Electric Razors

Even before Roscoe Bartlett was born, Jacob Schick was dreaming of the electric razor. It seems that Col. Schick was seeking his fortune as a gold miner in Alaska when he slipped and sprained his ankle. Forced to remain in his camp for several months in 40 below zero temperatures, Jacob was probably inspired by two factors. First, his shaving cream was frozen solid, and second, he had a lot of time on his hands. And so he invented a dry electric razor that was as long as your arm. It wasn't real practical and so no one was willing to manufacture it. Still, he persisted, and in 1927 he marketed the first electric razor. It was not an immediate success, however, and his family had to mortgage their home to keep the company going. It was not until 1931 when Schick produced an electric razor that you could hold in the palm of your hand that was successful. Jacob Schick died 71 years ago.

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