, the Rolls. With a lot of work I got my couple of blades pretty sharp. The actual shaving isn't as smooth as a DE but the finish is better! Figure that out.

Gareth

I'm only starting out with a Rolls, but I've noticed the same thing. A very close shave, with virtually no irritation (as evidenced by an alum bar), but it pulls more than a DE, especially around my nose and chin. I think it is partly technique (lack of). I plan to shave with it exclusively for a week or two, to improve my technique, and find out how good it is after a little additional work on the blade.

 

[kadett]

I used a rolls as my daily shaver for about six months. To be honest, in then end I found the Rolls to be more hassle than it was worth compared to the shave quality. In the end, I think it may be better to just use a properly honed and stropped straight razor. At least that is what I ended up doing and the shave was significantly better than the Rolls ever was.

The Rolls is an interesting idea and a fun collectors item, but I think as a shaving system it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of sharpness. My skin was never as irritated as it was when I was using a Rolls daily.

 

[mdunn]

My experienceis the same. I'm yet to get a great shave withthe rolls. It's fun to use though!

 

[Ski-Patroller]

I'm on the 12th day day using a Rolls exclusively. It has gotten progressively better. I don't think it is as easy as my Futur with Feathers or Iridiums, but the shave is good with no cuts and no more irritation.

I'm not sure it's worth the trouble, but I wanted to use it long enough to be sure my sharpening and shaving technique were reasonably good with the Rolls. It is a good shave, very close when I'm done. The Rolls is still not quite as sharp as a good DE blade, but better than a bad one. The shave is very close, and low irritation. I have only cut myself once and it was a tiny nick that I could shave right over on the next pass. (I don't cut myself often with a DE either).