Funny Holidays - Electric Razor Birthday

March 18, 1931 is a significant day for men all over the world, because on this day mass production of electric razors started in the United States A convenient and safe device has significantly simplified daily personal care, including when traveling Every year, March 18th is considered the birthday of the electric razor As everyone learned from advertising, there is nothing better than Gillette for a man However, Jacob Schick never agreed with this Although in the 20s of the last century the production of disposable razors of this brand had already been established, this method of shaving required hot water, a special soap solution and a steady hand In some circumstances, as Mr Chic noted from his own experience, all this luxury is inaccessible or inconvenient, namely: • in military service; • in field conditions; • in the Arctic Circle; • during illnesses, hand injuries, concussions, etc Therefore, despite the Gillette traditions, Chic began to think about the method of dry shaving He decided to adapt an electric motor for this task, despite the fact that in those years standard electric motors were the size of a modern TV In 1923, he patented a compact motor and developed a design concept for the future device It was a combination of static and movable knives in a safe head with slots for bristles The first prototype of an electric razor was released in 1927 - it was a bulky device that required both hands to use Chic continued to work on improving it, but until the end of his life he never created a device that could be used to shave with one hand However, even these bulky, clunky and inconvenient electric shavers were gaining fame and popularity, although they were quite expensive - about 25 dollars By the way, these days those first rare models cost collectors at auctions from $25,000, so the capitalization for a household appliance is quite impressive The further evolution of the electric razor took place without the participation of Schick: shortly before his death in 1937, he sold the rights to the patent, and significant improvements in the design of electric shavers were made by Philips specialists Through their efforts, the rotating knife acquired three blades instead of one, then the number of heads doubled, then tripled, and now they are often “floating” for more thorough processing of the skin Gradually, the device became more and more convenient and accessible, reaching its peak of popularity in the second half of the 20th century By the way, in the Soviet Union, the production of electric shavers began already in 1956 at the Kharkov Electrical Equipment Plant, here the USSR was not ahead of the rest Today, thanks to the efforts of dozens of engineers and inventors, the electric razor is a compact, safe and simple device with which every man can get rid of stubble completely in a matter of minutes In the modern electric razor market, the leadership is shared between the giant companies Philips and Brown The devices have become more technologically advanced and functional, equipped with batteries, displays, and additional functions Over the years, the production of razors totals hundreds of millions of units, which means that the topic is relevant for most men who do not wear a beard However, the birthday of the electric razor is not a public holiday in any country and there are no lavish celebrations on this occasion However, this is a good reason to remember what a thorny and long path this small but so necessary device has gone through before entering the life of almost every adult man And at the same time, once again thank technological progress for how it makes everyday life easier and simpler