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.
Continue readingCategory Archives: VintageRazor
Electric safety razor
There have been no lack of patents for shocking, vibrating, oscillating, buzzing, and bulky safety razors over the years. Some were meant to be plugged into the electrical grid, and some were powered externally. But this patent for an electric safety razor, filed in 1937, were powered by an replaceable battery.
It was filed by Alexander Schaaf and Rudolf Schunermann, from Berlin-Charlottenburg and Nowawes1 respectively. The US patent office granted the patent in 1942, which is interesting since this was after Germany declared war on the US.
Continue readingAn experiment, take three
There is an idiom in Norwegian, stating that “alle gode ting er tre”. The closest I know of in English is the phrase “third time is the charm”, which has a similar enough meaning.
So keep that in mind. This is, at this stage, a step by step process.
This follows up from an experiment I did earlier, and the second experiment too. I have tried to take into account the feedback y’all have been kind enough to give. And it is because I wanted to try something several of you mentioned, that this is coming a couple of weeks after the last try.
Continue readingShave of the day 27th May 2022
Razor: “Normal”
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Vie-Long #14033
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: B&M Latha Oceana
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Shaving aid stored in the razor handle
Several of the patents we’ve looked at lately took the form of pen-shaped – more or less – shaving and hygiene kits, some with additional functions. Most of them stored some form of shaving aid in the handle – a tiny brush, soap powder or pellets. But what if I told you there was a patent for doing just that? One that covered just having a shaving aid stored in the razor handle?
Continue readingShave of the day 25th May 2022
Razor: “Normal”
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Wilkinson Sword Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Great British Patent 1902-28763
1902-28763. Or, for those who can’t quite recall the patent numbers of the top of their heads, one of King Gillette’s earliest patents for the classic three piece Old Type Razor.
It wasn’t King Gillette’s earliest patent, nor his last. It is, as far as I am aware, the earliest of his patents showing the classic Old Style razor with the bottom knob. Both his early US patents – US 775,134 and US 775,135 – required the user to either unscrew the handle or use the whole handle as a knob.
Continue readingShave of the day 20th May 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Omega #10048
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Colonia
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara Additional
Care: Alum Block
Letters to Gillette Blade from the Gillette Boys
Gillette used to – back in the olden days – to have an internal magazine called the Gillette Blade. As far as I can tell, the Gillette Blade was aimed at Gillette’s employees, sales people, and share holders. Today one would have a company website, but this was a wee bit before the modern internet came along.
Continue readingShave of the day 18th May 2022
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Cold River Soap Works Olfactory Hue
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
