Need some info on Rolls Razor (what to do, etc)

I found a Rolls Razor with its cardboard box today at a carboot sale for £5. I had a look at the strop and hone, and they seemed alright. There are two lines accross both of them, where (I think) the blade guard hits as you turn the blade. Basically, i would like to know what is the best way to clean the whole thing. I would like to try it out, but there are so many parts, and I am curious how others clean these things. Also, what can I do to treat the strop? It looks ok, but could probably do with some moisturising. I don't want to have to buy strop treatment, so is there anything in the house I can use? Some kind of oil or something?

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FaPat5,

Check the forum for Rolls Razor users. There is an extensive amount of information on these wonderful devices and how to maintain and use them. My Rolls is currently the only non-straight razor I use. I love it.

Check it out: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Rolls_Razor

I have read the info on the shaveWiki, but have been unable to find the strop dressings specified. Also, I was wondering if someone could take a look at the following pictures of my strops and hones (I now own a 2nd rolls). The darker hone and strop are from my original rolls razor (which I prefer as it has a slightly different shape) and look quite good, though the strop will need a clean. The lighter ones are from the newer one, and I must say, I am unsure about the strop and the spots on the hone.

The spots on the hone appear to be oil stains. Should not be a problem. I bought some strop dressing off E-bay (Col Conk IIRC) which works fine, but there are others for sale there. Also have some original Auto Strop dressing which smells like whatever it was made from died a long time ago. You might get away with neatsfoot oil or other thick leather dressing but not sure. However, a dry strop is worthless.

I have three Rolls, two Imperials and a Viscount. The last one I bought on the bay came with a little tub of Rolls strop dressing, the older ones I treated with a bit of leather dressing you can get at any equestrian place or similar. Probably shoe shops or general leather type shops stock it. I actually bought my little tub at a Reenactor's Fair near Coventry! I was buying leather to make Scandi knife sheaths.

Worked just fine on both!

Gareth

That was one of my main issues; the strop dressing, as the wiki entry is quite specific on this, i didn't know if I could use normal strop dressing. Also, I was wondering, is it ok to clean the hone and strop with a damp cloth, or not?

Yeah. It should be fine. You can treat them just like a regular hone and strop. That means that you might have to clean and re-flatten the stone some times, too.

On the subject of Rolls Razor's. I am getting good results WTG and XTG, but my ATG passes are very uncomfortable. Maybe a severe honing and stropping is in order?