My adventures with a Rolls Razor

[ShadowsDad]

Is the Rolls Razor a straight razor or a SE razor? If it's a straight razor it has the oddest handle I ever saw on a straight, so I consider it to be a SE razor. If this post belongs in the Straight razor section feel free to move it with no explanation.

A year or more ago my first shave with this razor was a dismal failure, but too, I knew absolutely nothing and used it as I would a SE razor. Same angle and such, and that's just wrong. I did know enough to put some time in with the hone and strop, but I still knew nothing. I didn't even know where to begin so I put it down until such time presented itself for success.

Recently a friend from the UK offered to hone my Rolls blades for me and we concocted this plan to try to figure out a way that folks who don't know how to maintain a shaving edge could indefinitely maintain their Rolls Razors with minimal equipment. This is that experiment in that, and a record of the experiment. I'm one of those folks who knew nothing about maintaining a shaving edge. I knew absolutely nothing at the start of this, and barely more now. I'm the perfect test subject. If I can keep the Rolls shaving by being told "do this, then this" anyone can do it. It remains to be seen.

I have bought some FeOx powder (.3-.4u), some diamond spray (.25 & .50u), and some lapping film. All so as to experiment with what works best. I don't have $100 in those test materials. It's the assumption that not all of them will work out and some will fall by the wayside.

So I received my honed blades from Marcus and the night of the 23rd was my first shave with the razor and I think it went well. No blood was seen at all, and the shave was a DFS. Curiously (I thought I was going nuts) the shave felt much better 10-20 minutes after the shave than it did immediately after the shave. Marcus later told me that that is quite normal for a shave with a straight razor, which is basically what the Rolls is. I also discovered that the razor works best when the blade lays flat against the skin; that is with the spine and cutting edge both pretty much touching the skin.

After asking Marcus if it would hurt anything I stropped the blade on FeOx on the strop in the Rolls jig for 45 minutes tonight. Then I shaved again (#2). Tonights shave was much better, I think mostly because I knew what to expect, but maybe the stropping helped? For whatever reason this shave was mostly a BBS 20 minutes later. The chin is where it's not a BBS. Again, angle is really critical. When the angle was right I almost couldn't even feel the blade. It also drives home the fact that shaving with a blade is all about stubble reduction and not getting it all in one pass. I saw quite a bit of whiskers remaining after the WTG pass, yet a lot of whiskers were obvious in the lather caught by the blade.

I just faceturbated and I can't believe how much better tonight's shave is from last nights.

I was asked by a gent about aggressiveness of the Rolls. It's basically a straight razor and I can't see that term applying to it. It can remove a slab of skin if not used correctly, but used with the proper angle and pressure it's a pussy cat. It's incredibly easy to use IMO. The blade is sharp, but not the same sort of sharpness as a commercially available disposable blade. I have no words to describe it.

So far I'm happy with this adventure. Now to see how long I can maintain the blade. I see that as the real test.

Do I like the Rolls? Yes.

Is it like any other razor I've ever used? Absolutely not. There is nothing I can compare it to. But like other razors, angle is critical and I keep wanting to drop the spine away from my skin as I would with a SE razor. That doesn't work so much with the Rolls. Obviously with something so sharp one doesn't need to be convinced to use a light hand as with any other bladed razor. Oh, one doesn't decide on a moments notice that, "I think I'll shave now." and just do it. It's a more deliberate approach. One doesn't hurry a shave with the Rolls. I suspect it's like a straight razor in that.

More to follow as I learn.

I did consider removing the guard from the blade, as this guard on this blade was loose and annoyingly so. But I dropped the blade tonight and decided I'd keep it on the blade to protect the blade from me. It does absolutely nothing during the shave. I did adjust the guard tension to stay in place better during the shave.

For now this is as close to a straight razor as I think my trick wrist will allow; it's enough at this time.

If anyone needs pix, just let me know.

I still can't believe how smooth my face is. After the aborted shave with it over a year ago it's quite a change.

