This one uses a blade similar to the one found in a Rolls Razor. Many times these things came with an extra pencil-type handle that you could put the blade in so it could be used like a straight razor. For the old diehards, most probably. Not all of these made it to the market place. I think I read somewhere that only about 20% of patent holders did anything with them.
A few weeks ago I got a Rolls off of ebay and managed to clean it up pretty nicely. So I honed and stropped and decided to try it out this morning. Well, I got my right cheek done 1 pass WTG, and decided I should re-group. It did cut the whiskers, but it was pretty harsh, rough, and pulled. Obviously, needs more work. Any words of wisdom, Bill? Should I use water or lather or oil on the hone, or just leave it dry? I also suspect the strop could use some conditioning, being about like a piece of board. Neatsfoot oil? Saddle soap? Perhaps even replace it? (Keep in mind that it's been more than 35 years since I used a str8, and even then my friendly barber honed it and sold me the strop ready to go.) I'd like to get it to the point where it could actually give a half-way decent shave. It's such a neat mechanism, and I suspect that when new it probably gave good shaves. Of course, you've got to be careful, it is after all just a section of str8 razor mounted on a handle...and about 9/8 at that!
Rolls Razor Rolls sold a dressing for the leather strop in the box. One partial can was on eBay a couple of days ago for $10.00 and no one bid on it. I bought a Rolls on eBay, just out of curiosity, but didn't get a handle with it. You can get strop dressing numerous places. You may want to go to: geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3541/Rolls_Page.htm and get shaving instructions. They're slightly different than a straight razor.
Welcome! Welcome, and thanks for the pointer. I got bit by the Rolls virus since then, and have picked up 3 more, one a Viscount. Two almost completely unused. Also, a brand new spare blade and a lightly used one. All for ridiculously low prices, about $8 each, average. (Although you can find some that went for $50 and more.) I've used plain neatsfoot oil on the strops, and most of them are in pretty good shape now.
Also, according to the instruction in my Rolls, there are two exposure settings. Turn the blade over and flip the guard the other way. On one side, the guard exposes more balde that the other. I'm not sure which is which. I had the Rolls bug a while back, but haven't gotten around to taking one for spin...yet... I also love other wedge blade razors and plan to try them out too.
This reminds me of the Wilkinson Empire wedge razor. The guard was a roller and was adjustable. On the Wilk, the guard was on a track that slid back and forth by turning the thumb screw located in approximately the same position as your diagram, instead of a spring frame. The Empire head also could be unlocked and used as a stropper, sort of like the Valet.
