Does anyone use/or has used a Rolls Razor?
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Does anyone use/or has used a Rolls Razor?
I own, and very occasionally use, a Rolls. That looks like a nice one.
I have found that they take a long time to hone and strop because the stroke allowed by the mechanism is very short, and for that reason I don't get it out often. I always enjoy it when I do, though.
You'll find a small coterie of Rolls fanciers here and over at B&B, where someone has posted a full set of the original instructions for the Rolls.
Best Regards
goshawk
what blades do they take? Ive seen loads of these but never quite understood how they work with a strop
Scipio
The square of steel you see in the right side of the case in Clockguy's pic is the blade. It is honeable and stroppable, it carries it's own guard and snaps directly into the handle. The case contains a mechanism like a lever that when operated, draws the blade across the leather strop attached to the underside of the lid. The underside of the other lid (the Rolls has two) carries a fine hone which operates in the same way as the strop. The Rolls, in short, doesn't take commercial blades at all. It came with a single reusable proprietary blade that was designed to last virtually forever.
goshawk
There is a detachable lid on each side, one has a Strop and the other the Hone. There is a carriage in the middle that moves back and forth and automatically hones/strops the blade. When buying a Rolls Razor make sure that the strop and hone are in good condition, it is difficult to find replacements...but new blades can often be found.
There are several types of material used for the cases. Often a Rolls Razor can be found with original instruction booklet and original box.
In the case in my picture there is a second blade laying over the original blade.
I own and use a rolls razor and can say honestly that it is a very good shaver. As goshawk already mentioned the hone and strop mechanism are very short and meant to upkeep an already sharp blade not bring a dull one back to life.
The very first SE (single edge) safety razors all had wedge blades (kinda like a piece of a straight) that were meant to be honed and stropped just like straights. The rolls was an attempt to modernize the honing and stropping process with its built in mechanism.
if you are interested in SE razors like the Rolls I recommend checking out theoriginalsafety it is a wetshaving forum dedicated to SE razors.
something worth mentioning about the Rolls is when sharpening the blade using the hone be sure to be gentle and not just slap the blade back and forth on the hone. This can crack the hone or chip the blade. 2 audable clicks should be heard the first when the guard on the blade touches the hone and the second when the guard colapsses and allows the blade itself to come into contact with the hone.
The instructions that were packed in the Rolls Razor case:
Picture of blade & handle. The Rolls Razor has given me smoth shaves, and I enjoy using it on occasions. I have about a dozen of them.
You are lucky one.
I just got one, and had my first shave with it today... and it was SUPERB! I keep seeing here not to slap the blade on the hone, which makes sense.. but the instructions clearly say to use the strop pretty quickly.. the instructions state 60 double trips per minute... how can I NOT slap the blade when doing it that quickly on the strop? Or does it not matter as much on the strop side?
I've been shaving daily with a Rolls since the early seventies. I get very good comfortable shaves with it. The blade I've been using all these years finally wore out a few weeks ago. So I've started in on a new blade which I've had for many years waiting for the first to give up the ghost. I agree with the post cautioning about not letting the blade slap down on the stone. You also have to clean the stone so it doesn't get choked with steel filings from the honing process. Also resist honing until the blade begins to pull or otherwise indicates that it's time to hone. You need to strop at least as many strokes as you would use on a straight.
I have used one a few times and they are a decent razor and 1 razor that is easy to grab here in the uk.
I've been seeing more and more turn up at local antique places, may just pick one up if it is in good shape, or get a few and parts them.
I just recently picked up three of them. I like them because I find them so interesting but I haven't been able to get them sharp enough to shave good.
Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong.
I have several and it was not quite as sharp as I needed and I have never managed to hone one without
the blade slapping the hone or strop- its seems that is going to
happen normally given the state of the mechanism itself-
I have a couple of new blades but as with str8's I figure they may not be shave ready either- So I think I am going to attempt to hone them to 8K and then strop them on my beginners strop and try it out again.
You can hone these blades on your hone fo rthe straights. The safety bar/bail will come off easy enough or you can do it witht he bar still on.
Then all you need to do is use the strop side of the case.