[CMur12]

Great and informative experiment, Brian. Thanks for sharing it with us.

- Murray

[ShadowsDad]

Murray, what will make me really happy is if it helps folks get these incredible razors out of storage and into use. After that if they want to move to straight razors I think it would be a simple move regarding technique, and of course $ for honing stones and such. But that's another topic for which I'm not at all equipped.

I moved from someone who wrote, "Folks back then had different ideas about what sharp is.", to thinking they knew a thing or 2 about a shave. The old timers knew "stuff". We've just forgotten it.

[brothers]

Brian, I enjoyed reading this post very much. I've been curious about these unique old razors. Straight razors are much simpler and "straight"-forward. When you mentioned that you sharpened your Rolls for 45 minutes I can identify with that. You and others who come to love their Rolls razors and are willing to spend the time, money, and effort to get the most enjoyment out of it, and close smooth shaves, are to be commended for your passion and willingness to explore. In my case, I seem to have skipped the "hybrid" and moved directly to the straight razors. Maybe this is a repetition, but now that you've gone through this, were you able to form an opinion about Dave Irving's "sticky" post above. It's too bad he's no longer around, because I think Dave would have been all over this. Great job, my friend.

[jww]

These razors absolutely fascinate me .... they were a stroke of engineering genius --- whatever happened to such cool mechanics? I compare this to our current crop of multi-blade, pivoting, and now even rotating head razors

I recently picked up a Kenu Airframe to use with my HTC One when traveling on business so I have easy access to the gps functions and speakerphone while driving. It's as basic an idea as it gets and puts every other mounting product to shame with it's functionality. I am dumb-founded how we have lost such simplicity in the marketplace.

[Squire]

Out with old and in with the new seems to be the attitude Wendell. Fortunately good designs get rediscovered.

[brothers]

As the old (1960's) saying goes, stop the world, I want to get off. Nowadays, as much so as ever. Particularly the makers of the traditional classic shaving products that we so fondly drool and dream about. Some of us, at least.

[Squire]

Come to think of it didn't Churchill use a Rolls razor at one time, in addition to the Valet and others.

[CMur12]

At the Whipped Dog ( www.whippeddog.com ) they offer honing services for straight razors and Rolls Razors. (The Rolls is $18.00 US.)

One thing to keep in mind is that straight razors aren't as sharp as disposable blades, either.

- Murray

[ShadowsDad]

I believe he goes by the user name asharperrazor on another forum.

Murray, if you go that route be sure he hones it with no tape on the spine. Then what happens is when you strop it in the Rolls case you'll create a secondary bevel. That will make it much like the 4 facet blades used in SE razors. It's the way Marcus honed mine and it appears to be working.

I considered using him, but I had 5 blades and I'm tighter than bark on a tree. I had 5 blades that needed honing and that would have been $90. My mentor got something out of the deal from me, and in addition he got to play with my blades and different honing techniques (ways to finish the blades? As I've written, I'm a noob.) .

[CMur12]

Thanks for the advice, Brian.

- Murray

[ShadowsDad]

I hope no one gets bent out of shape that I put my SOTD here. I see no reason to put it in 2 places.

Thursday morning:

Cella (failed) then KMF mint (much better)
Semogue 1250 handle, TGN 20mm Finest Fan knot
Rolls Razor
Kramperts Finest Frostbite

Initially I tried to use Cella with the Rolls. I generated my standard ultra lather and the Cella just did not feel good at all. I ditched it and relathered with KMF. That was much better.

I still need to get accustomed to the feel of the face during a Rolls shave. The face does NOT feel good (shaved) after the shave, but 20 minutes later the face feels great. Instead during the shave I look for missed stubble visually. Today I did much better on the chin and sure enough now it's 15-20 minutes later and it's almost a BBS. Just one little spot on the chin that isn't. But this shave I can definitely live with even if it gets no better.

This is by far the best of the 3 shaves so far.

I'm really tickled with this razor. It's incredibly different from any other razor I've ever used and I love variety. It's not difficult to use, just different.

