A few1 years ago I wrote a short post on a 1933 oscillating razor. Further searching online revealed that it was sold under the name King Oscillator. And to my joy, patents for it are available online.
I have also found the design patent for it, namely US design patent2 75,147. Comparing the photo of the razor – especially the handle – as it appeared in Modern Mechanix and the patent drawings, it is most likely the same razor.
Continue readingThink that weird and wonderful razors needing special blades were a thing of the early days of safety razors? Would this advertisement for a King Oscillator from 1946 change your mind?
I found this advertisement as I was writing a different and longer blog post about the King Oscillator and the Rotary King razors… so consider this a teaser for next week.
Some inventions are solutions in search of problems. The double double edged blade is a prime example, double so in J O Plesch’s itteration of the idea. Not just a double double edged blade, but attempting to be a slant at the same time. And likely prone to blade chatter. However, as the patent explains, his intentions were good:
Continue readingRecently razors.click tweeted about a razor patent that I’ve never seen before and it has some really intriguing features. It was filed in 1908, and the patent granted in 1912. It’s a patent by Clifford E Dunn, whom we have meet before.
One of described forms is a single edge razor using a double edge blade – not a unique idea by itself, but this is one of the earliest ones I know of. That design is set up to use Gillette’s three hole blade1 – thus avoiding having to reintroduce yet another blade on the market. Other forms can use a single edged blade – the early Gem blade might work, or a Christy style blade.
On to the patent, which described – according to the text – “certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Razors”. To quote:
Continue readingI’ve mentioned the Christy razor in the past, as well as other razors that built on the same idea or used Christy blades. As mentioned, the blades at least were for sale until the early thirties. What I found today shows that razors themselves were offered until at least 1927, competing for the low end of the market.
Continue readingIs your brush too soft? To stiff? Ever wanted a brush that could be either? If that is the case, Anton Hopfen’s improved shaving brush is what you need. Patented in 1878, it was not only capable of adjusting the loft and backbone on the fly, but also held the shaving soap.
Interestingly enough, the adjustable loft wasn’t the main point of the invention. To quote the patent text:
The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a handle for shaving-brushes, which form a receptacle for the shaving-soap or other articles, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.
US patent 206,791
In other words the adjustable brush was more of an afterthought. A bright idea tacked on to a dim idea, seen in hindsight.
Continue readingDisposable safety razors were patented from time to time in the past. Usually they were just a regular safety razor made from cheap or disposable materials. Sometimes they were a minor stroke of genius. Sometimes they were plain odd. Mr Foltis’ safety razor made from bent sheet metal is one of the later two.
Continue readingAn important object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive safety razor having an integral razor blade of small size whereby the entire razor must be disposed of after the blade becomes too dull for shaving purposes.
US patent 2,550,056
Cathodic protection is a technique used to control the corrosion of a metal surface by making it the cathode of an electrochemical cell. This can either be done by using a sacrificial anode made from sink or similar material, or by applying an external direct current.
So… what has that to do with shaving? Well… normally it don’t, but J Duggan’s 1971 patent application on behalf of Warner Lambert Co combines the two.
Continue reading
No effort, no scraping, no irritation – it just melts your whiskers away.
I’m not convinced about the melting of hairs, but the Micromatic is a very nice little razor. For just a dollar you could get not only a gold plated razor, but also five of the new blades developed alongside the Micromatic. In 1936, the Micromatic was a pretty recent razor – the mechanism having been patented in 1929.
In today’s money the razor (with blades) would cost just shy of 19 US dollars. Not a bad price for a razor that assuredly has stood the test of time.
Solid Shaves is one of the very few shaving related YouTube channels I follow. In his latest video he’s using a Stahly Live Blade vibrating razor. I’ve been intrigued by the Stahly Live Blade for years now, and it’s neat to watch it in use.
One of these days I need to find the patent for the Stahly Live Blade. I suspect the gear train is going to be interesting, even if it might not be much to snark about.