A Sword for Your Face

By Suzanne Norquist

Most adults have experienced a nick or cut from the tiny blade of a razor. Shaving one’s face or other parts is generally required in our society.

Thankfully, we can select from an array of safe, disposable blades. I don’t even want to imagine the mishaps that occurred with straight razors from days of old—also known as cut-throat razors. Men must have truly trusted the barbers who wielded the devices.

The use of the word “sword” in the title of this blog sounds like an exaggeration. However, many shaving blades were developed by sword and cutlery makers who were experts in metallurgy. The Wilkinson Sword brand isn’t just a fancy name for the blades. The company originated as a weapons maker.

Why do people need to shave anyway? In addition to fickle beauty standards, several reasonable arguments exist. Beards could be a breeding ground for lice and small rodents. They also provided a handhold for enemy combatants. In more modern armies, soldiers must be clean-shaven so that gas masks fit properly.

Archeologists have found evidence of shaving with clam shells, flint blades, and metal knives in prehistoric times. In ancient Rome, barbers in shops used iron razors.

Shaving technology didn’t change much until 1762 when Frenchman Jean-Jacques Perret designed the first “safety razor.” He attached a wooden guard to a straight razor to prevent deep cuts. I have to wonder why it took so long for someone to come up with such a simple design.

He drew inspiration from a carpenter’s plane, which has a similar safety feature. It prevented men from accidentally removing part of an ear and allowed them to shave at home instead of making a trip to the barber.

Perret published a book about shaving in 1772. The French name is translated Art of Learning to Shave Oneself. Keeping the blade sharp was one of the challenges of the day. Frequent honing and stropping were required.

In 1847, Englishman William Henson changed the shape of the razor to look more like a gardening hoe. This allowed for a better grip and easier use.

King Camp Gillette invented the replaceable blade in 1901. This was a game-changer since men no longer needed to sharpen the blades regularly. As a traveling salesman, he made money from a consumable product with ongoing demand. In many homes built before 1970, the medicine cabinets have a slot for used razor blades.

During World War I, military shaving kits included Gillette’s. Soldiers kept the handles and continued to purchase blades after the war.

One problem with disposable blades was that they tended to rust. In the 1960s, stainless steel blades provided a solution. A blade sold by Wilkinson Sword became very popular.

In the 1970s, cartridge razors and disposable razors came on the market. Being plastic and basically harmless, it’s easy to forget they started as a sharp metal tool that demanded respect.

En Garde.

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”Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection

Four historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.

Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist

Rockledge, Colorado, 1884

Sarah seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers, and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?

 

Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.