New Rolls Razor user needs help! (pics included)

[baba]

Hello everyone, I recently acquired a Rolls Razor and I am hooked. I included photos of my razor in the post below.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=122159

I am just looking for advice or tips about shaving with it as well as info on how to dress the strop, strop the blade and hone the blade. I do have original Rolls Razor strop dressing, it has somehow survived all these years. I just don't know if it would still be good to use.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[leighton]

Straight Razor on a stick!!!!

My favorite DE. Because its not! Probably needs to be honed. I've honed them before, they're nice little straights on sticks.

I found them quite intuitive to use and extremely simple. Like straight shaving on auto pilot. Anyway, I haven't used the strop feature. No one ever sent me the stropping tin. Stropped by laying a strop flat on my kitchen counter. Rather labor intensive, I know. But you've gotta do what you gotta do.

Tired and rambling. Hope I answered most of your questions. Oh, and the hone stuff it comes with is junk IMHO. To get the best out of it, you need some real stones. Ha, real stones.... I'm going to stop now.

 

[Buck47]

Hello everyone, I recently acquired a Rolls Razor and I am hooked. I included photos of my razor in the post below.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=122159

I am just looking for advice or tips about shaving with it as well as info on how to dress the strop, strop the blade and hone the blade. I do have original Rolls Razor strop dressing, it has somehow survived all these years. I just don't know if it would still be good to use.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Buba: I refurbish & restore Old Rollls Razors, have over dozen or so - shave with them in regular rotaion with my Straights. Have found them to be a fine razor. Send me a PM if I can be of any help. I looked at your photos & I'm sure we can gets yours back to new condition. Regards: john

 

[JPM]

I can't give you any help, but that is a beautifyl razor! Kinda scary looking, too.

 

[kadett]

Buba: I refurbish & restore Old Rollls Razors, have over dozen or so - shave with them in regular rotaion with my Straights. Have found them to be a fine razor. Send me a PM if I can be of any help. I looked at your photos & I'm sure we can gets yours back to new condition. Regards: john

Hey Buck, if I can interject how are you sharpening the Rolls. I have used a Rolls on and off for a few years and although I can get them to shave using the internal hone, it is never particularly comfortable or smooth. Frequently lots of razor burn which tells me the blade is not sharp enough.

In the end I went to straights which seemed like much less hassle in the long run. Certainly the shaves are smoother for me. I don't hone myself but send it out, so I just have a hanging strop a home.

Even though I got an NOS strop for my Rolls, I found that a regular hanging strop was basically much better than the built in stropping mechanism for making the blade a bit smoother.

I was wondering are you using stones for straight razors to sharpen the Rolls blades? What are you stropping them with. If you could post here how you sharpen them I think it would be useful for alot of folks on here.

 

[Gafer]

Straight Razor on a stick!!!!

Is that anything akin to Jose Jalapeno on a stick?

 

[leighton]

Hey Buck, if I can interject how are you sharpening the Rolls. I have used a Rolls on and off for a few years and although I can get them to shave using the internal hone, it is never particularly comfortable or smooth. Frequently lots of razor burn which tells me the blade is not sharp enough.

In the end I went to straights which seemed like much less hassle in the long run. Certainly the shaves are smoother for me. I don't hone myself but send it out, so I just have a hanging strop a home.

Even though I got an NOS strop for my Rolls, I found that a regular hanging strop was basically much better than the built in stropping mechanism for making the blade a bit smoother.

I was wondering are you using stones for straight razors to sharpen the Rolls blades? What are you stropping them with. If you could post here how you sharpen them I think it would be useful for alot of folks on here.

I hone them using razor hones. But thats just me.

 

[Buck47]

Hey Buck, if I can interject how are you sharpening the Rolls. I have used a Rolls on and off for a few years and although I can get them to shave using the internal hone, it is never particularly comfortable or smooth. Frequently lots of razor burn which tells me the blade is not sharp enough.

In the end I went to straights which seemed like much less hassle in the long run. Certainly the shaves are smoother for me. I don't hone myself but send it out, so I just have a hanging strop a home.

