Rolls Razor NOS what to do?

[dod.e.ratherwell]

I picked up a Rolls Razor today. I have an ongoing online posting here in Edmonton for DE, Safety, Straight razors, brushes etc. Very nice lady was getting rid of a large volume of inherited things and was willing to let this go for a price usually reserved for Rolls Razors missing pieces or worn beyond use! The pictures on her ad suggested a decent quality razor so I agreed to meet up and this is what I got!

Case has two blemishes, a small depression in the lid. Looks like something sat on the box and made a ball point sized depression. It did not puncture or mare the case though. The other mark is a few specks of white paint overspray. I was told this razor spent its life sitting in a garage from the moment her grandfather received it.


A few bits of heavy dust were inside the case and brushed off. There are some tiny scuffs in the metal in two places. Possible scuffs from the case being moved?



Not a mark on the hone, no cracks. The original packing paper between the strop and hone and any other parts intact. Inside I was stunned to find the contents untouched.


Shaving unit untouched, blade still wrapped in oil soaked paper.


Not a mark on the strop.


The case for the spare blade has a small crack in it. The blade inside is wrapped in oil soaked original paper.

All original instructions present, not even a dog eared paper or folded incorrectly.




So I ask you all. Do I ruin its pristine nature and use it as I had intended or do I pass this along to someone more into collecting than me? I shave first and if that leads to collecting stuff so be it...this is the first thing I’ve stumbled on NOS and feel conflicted about what to do. Suggestions?

 

[DFrancis]

While it is collectable and you could keep it and let it gain in value, you could also have a rolls razor that only you have used. If it was me I would use it because not many people get a chance like that.

 

[insomniac]

Once it is used, it cannot be un-used.

I would sell it to a collector who would value one of the few NOS Rolls Razors out there, and buy the shaver-grade you expected. And a lot of other things

 

[Slivovitz]

Many similar threads out there. There was a similar one on an injector in the Safety razor forum recently. No really wrong answer. My usual answer is I'd shave with it.

All the more so in this case, as with Rolls style blades, this seems like your best chance to get ones in really good condition. Ones that had already been used might be harder to get back to fully shaveworthy condition. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there are caches of unused Rolls blades out there if you look for them.

Yep, you can probably sell it to a collector for a profit, get yourself one that's in merely good condition, and have some money left over. Probably not an enormous amount of money, but I don't know.

Yep, "once it's used it cannot be un-used". That's a compelling argument to some. Not to me, but you have to decide what's most important to you.

 

[BroJohn]

I'm normally in the camp that recommends use of the item. I wouldn't use the Rolls, though. There's enough collector value that you could really come out ahead on this one.

Keep looking for a shaver grade Rolls, and pass this one to a collector.

-- John GEhman

 

[baba]

To us Rolls lovers thats about as good as it gets. Wow, just wow.

Look at it this way, whatever you decide to do you come out on top. If you use an NOS Rolls as your everyday shaver?! I mean really?! What a way to shave every day! for gods sake it looks like a work of art.

Or if you decide to sell it, you will undoubtedly get a princely sum for your efforts.

Congrats on living every Rolls Razor owners wet dream. How does it feel?

 

[dod.e.ratherwell]

Congrats on living every Rolls Razors wet dream. How does it feel?

Pretty good actually!

I think I have solved the problem...
I am going to go out and buy a well used shavable Rolls. Use it for a good while and If I love it then will use this one! If I don't think it's for me I still have a pristine Rolls to trade! Seems clever to me!

 

[michiganlover]

Pretty good actually!

I think I have solved the problem...
I am going to go out and buy a well used shavable Rolls. Use it for a good while and If I love it then will use this one! If I don't think it's for me I still have a pristine Rolls to trade! Seems clever to me!

Shaver Grade Rolls can be had for pretty cheap on the Bay, and in antique stores. I purchased two of them recently for less than $15 each. Both had their original boxes.

The primary concern is bringing the blade back to shave ready status. You may need to send the blade away to be honed before it is usable.

Treat the Rolls as if it were a regular straight, as it's reputation is that it is a "straight razor on a stick".

 

[DESkydiver]

I think I have solved the problem...

Sell it to me

Just kidding. What a great find.
But seriously, if you do decide to sell or trade send me a PM

 

[Slivovitz]

Pretty good actually!

I think I have solved the problem...
I am going to go out and buy a well used shavable Rolls. Use it for a good while and If I love it then will use this one! If I don't think it's for me I still have a pristine Rolls to trade! Seems clever to me!

That does seem like the smart thing to do. Let us know how it goes. I'm still dawdling on getting my own very definitely non-pristine Rolls ready for use. So many razors, so little time.

 

[dod.e.ratherwell]

That does seem like the smart thing to do.

Yeah I am busy trying to learn straights, this fell in my lap, I am not one to really buy randomly or move from one thing to the next before getting a good solid grasp of the first... This sorta knocked me for a loop cause I never hunt out NOS items.

After reading all you fellows posts it came to me; combine the don't use it and use it camps...voila! problem solved. Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[mayidunk]

...Do I ruin its pristine nature and use it as I had intended or do I pass this along to someone more into collecting than me? I shave first and if that leads to collecting stuff so be it...this is the first thing I’ve stumbled on NOS and feel conflicted about what to do. Suggestions?

I just got a Viscount. I honed and stropped it, and shaved with it, and it's phenomenal!! Use it, as it was intended.

 

[rvargas]

i am very intrigued by these razors. I let a few pass me by, but have to step it up when Isee another one available. They just seem cool.

 

[dod.e.ratherwell]

i am very intrigued by these razors. I let a few pass me by, but have to step it up when Isee another one available. They just seem cool.

Yeah I would if I was you...I now kick myself for all the cheaps Rolls I just walked by at garage sales etc.

 

[oscarbowman]

Wow. That is beautiful.

I couldn't advise one way or the other. If it was mine I just wouldn't know what to do! Sorry.

 

[BeyondPsyche]

I'm in such a generous mood that I will solve this problem for you.


Just give it to me.