Once you have a razor, it must be stored between shaves. And while I’ve looked at a number of cabinets and other solutions before, I think this is the first one made to keep your razor dry and corrosion free. Filed in ’71 by Jack Cobb, the apparatus for storing cutting implements looks sensible – and pointless.
Continue readingThere is always someone who can’t manage to handle both a razor and a brush. This has lead to a large number of self-lathering razors. So Saul Hackmyer was in good company when he filed a patent for a self-lathering razor in 1971.
Where he differed from most of the patents I’ve discussed before is that he designed his invention around canned goo. Or as the abstract puts it:
Continue readingFor some reason people keep inventing disposable razors. Simple and complex apparatuses for hair removal. Hard to recycle, resource intensive consumer goods that is meant to be thrown away after a few uses. At least the disposable safety rotary razor patented by Rudolph A Gagnon had six blades that could be used before it was thrown away. And it was supposed to be colourful.
Continue readingRotary, or revolving, razors isn’t a new idea. I’ve featured several of them before. That did not stop Hirotsugu Matsuura from patenting one in 1969, with an interesting variation. He described it as being a rotary spare blade razor. The idea seems to have a plurality of sharp edges available as needed, without having to open or take the razor apart.
The blade carrying element of the razor was also replaceable, making this an early form of cartridge razor.
Continue readingA safety razor is often said to be a razor with a guard. So a safety razor blade is therefore a blade for a safety razor. Or is it a razor blade with a guard. Is it, in fact, a safety-razor blade, or a safety razor-blade?
According to Alfred W Ferrara, it is the later. So lets us see what imaginary problem he sought to solve with his invention:
Continue readingIt is important to stretch your skin while shaving. So important that several inventors have come up with ways to do it for you, in the forms of razors or attachments. So Giulio Benvenuti was in good company when he invented a razor with skin stretching means. And the means in his case was rollers, which is also a recurring idea on razors. What makes Giulio’s invention stand out is how he used rollers to stretch the skin.
But first, let us see what he intended to achieve with his invention:
Continue readingAfter coming across a meme on the internet, I recently spend some time tracking down the patent for what I can only think of as the Crime Skeleton. It is a perfect example that the line between genius and insanity is blurry at best. I’m not quite sure which side of that line Helene Adalaide Shelby’s invention falls under, but I am inclined to go for “genius”. And a somewhat spooky and misguided genius at that.
So let’s take a short break from weird shaving patents and look at a plain weird patent.
Continue readingSelf protected shaving device having multiple cutting edges… Try saying that three times fast.
A couple of days ago I posted about a razor that was all edge and no point. One of the patents that cited that one is Donald J Yellon’s self protected shaving device having multiple cutting edges. So lets see what that actually is, and means.
Continue readingMost inventions have a point to them. Charles Ackerman’s patent, filed in the last days of 1950, could be said to be an exception. It is a safety razor that can being described at being all edge and no point.
And honestly, that is not a bad thing. No point means less chance of nicking oneself on the corner of a blade. So let’s have a look at how a razor can be all edge and no point.
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