High-tech shaving - circa 1950

Here it is. The latest in shaving technology. The Rolls Razor. Well, not quite the latest technology, but when it comes to class, this thing is not in the same league as the modern disposable razor. Not even close.

Manufactured by Rolls Razor Limited, Cricklewood, London, England, the Rolls Razor was a safety razor that uses a permanent blade, rather than a disposable blade. It was packaged in a beautiful solid and compact metal case containing a self-sharpening device for the nickel-plated razor blade. The example shown here is the Rolls Razor Imperial No.2 model, and is approproximately 45 years old.

Self-sharpening

The compact case has two removable lids - one on each side. Only one lid is removed at a time, and both lids contain a sharpening surface on the inside. One sharpening surface is a gray honing surface, only used occasionally, when the blade becomes blunt. The other sharpening surface is a strop, used to finely sharpen and maintain the blade between every shave. Inside the case, there is a sharpening mechanism, which cannot be removed. This is designed to quickly pass the blade back and forth across the fitted sharpening surface. When not attached to the shaving handle for use, the blade remains inside the case, fitted into the sharpening mechanism, protecting it from being damaged.

Safety razor

What makes it a safety razor, is a guide that runs around the edge of the blade to prevent the blade from cutting too deep into the skin.  Make no mistake, used incorrectly or carelessly, the Rolls Razor could make a nasty mess of your face. Compared with a cut-throat razor, this is much safer. Compared with a modern safety razor, the Rolls Razor requires much more skill and caution.

How does it work?

The lid containing the honing surface is removed from the case. The shaving handle is removed from inside the case, and the blade is detached from the pin that attaches it to the sharpening device. The blade is then attached to the shaving handle. The handle tightens to firmly hold the blade in place. When shaving, the blade should be held almost flat against the face. The instructions warn that "the customary 'wafer' blade angle is not suitable."

After shaving, the blade should be rinsed in hot water and throughly dried (very carefully - that blade is sharp). The blade is detached from the shaving handle, and when completely dry, is reattached to the spindle of the sharpening device. The blade should then be stropped to ensure that no moisture remains on the "delicate cutting edge."

The blade is stropped by pulling the handle back as far as it goes. This pulls one side of the blade back across the strop. By pulling the handle back in the other direction, the blade is quickly flipped over and the other surface of the blade is pulled back against the strop. This action is repeated ("briskly") for at least 30 seconds. It's a little noisy as the mechanism reaches the end of its track and is the blade is flipped over.

When stropping the blade no longer sharpens the edge sufficiently, the blade must be honed. The instructions state that this may be required as little as once every six to eight months, or "with exceedingly stiff beards" it could be required once a week. The honing process is similar to stropping. The stropping lid is removed, and blade is sharpened against the honing surface. The operating handle is pulled back and forth (at a rate of one double stroke a second) for about half a minute. After honing, the blade should then be "briskly" stropped.

Rolls Razor accessories

Several accessories were also available for your Rolls Razor. These included:

• Rolls Razor shaving soap bowl (soap refills also available)
• Rolls Razor shaving soap stick (soap refills also available)
• Rolls Razor pure badger shaving brushes (available in large, medium, and small sizes)
• Rolls Razor shaving mirror (two-sided - plain and magnifying)
• Rolls Razor strop dressing (suitable for all razor strops)

Best of British quality

Quality obviously was foremost in the minds of the manufacturer; they certainly did not want to see the price marked down. The conditions of sale printed on the box prohibit retailers from discounting the price of the product in any way (including discounts or offering any bonus with the product).

Even the cardboard box in which the Rolls Razor was packaged reflects the quality of an earlier era. The lid of the box is not simply folded cardboard attached to the rest of the box; it is a separate lid, attached to the box by cloth material, so that it will last and not fall apart after a few months.

The Rolls Razor was presumably sold at least throughout Europe, as its instructions were printed in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portugese, and Spanish.

Whether or not the Rolls Razor was the world's best safety razor, as the manufacturer claimed, it sure was a high quality product with a lot of class.

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