It can be interesting to follow the trail of which patent cites which other patent. The patent for the pen style shavette, for instance, is cited by several other patents. Including by one for a folding safety razor.

Patented by Valentinus M Zeles, the folding safety razor shares similarities with other razors we’ve looked at lately. The handle contains a lathering agent, like Bowlin’s shaving kit. The razor can use a double edged blade, like the combination writing instrument and shaver’s kit. And it has spare blades, like the rather neat razor we looked at on Tuesday.

Where it differs is, naturally, in the details and execution. And the choice of lather, but more about that later.

During my prodding into the weird and wonderful world of pen-shaped razors,¹ I found a rather neat single edge razor. Nelson H Fairweather and Leroy H Crosby filed for the patent in 1922, and it was granted two years later. What originally drew my eye was what they choose to store in the handle.

Not a brush, nor soap, nor a styptic pencil.² Not even a pair of tweezers.³

A little while ago we looked at a razor with a shaving aid – specifically a styptic pencil – in the handle. Turns out the basic idea was patented almost a decade before. Marcellin Eyraud Jr filed a patent in 1922 for a razor with a styptic pencil mounted in the handle in such a way that it would stay secure and dry.

Continuing on the theme of razors with stuff in the handle, we have an early patent for a razor with a pair of tweezers. And those may be the least interesting detail on this safety razor. Filed in 1908 and granted the year after, John R Gilda came up with a simple, single edged safety razor. While no blade is shown separate on the drawings, it probably would take blades similar to the Christy razors. After all, a lot of razors did in the early part of last century.