PIF: Rolls Razor(s)

[Claudel Xerxes]

I'm in.

Truthfully, I'm just intrigued. I have no SE/straight experience, yet. I had to look up what a Rolls razor was a minute ago, It just seems interesting compared to a DE and a cut-throat straight. Thanks either way!

 

[shivas22]

I'm in. The Rolls just looks cool to me. A very interesting and we'll made set up. I have a few Gem models that I've used once or twice each. Some I like - Gem Jr, and at least one - OCMM, I need more time with. Thanks for the PIF!

 

[phillysco]

I am not in as I already have a Rolls.
I shaved with it today. I sent the blade out to be professionally honed. I have two strops, one I keep loaded with boron carbide paste, and the other just the bare leather.
Forget using the stone that comes with it, to get a smooth shave you need better stones.
The hardest part is getting the angle down. The blade needs to be held pretty vertical. I got a very smooth 2 pass shave today.
For me I bring it out on occasion, usually a Sunday when I can take my time.
A good prep including a pre shave, really helps.
I hope some lucky person gets the PIF and enjoys it as much as I do.

 

[dfoulk]

I'm in too. Man, I really hope I win this one.

Jerry, I can't wait to try the razor and I absolutely love seeing the pictures of the restoration and sharpening process. Thanks so much for posting them as I've already looked at them several times. Thanks again for doing this and for selecting me to enjoy the razor. I'll post my thoughts here as soon as I try it.

This pif ended a long time ago so I guess we'll have to see how many more people don't actually read the whole thread and just post I'm in.

 

[SciTX]

I'm in. I've always been intriged by the Rolls.

I'm in. Currently a DE user, but the performance possibilities of a SE razor intrigue me. Add in the idea that these are of such an old vintage, and the mystery is just that much deeper.

I'm in.

I love de razors, but I feel that I'm able to start with se's as its a new experience and another world for the dreaded, shall I even say it, cartridge. DA DAA DAAA!!!

I'm in.

Truthfully, I'm just intrigued. I have no SE/straight experience, yet. I had to look up what a Rolls razor was a minute ago, It just seems interesting compared to a DE and a cut-throat straight. Thanks either way!

I'm in. The Rolls just looks cool to me. A very interesting and we'll made set up. I have a few Gem models that I've used once or twice each. Some I like - Gem Jr, and at least one - OCMM, I need more time with. Thanks for the PIF!

Sorry guys...but this PIF is already over....winners were announced in post #40 of this thread.....all the rest of this is updates

But you can always try to snipe some auctions from dfoulk...he loves when it happens!

 

[dfoulk]

So I received the Rolls razor and have about 4 shaves with it so far. I'm really enjoying it. It came to me in excellent condition, way better than I expected. The clean up and restoration process that was detailed in the posts above was completely unexpected and is appreciated. It arrived in the mail on the expected delivery date but with all that was going on with the holidays I didn't get to it the same day. Our mail is delivered at about 4 PM so the shave would have to wait until the next day anyway. The wife had me out doing in the backyard doing yard work the next morning and all throughout the day. I was trimming trees and bushes and burning the debris so I delayed the shower until after the yard work to wash the stink of the campfire off of me. I shave after my shower daily so a delayed shower means a delayed shave for me. By the time we finished in the yard I had to rush to get ready for dinner with the brother in law and his family. I went into the bathroom for my shower and was pulling out some shave gear. Something's missing here. So I ran to the mailbox and sure enough it was there. I felt like a kid on Christmas.

Now, to figure this thing out. I quickly opened the parcel box and found it packaged in the metal case inside of the factory box. This thing is heavy and extremely well made. Each side of the metal box has a button. I picked one to press and the top released exposing the blade connected to the mechanism separate from the handle. First puzzle solved. Now, how do I get the blade off and how does it fit onto the handle. I tried turning the blade and it released easy enough. Puzzle number two down. Now to get the handle on. It there some type of a button for this? Nope, I figured out that it slides on. Third puzzle down and I see that the angle of the blade is much different than I'm used to and the razor itself is quite small considering the weight of the box.