I use one when I am running late. I still like the shave from a straight, but the rolls is a very nice shave with a properly honed blade.
I would have more if I could find them locally. I wathc them on ebay alot and have tried not to bid on too many.
what's the market price for roll razor actually? I saw several on ebay which still has 0 bids at 99 cent...well the shipping to Australia never been cheap but that's the risk anyway :)
I just counted up and I have 7, 6 of which are in their box or case and one in a leatherette case that has a little pouch on it to hold a spare blade.
I bet I have about $75-100 in each of them.
I tried honing one on a felt pad w diamond then CrO2-
with the bar on it went fine but I found its best to use the RR strop other wise your gonna bugger your strop making the flip with the bar on it-
What I find harder to do it to use a RR hone and not let it slap???
I get a slap even when I go slow?
Mark
I don't have access to a camera right now. However, the "used up" blade has been eroded away from the bail more than 3/16 going towards 1/4. This changes both the thickness of the edge and also the angle against the face because the gap behind the bail has grown so much. No doubt the blade could still be sharpened, but the shave would be uncomfortable enough that I'm happy to use the spare blade I've held on to all these years.
Would ya happen to have a spare handle to part with - my kit came without the handle !
MHW
I've got a half dozen RR's. Love 'em, but never did get the hang of getting them sharp on the built in hone. Going to have to give it another try...
It can indeed be a labor of love getting them str8 sharp- I kinda think its best to remove and stone hone. Then strop it in the case as needed for a while. I have handle and several sides and 5 RR's around here somewhere. Could never figure out how to properly post a picture here sell them. Are you wetting your built in stone and is your strop well conditioned? I have this little brown plastic round jar of red strop dressing for the RR, boy is it some fine smooth stuff but its like trying to get graphite off your finger- hahahahaha
Until I found this forum I didn't have a clue about proper stropping and honing...
Oldfalguy? I've got an old FAL in the rifle rack... That the source for your username?
Yeah, 20 years ago I got into FALs and managed to find a legit G-series. My then 6yr old son was with me when I made one of those groups of a lifetime at 1/4 mile with a 4x scope. We climbed up to check the target and 3rds were covered with my watch face. Haven't shot it since but take it out of the case now and then. I know I ought to go bang away with it but don't for some reason.
Until I found this forum I didn't have a clue about proper stropping and honing...
Oldfalguy? I've got an old FAL in the rifle rack... That the source for your username?
I still am not very proficient in honing but I think I have the stropping down pretty well-use a paddle.
Stropping keeps them in shape for almost a year then I ship them off rather than bugger one up.
Had a cheap chinese blade I wanted to use for practice and I really really tried honing it to no avail.
I love the FN/FAL, used to have 3 of them but I had to cut the herd down, I kept the one I built myself.
i have 2 rolls razors that cost me in total £12 gbp both of them give very smooth shaves and i enjoy using them as much as i do my straights.
there very nice razors and seem to last forever.
Just got married on saturday and gave all my groomsmen (5) a Rolls Razor. I replaced all the strops with custom cut bridle leather and honed them all on my Coticule. They all looked very confused as I explained all this to them! lol
i only wish i had a rolls razor they are nice i have a valet auto strop and its ok i guess
They are all over eBay. The last couple I picked up in antique shops. Think i gave 20 for one that looked new in box, had the directions and a sales slip.
so expect to spend in the ball park of 20-50 for one thx
I just picked one up on Ebay, paid 50 :)
How'd I ever miss this thread. I have two Rolls. One is spares, and the other was a kind gift from a friend and member of this forum, Kalgoorlieboi. I like the shave I get from mine, but I don't use it as often as I should. Might have to correct that oversight.
Mick
I generally pick them up at antique stores for 10-30 depending on model and condition. I also like to swap out the usless strop for bridle leather.
I got mine yesterday, is in great condition, the stone is good, and only 1 nick in the strop. Does anyone have a good writeup on changing that? :)
Also, is there anyone that can re-hone the blade? It's pretty dull but well worth fixing IMHO :)
If you can hone a cutthroat razor and have the stones, you can re-hone the Rolls blade. If you're located in Australia, I'll give it a go for you if you like. I hone my own to my own satisfaction.
Mick