[ShadowsDad]

Shave #4 is history.

The "problem" continues to be the chin. There are just some creases in it that have hairs that resist being cut. Frankly they were a problem with my other SE and DE razors also, but it wasn't an insurmountable problem. I don't think it is with this razor either, I just need to figure it out. Probably by stretching the skin differently. (Minutes after writing this and the hairs have retreated even more and the chin is the best it's been with the Rolls. It still isn't a BBS, but very close. So I am closing in on it.)

I didn't even feel the face for shave quality during this shave. It's a waste of time to do that as one doesn't know what the face will really feel like until quite awhile after the shave.

But after the whiskers have had time to retreat, the shave is quite close. Just as close in fact (except for the chin) as the Muhle '11 R41, and maybe a bit closer. 24 hours from now the shave will still be a DFS if it's the same as the last shaves I got with it and I see no reason it won't be.

Too, The other night I used Cella and frankly it was the pits with the Rolls. But I always thought Cella lacked qualities that always made it feel "cheap" to me. Last night it lasted a few strokes only. It was terrible and missing slickness or glide. I relathered with KMF and that was much better. Tonight I used P.160 and it was fine. So that's another observation. Replaceable blade razors can use soaps that won't work with a straight, which is basically what the Rolls is.

[Pauldog]

There are a few older threads on the Rolls (and many on straight razors) where strop paste is mentioned as a way to get the blade sharp enough after honing does what it can.

[ShadowsDad]

Thanks. My mentor in the project suggested FeOx (.3-.4u) and mineral oil or ASB, so that's what I'm using. It's working fine for everyday stropping so far. The tiny bit I bought is a lifetime supply.

We do have some Rolls Razor strop paste and it appears to be FeOx in a sort of grease base. So yes, strop paste was used on them.

[Squire]

I'm watching this progress with the same sort of fascination some people display by slowing down to view a wreck. I want to move on but can't resist.

[brothers]

That reminds me, I want to see some pictures of the stuff you're writing about Brian, particularly the razors and blades. Is that a possibility?

[marsos52]

I have had a few roll razors over the years and now I only have my fathers rolls which he got around 1951. a year before I was born. he kept it fine working condition too.
I do use it from time to time and enjoy the sharping/stropping and of course its shave that it gives.
I also have a few blades and one has never been used and I have a unused strop and rolls strop paste too.

maybe because of this thread it will interest me to set it up and have a Rolls shave. its always a treat.

marc

[ShadowsDad]

I can do that Gary.

Here is the Rolls in the case with the case closed up. The unseen side looks identical to this side. This case is steel, but some were also made of aluminum.


Here is a spare blade mounted in the handle.


Some of the accoutrements. The case is open here and the strop with the FeOx can be seen, so can the blade I'm currently using all greased up after having been stropped after tonight's shave. The grey plate seen to the left of the case is the hone, and the strop to the left of that is grey because I just sprayed it minutes before with .25u diamond spray.


A better view inside the case which doubles as the stropping/honing jig. Inside is a rack and pinion gear. The panels can only go in their respective and correct sides since stropping is a dragging stroke and honing is a slicing sort of stroke. Between that and the gear the jig ensures it can't be done incorrectly to destroy the strop or blade. FWIW, I was told not to use the hone since it's far too coarse. Instead I'm going to try to use nothing but the strops. But just in case I have some lapping film to put over the stone in the hone panel.

In the above pic the gears are just out of sight, hidden by the case. But the wheel that prevents up and down play can be seen. The gear is just beyond the tiny wheel, so is the pinion gear that it mates with.

In it's day it was an incredibly expensive razor. Not so much today.

FWIW, just tonight I noticed that my case has a serial number. Unfortunately I can't find anything regarding RR serial numbers on the 'net.

[brothers]

Thank you Brian. That's an amazing example of mechanical technology in a time when things were made to work and to last. I know I have passed on some of these when I've seen them, for no reason other than I just didn't know a bloomin' thing about them and how they work. Next time, if there is a next time, maybe I'll pay closer attention.