After the invention of the Gillette razor, to distinguish him from his machines started to call the first "threat", and then "bladed". Their production decreased, and the number of companies engaged in the manufacture and sales of the razors plummeted. That said — in 1904 it sold 12.4 million safety razors! Everyone who bought these safety razor shaving before bladed.
To complete the history of straight razors is worth mentioning the fact that today in Solingen has remained virtually only one company that produces these salingeresque bladed razor. It is called and Dovo was founded in 1906, after the big scene safe machines Gillette! It is clear that the firm did not prosper in the fifties was forced to seriously cut production, and in 1987 generally made only seven thousand razors. However, from a complete ruin, the company had saved came to mind to someone from the leadership of bright idea, that bladed shaver can be a status item, gift or souvenir, great accessory for men who appreciate style. Gradually, the company bought famous brands and at the moment the company owns many brands established in the market of straight razors. Among them, for example, the brand name "Bismarck" (Bismarck), which for over a hundred and fifty years emblazoned on the blades of the highest quality. Gradually the company becomes the only and the largest manufacturer of knife blades, the demand for its products is quite sustainable.
But let's get back to safe razors. What is happening on this front? And here is a real raging passion. Some manufacturers have chosen to copy the invention of Gillette (which nothing has succeeded, Gillette has shown himself to be hard-headed businessman, and furiously pursued the infringers of his patent, a particularly persistent just bought), others started to improve his invention.
So in 1921, in the arena of bricostore there is a retired Colonel of the U.S. army Jacob Schick (Jacob Schick). (Yes, the Schick company of his name). He was so inspired by the shop system loader rifle that has patented such a system and for razors. The blades in the cassette inserted into the razor handle and amazingly just recharged directly on the machine without touching them with your hands. Colonel Schick was named the invention of the "Razor — copy shop" (Magazine Repeating Razor).
In the 1950s, the British firm Wilkinson Sword Ltd., in 1772, specializing almost exclusively on the production of weapons began to develop a shaving blade, made of stainless steel. To this end, the company Wilkinson Sword Ltd. opened a joint venture company with Germany's Osberghaus KG, located in the notorious Solingen (Solingen). In 1955 the first blade stainless steel saw the light and at the production facilities in Solingen were deployed large-scale production of such razors. Next year the product was released on the market and instantaneously conquered Britain. However, this innovative research firm has not stopped and in 1961 appeared stainless blade with Teflon coating material, developed by DuPont (DuPont), which greatly extended the life of the blade and facilitate shaving. Since then, business firms are not just went up the hill — they took off the rocket and new Teflon blades spilled outside Britain and, without exaggeration, conquered the whole world.
In 1975, a Marcel Bich (we all know now the company BIC) created the first disposable razor. The blade was the same and was integral with the handle (one-piece). After using the shaver is fully released. This approach provided absolute hygienic cleanliness, convenience and most importantly, the razor was very affordable. And to this day, disposable razors are very popular in the world. The reason for this popularity is simple: the razor inexpensive, high-quality, easily accessible, requires no special accessories (some men manage to do, not only without a swab, but even without soap), it can not be taken with special care and to leave without regret, because it is always at hand new, sharp. However, they are not so disposable turned out, the brainchild of Marcel Bika — depending on the thickness, density, stiffness of the hair, the size of a treated surface, the frequency of use of "life" disposable razors could last and last. For weeks and even months.
All this determined the development and blossoming of disposable razors until now. To this day the invention of Marcel Bika used by millions of people around the world.
The Gillette company is also not standing still and constantly upgraded their machines. In 1971 the market was first presented to the machine by double-bladed Trac II in 1998 — the Mach 3 in 2006 with five: Fusion.
Shick firm in 1992, produces a series of Protector, effectively protecting them from cuts, and in 2003 cheerlessly machine Quattro.
