Wasn't sure if this should be posted under safety or straight razors so I dumped it here. I picked up 2 Rolls razors recently off ebay. A 1951 and a 1953. Both were in great shape with good looking blades. I tried shaving with the about a week ago (I honed and stropped both in their case) and found the 53 didn't do such a good job and the 51 was ok enough to finish up with a pretty good shave. Well, I just got my Norton stones (200/1000 and 4000/8000 along with a ILR 12-15k) so I thought I'd give it a try. Being this was the 1st time I ever tried honing, I didn't expect to much. Because the wedges weren't in bad shape I decided to just use the 8000 and finish with the ILR. I didn't shave yesterday so I had a pretty good stubble going on. The results were pretty good. I shaved 1/2 my face with the 51 and half with the 53. Both pulled a little but I got a very close shave on both sides. Just 1 tiny nick. I'm not sure if the pulling is the nature of the wedges, but I suspect it's more my inexperience in sharpening. Anyway, it was a lot of fun using these unique Rolls razors. I try them again in a while with just using the built in system and see what happens. OK, I've bored you enough, have a great day.
If you mean a picture of the razors, here you are.The 51 on the left the 53 on the right. If you mean a picture of the nick, sorry the alum got it.
You probably need to do a full bevel set and hone on those blades. The Rolls system wasn't meant to sharpen the blade only to maintain a shave ready blade. As our resident expert @Billyfergie will tell you. Also here is a guide on restoring those fantastic razors: The "what is" and " how to" thread for the Rolls Razor
Lovely Shavers the Rolls..The Blades are Not Wedge..They are Full Hollow Ground..They are a Sorta Wedge Design but they are Full Hollow Grinds for Sure..Took Me a Moment to Get that One..I Hone My Blades Out to a 20 K Edge..I Don't Use the Rolls System.. Billy..
Yeah Billy, I knew they were hollow ground but I guess it was a poor choice of word on my part. I was thinking shape not ground. Forgot that "wedge" is a profile. Thanks for correcting me.
Nice razors. I have one and tried shaving with it once. It pulled like crazy. I use it for display only now.
Many years ago I bought a Rolls Razor brand new at a gun show. And, I learned to shave with it and used it for a very long time. I never had any trouble with the blade and it needing honing? I simply used the stones and strop in the case. What stopped me from using it was dropping the stone on the bathroom floor and breaking it. There was no E-bay back then and no place to get a new one so the Rolls razor was retired. I still have it and I take it out and look at it now and again. I think I got the closest shaves I ever had with that Rolls?
Fiaster, how do you date your Rolls razors so accurately? Do you take the date code on the blades or is there a Rolls resource like the wonderful Mr Razor site for Gillette?
Taipan, I use the date codes on the blades. I just go with the assumption that they are the ones that came with the razor. I know I can eliminate the ones with replacement blades as they have no date code.
Very cool. I'm looking for mine but very few venders show the blade in the correct position. The few I have found were priced unrealisticly. The hunt continues