SE SOTD- What was your tool of choice today?

Gem jr. lather catcher/PTFE

Gem 1912 Triumph w/Gem stainless ptfe (2)

G-Bar w/ Gem PTFE stainless.

I know I should provide a picture, but I'm burned out after all the Thanksgiving pics I took. But tonight I used a fascinating new (to me) toy, a Rolls Imperial 2 that just arrived in the mail an hour before I stood at the sink and tested it out!

It looked as though it had never been used before...in the original box, a few marks on the strop but virtually none on the hone at all. I assumed it was shave-ready, so I had at it (and I hadn't shaved in about three days, so I thought it was a pretty tough test.) Well...maybe not quite shave ready...I did strop before using it, though not hone, and maybe that was a bit bold. Still, my usual three-pass shave (W, X and ATG) worked out OK...a little rough, could be a little closer, but I've had shaves like that with DE and SE blades before, too. I stropped before putting it to bed for the night, just as the original instructions suggest, and will think about honing before I do it again tomorrow.

I'd love to hear from other Rolls users in the group about honing frequency, if they ever hone out of the box (or have someone hone it for them) hone/strop maintenance, etc., etc....whatever you all think makes these things even better.

Gem 1912. Gem super stainless with 8 previous shaves on it. Williams soap lathered with a badger hair brush, and finished with a splash of Old spice aftershave.

My SOTD:

Also my travel kit as i'm heading to Europe for a couple of months, That's Proraso pre/post shave cream in the blue container. Thought i'd try out one of the smart phone lenses i got for the trip as well.

Been stuck using the Industrial GEM blades for the last couple of months, hopefully i'll be able to find some persona's in Europe

1906 Ever Ready Lather Catcher, wood handle / Treet RD 009 (3)

prairie-dad said:

I know I should provide a picture, but I'm burned out after all the Thanksgiving pics I took. But tonight I used a fascinating new (to me) toy, a Rolls Imperial 2 that just arrived in the mail an hour before I stood at the sink and tested it out!

It looked as though it had never been used before...in the original box, a few marks on the strop but virtually none on the hone at all. I assumed it was shave-ready, so I had at it (and I hadn't shaved in about three days, so I thought it was a pretty tough test.) Well...maybe not quite shave ready...I did strop before using it, though not hone, and maybe that was a bit bold. Still, my usual three-pass shave (W, X and ATG) worked out OK...a little rough, could be a little closer, but I've shaves like that with DE and SE blades before, too. I stropped before putting it to bed for the night, just as the original instructions suggest, and will think about honing before I do it again tomorrow.

I'd love to hear from other Rolls users in the group about honing frequency, if they ever hone out of the box (or have someone hone it for them) hone/strop maintenance, etc., etc....whatever you all think makes these things even better.

Click to expand...

Congrats on getting a Rolls is such good condition.
I have one that appeared at the time to be a NOS also.
My first couple of shaves were so so, so I did strop about 30-40 strokes after each shave.
I did a 10 stroke hone, then another 30 stroke strop, and wow what a difference that made.
To my understanding you should only have to hone once every 3 to 4 months as an average, but do strop after each shave.
Make sure that all water gets out of the cavity in the back of the blade, and is dry prior to strop.
When using the hone be extra careful not to "slap" the blade on the stone after each stroke, it will break the hone.
A light touch is required when using the hone.
Once that sheffield steel hollow ground blade is sharp...great shaves ahead for you

Calabash said:

Congrats on getting a Rolls is such good condition.
I have one that appeared at the time to be a NOS also.
My first couple of shaves were so so, so I did strop about 30-40 strokes after each shave.
I did a 10 stroke hone, then another 30 stroke strop, and wow what a difference that made.
To my understanding you should only have to hone once every 3 to 4 months as an average, but do strop after each shave.
Make sure that all water gets out of the cavity in the back of the blade, and is dry prior to strop.
When using the hone be extra careful not to "slap" the blade on the stone after each stroke, it will break the hone.
A light touch is required when using the hone.
Once that sheffield steel hollow ground blade is sharp...great shaves ahead for you [emoji106]1:

Click to expand...

Great advice! And also see here:
http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=400451

That thread contains lots of stuff about honing outside the case, retrofitting the case with lapping film etc.

Gem 1912 / gem ptfe (9)

Weck Sextoblade (Clone) - Personna [2]



Gillette PII for finishing.

Calabash said:

Congrats on getting a Rolls is such good condition.
I have one that appeared at the time to be a NOS also.
My first couple of shaves were so so, so I did strop about 30-40 strokes after each shave.
I did a 10 stroke hone, then another 30 stroke strop, and wow what a difference that made.
To my understanding you should only have to hone once every 3 to 4 months as an average, but do strop after each shave.
Make sure that all water gets out of the cavity in the back of the blade, and is dry prior to strop.
When using the hone be extra careful not to "slap" the blade on the stone after each stroke, it will break the hone.
A light touch is required when using the hone.
Once that sheffield steel hollow ground blade is sharp...great shaves ahead for you

Click to expand...

Yes, as @mjclark (to whom many thanks, too) said, pretty good advice. I did hone 10 strokes or so this a.m., just as you suggested, then strop 40...and wow, what a difference! My second shave (and I had some pretty good stubble left over from last night's first, unhoned and under-stropped attempt) was altogether better...really quite fine. WTG and ATG passes were all, and just about sufficient for BBS...let's say DFS overall, anyway. And great care devoted to drying, including the cavity (with a Q-tip.)

I think it may be time to weed out my first frenzy of buying, and turn some of my "second-tier" DEs and SEs into cash for more Rolls...or dare I spring for a Heljestrand SE?...any thoughts...they look "Rolls-ish."

thanks and regards to all

Schick E w/ Chick (4)

prairie-dad said:

Yes, as @mjclark (to whom many thanks, too) said, pretty good advice. I did hone 10 strokes or so this a.m., just as you suggested, then strop 40...and wow, what a difference! My second shave (and I had some pretty good stubble left over from last night's first, unhoned and under-stropped attempt) was altogether better...really quite fine. WTG and ATG passes were all, and just about sufficient for BBS...let's say DFS overall, anyway. And great care devoted to drying, including the cavity (with a Q-tip.)

I think it may be time to weed out my first frenzy of buying, and turn some of my "second-tier" DEs and SEs into cash for more Rolls...or dare I spring for a Heljestrand SE?...any thoughts...they look "Rolls-ish."

thanks and regards to all

Click to expand...

Great...stay after getting that blade sharp, its just part of the art.
I shaved with my Rolls today, its not my every day razor, but is in my rotation for the weekends.
Slow and easy with my 1st pass, it is still as they say a straight razor on a stick, then the 2nd and 3rd pass are very smooth.

Ever Ready Streamline
Gem PTFE (7)

ER lather catcher/ Gem PTFE

Gem 1912 / gem ptfe (10)