Once I slid the handle on I wasn't sure if the guard on the blade was for stropping or was it intended to be used to shave with. Let's figure this out. i think it's intended to stay on but we'll give it a try without like a straight. So I gently removed it. The shave was a little rough but the razor was cutting well. I finished the first pass without the blade guard and decided to put it back on and give it a try. Once it was back on the razor really smoothed out nicely. It almost feels like a de razor but actually more comfortable. You get the comfort of a straight razor with the ease of a de. Jerry put a really nice edge on it and it's surprisingly comfortable to shave with. It's smooth and quite forgiving now with the guard in place.

I did like the guard off for shaving under my nose as I haven't figured a good way to get there in the tight spots with the guard on yet. I can't get a shave as close as I do with my ATT Kronos H2 razor but it was a nice shave that was about as comfortable as shaving with a straight. Then again I can't get a shave that close with a straight razor yet either. I've been inserting the blade into the mechanism and stropping it after each shave. I've been doing about 40 to 50 passes and the shave got a bit better after the first one from just the stropping. It's amazing how this thing works and all of the engineering that went into it. I think I saw somewhere that these sold for about $10 back in the 1930's so that would equate to about $135 now by using Google to determine today's value. I can definitely see the quality in this and know that it was meant to last.

The second shave was more of the same I removed the guard for one pass because I like a challenge and kept it on for the other two and some clean up. The shave was not perfect leaving some stubble under my right jaw line which is my most troublesome spot, but it was extremely comfortable and I enjoyed the shave quite a bit in spite of it not being perfect. I suspect that it'll take some time to master this one as well.

The third and forth shaves I left the guard on for both and think that I'll continue to shave with the guard as it was intended.

The experience of shaving with this razor was way cool. You will need some honing experience and some stones or film to keep this one sharp but I definitely see myself using this one on a regular basis. I'm enjoying the edge that Jerry put on the razor but I'm looking forward to sharpening it myself when the time comes. I'm curious as to what I can do with the edge and now I'm thinking about picking up some other side pieces to try different strop materials and maybe some film or pasted strops. An extra blade would be nice as well. Here we go again.

Anyway, sorry for the long winded post. I'll try to take some pics and post them to this thread so you can see how nice this razor is.
Jerry, thank you again and thanks to all of you for reading this long post.

 

[mjclark]

Great report! I too find the possibilities for refining the edge really fascinating too and you're right on the money when you say the comfort of a str8 with the ease of a DE.

The great thing is that by honing the blade outside the case, lapping film in the case etc, the Rolls is shaving better in the 21st Century than it ever did originally

 

[GeoWade]

I'm in. I've only recently discovered DE shaving a couple months ago, and I'm hooked! Would love to try a SE razor one day as well! Looking forward to passing this all on to my sons one day...

 

[KW Driver]

I've got mine as well, but haven't had time to figure it out or use it just yet. I'll get to it.

 

[gdgeorge]

Feel free to join us on the SOARRS thread if you have any questions.

Society of Ancient* Rolls Razor Users
http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=440659

 

[4waves]

I am in. Just ordered 100 bluebird single edge blades, so this would be cool.

Thanks!

 

[Nick_O]

I am in. Just ordered 100 bluebird single edge blades, so this would be cool.

Thanks!

No you won't. This PIF was over on November 27.
And these razors don't use regular SE blades.

 

[shavethebesttilllast]

I'm in, I didnt know what one was but looked up some information and it looks like a very interesting and unusual piece. I have a superspeed DE which is my everyday razor, also my father has an ever ready SE which I'm hoping to borrow soon.

 

[Nick_O]

 

[admvalentine]

Lol. this is the thread that never ends it just goes on and on my friends.some people started posting on man not knowing what it was thell continue posting on just because. this is the thread that never ends it just goes on and on my friends

 

[tlentz]

Hahahaha. +1

Oh and I'm in!

 

[gdgeorge]

<grin>

 

[dfoulk]

HaHa love the face slap icon. I actually won one of the Rolls razors from this thread and have been shaving with it. Gotta love it. I'm in.

 

[dfoulk]

Awesome, another sweet PIF.

I can't be bothered to actually read the thread, you had me at free.
Count me in, I can't wait to try a Feather blade in this razor.

 

[Ccnati]

I'm jealous...