Even though I got an NOS strop for my Rolls, I found that a regular hanging strop was basically much better than the built in stropping mechanism for making the blade a bit smoother.

I was wondering are you using stones for straight razors to sharpen the Rolls blades? What are you stropping them with. If you could post here how you sharpen them I think it would be useful for alot of folks on here.

Hey kadett:

My initial experience with Rolls was the same as yours. Never could get the blade sharp as my straights using the Gray Stone Hone and Stop in the Rolls Razor. What I discovered is the blade on the Rolls needs to be honed and polished on stones to a shave ready condition (I use two Arkansas Stones -one classified as Soft and the other Hard)

Once the blade has been returned to shave ready condition the Gray stone hone & the Strop inside the lids of the Rolls are used to maintain the blade -- much like we do with our straights ( using a Barber type hone and leather strop)

And just like a Straight Razor at some point it will need to be re-honed on stones and brought back to shave ready condition. Then the cycle continues.

To recondition my Rolls Razors I lap flatten the Rolls hone using 600 grit W&D sand paper.

The leather Rolls strop is reconditioned using a pumice stone - then washed with Warm water & Saddle Soap let set until semi dry, then rubbed with with Neatsfoot/Harness Oil. The Strop is left to dry for a few days and refitted to the case replacing the old pad under the strop with elastic bandage (the kind I use for wrapping horses legs. I find this gives me the right amount of spring to the strop leather.

The rest is basic cleaning as per Rolls Requirements and Specs.

When brought back to shave ready condition the Rolls is a joy to use. Very smooth with no pull. It's important to keep the blade flat to your face much like a Straight Razor.

That's the basics ... What I like about the Rolls is the simple portability it's design offers. When on a trip I can get as good as shave with my Rolls as I can at home with my straight razors.

Warning: Shave with a dull blade and 30 degree angle - splash on a handful of Alcohol based aftershave and I will guarantee you will wake up on the bathroom floor having passed out from the intense pain.

I hope the info helps. I believe the Rolls Razor is one of the great undiscovered shavers. As of now they are still inexpensive on ebay - around $15.00 - $25.00 depending on S&H cost. If your lucky the first razor you buy will have no cracks in the hone, the stop undamaged, no hidden rust, and most important the blade will not be all messed up by the previous owner struggling to get the blade sharp by extensive use of the Rolls hone. My experience has been one out of three Rolls purchased on ebay can be put back in new condition. The other two are used to swap out parts to make a second workable.

NOTE: If your buying on ebay check with the seller as to the condition of the gray stone hone for chips or hairline cracks. I have found a way of repairing a hone with a hairline crack -- but a busted hone renders the Rolls unusable and will damage the blade if the hone is used. Also many sellers use shipping as an added way of making a few bucks. I always negotiate shipping with ebay seller before placing a bid. These Razors can be shipped anywhere in the US for $4.95 via USPS Flate Rate Box. $6.00 is my price point for shipping.

It would be fun to have a place on B&B for Rolls owners to gather and share our experiences. My thinking we would kind of fit someplace between DE & Straight Razors. I would welcome other thoughts.

Until then, be well my friends and fellow Rolls shavers.

 

[r0ckrat]

I believe there's a page in the wiki for Rolls Razor info... I don't remember were it is specifically, but am pretty sure it's there.

 

[Buck47]

I believe there's a page in the wiki for Rolls Razor info... I don't remember were it is specifically, but am pretty sure it's there.

Your right B&B does have a fine Wiki on Rolls Razors ( just type in Rolls Razor in the Wiki search)

What I was talking about was more along the lines of a forum on B&B dedicated just to Rolls Razors. I'm not sure who would set that up or who to contact about it. Anyone know how or who sets up new forums?

 

[r0ckrat]

The Mods would do it. I wonder, would the Rolls fall under "Safety Razor" as a sub forum, or Straight? And should that subforum, wherever it ends up, include other "wedge blade" razors like the old Henckels wedge-bladed razors?

 

[Buck47]

The Mods would do it. I wonder, would the Rolls fall under "Safety Razor" as a sub forum, or Straight? And should that subforum, wherever it ends up, include other "wedge blade" razors like the old Henckels wedge-bladed razors?

Excellent Point ! And then there is the Darwin Razor - a clone of the concept of The Rolls Razor self contained Hone/strop system. I would think any razor that fits in between a DE & a Straight Razor would be a candidate for discussion under this particular forum heading.

What I envision is a forum where one could share their experience with a Rolls "Type Razor" -- Exchange ideas and Tips on how to use - recondition and or repair these vintage razors. An exchange of information much like that found under DE's or Straights.

Once again I welcome additional thoughts on this concept.

 

[Gafer]

Excellent Point ! And then there is the Darwin Razor - a clone of the concept of The Rolls Razor self contained Hone/strop system. I would think any razor that fits in between a DE & a Straight Razor would be a candidate for discussion under this particular forum heading.

What I envision is a forum where one could share their experience with a Rolls "Type Razor" -- Exchange ideas and Tips on how to use - recondition and or repair these vintage razors. An exchange of information much like that found under DE's or Straights.

Once again I welcome additional thoughts on this concept.

I'd support that, a Rolls Type as a sub to the safety razor forum. Yeah, it's like a straight but it has a handle and a guard like a DE. Sub forum under Safety Razor. Why not?

 

[baba]

Rolls Razor sub forum...great idea!

It would make it much easier to find info about these types of razors. Although there is a wiki entry here about Rolls razors, when I was looking for forum activity about Rolls razors, it was very difficult to find any.

If a moderator reads this thread...please consider the idea of creating a sub-forum titled Rolls Razors or Wedge Style Razors. I feel that the best location for it would be as a sub-forum in the straight razor section. Although the Rolls does has a safety bar, it has much more in common with straight razors, particularly in that it needs to be stroped and honed.

Finding info on wedge style razors would become MUCH MUCH easier.

It would also give the growing number of Rolls Razor owners a place to share information specifically with those who wish to see it.

Thanks!!!

 

[Buck47]

Like you I have found the B&B wiki listed under Rolls Razors a valuable resource. But finding other post related to Rolls Razors can be most tedious, do to the fact they are spread out all over B&B forums.

Also I tend to agree with you baba, the Rolls is closer to a Straight Razor than DE. The need to maintain the blade (which is a short hollow ground blade) with a strop and hone would lead most of the interchange between members in the direction of issues directly related Straight Blade shaving. The members who frequent "the "Straight Razor Forums" have the wealth of knowledge directly applicable to maintaining this design of Razor. And it is in the straight shaving community where the hone masters are located.

The main similarity a Rolls has with a DE is the handle. Yes, some would say "But it also has a safety bar" but then, I like others have shaved with a Rolls blade without the safety bar in the same way I use a straight razor. Understand I would not recommend this practice to a person who is changing from DE's to a Rolls without any straight balde experiance.

However for those that do try shaving without he benefit of the safety bar, a further sub forum called "How to find, re-attach and heal facial body parts" could be most helpful. Or another idea for a title ---something more upbeat and humorous like - "Is that MY lip in the sink?"

Just think we could someday read a post.

HELP!!! Newbie need advice on reattaching tip of nose.
"Hi, I'm new to Rolls razors and after achieving a one pass WTG BBS I discovered the tip of my nose floating in the soapy water. I tried using Loctite Super Glue but am having problems with it falling off after a few hours. My questions is --- Do you think the Porazo soap I'm using could be causing the glue not to hold. If so should I change to Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream? Is the Tayler line more compatible with Super Glue??"

Once again I welcome other members thoughts.

Rolls Razor sub forum...great idea!

It would make it much easier to find info about these types of razors. Although there is a wiki entry here about Rolls razors, when I was looking for forum activity about Rolls razors, it was very difficult to find any.

If a moderator reads this thread...please consider the idea of creating a sub-forum titled Rolls Razors or Wedge Style Razors. I feel that the best location for it would be as a sub-forum in the straight razor section. Although the Rolls does has a safety bar, it has much more in common with straight razors, particularly in that it needs to be stroped and honed.

Finding info on wedge style razors would become MUCH MUCH easier.

It would also give the growing number of Rolls Razor owners a place to share information specifically with those who wish to see it.

Thanks!!!