Shaving- The History #WillYouShave
I have written and posted already 3 posts on this topic.
After 3 posts, when I was tagged in this post: http://blogthepoint.blogspot.in/2014/11/diary-confessions-8.html by Cifar I thought
that I had seen this topic in every perspective and angle possible for me. But
NO!
While browsing randomly I
came across a few facts about Shaving which made me curious to know more about
how human kind discovered this grooming technique? Was this just for purpose of
grooming? I went on searching and reading more about the History of Shaving.
It was actually fun discovering some exciting facts and now I have
content enough to write three more posts.
Yet I will try to wrap everything up in one blog post. Hope to do
justice to the topic I have taken.
By Definition
Shaving is removal of hair, to slice it down till the level of
one's skin.
Facial hairs
are said to grow between
125mm and 150mm per year.
Get this! A man will spend an average of more than 3,000 hours of
his life shaving them.
Shaving was not only related to grooming and had other reasons
like safety, social status symbol, as punishment and religious beliefs too
Its said that the earliest traces of Shaving dates back to as
early as 30,000 B.C. as per
cave drawings which show humans using clam shells & sharpened flint to get
the job done.

First development of razors were seen in 3000 B.C. Razors made of
copper were found in Egypt and India too.
Egyptians saw shaving as a step towards civilization, whereas hair
was considered to be a part
of animal instinct in a person. Its said that those of higher castes and
priests followed shaving as cleansing ritual and shaved from head to toe
everyday. Thus to appear unshaven became uncivilized practice for Egyptians.
What started as safety precautions towards diseases, lice and the hot climate
later turned into status symbol.
![]() |
“Osird” |
In most of the paintings and sculptures the long goatee sported by
the Egyptian Kings are not hair, instead made of precious metals like gold or
silver. They called it “Osird” or “Divine beard”
Ancient Greeks abolished shaving. For them beard was as sign of
manhood and virility. They would only shave in time of mourning and grief.
Shaving had several stringent rules against it back then and it was also
considered as a method of punishment. Shaving then found way into 4th Century B.C. where Alexander the
Great strongly promoted
shaving to his troops. This was to avoid Beard grabbing during battles. Without
the beard, enemy would not getting anything to grab on to while in combat.
![]() |
"Alexander the Great" - Naples National Archaeological Museum |
In Hindu tradition there was
Godanakaruman, a ritual where a boy would get his full head shaven when he
turns 16. This as considered as purification of boy and would be a grand
ceremony.
Shaving made a influential mark in history when the Roman Catholic Church made
it a way of distinguishing themselves from the Eastern orthodox Church after
1054 split between them. Jews and Muslims at this time too were against shaving
and thus it added to the distinction of men.
![]() |
Pic Credits: http://www.shaveworld.org/ |
First development towards safety razors were seen when French
inventor Jean-Jacques Perret developed
the world's first safety razor—by installing a wooden guard onto a standard
straight razor in 1770. The Perret Razor is manufactured as an L-shaped wooden guard that
holds a razor blade in place.
Yet it was not seen a real safety razor!
Then, in 1880, the Kampfe brothers patented and marketed the
world's first safety razor, incorporating a wire guard along the edge of the
blade as well as a lather-catching head.
![]() |
Image Couretsy: HerrHepcat, Badger and Blade |
The Kampfe Brothers Razor Kit
But yet this was not the solution one needed, as the head of the
razor had to be removed and sharpened often.
![]() |
King C. Gillette, Image Courtesy: Wikipedia |
In 1895, traveling salesman by the name of King C. Gillette came up with
the idea of having a razor with a replaceable blade. Inventors were still
skeptical about the idea as engineering Strong thin cheap steel blades seemed
difficult at that time. So after the idea, it took him 8 years and help of MIT
professor William Nickerson to finally produce and patent the safety razor in
1904.
During World War I, the U.S. Government issued Gillette safety
razors to the entire armed forces. By 1906, Gillette was selling more than
300,000 razors a year, and a US Army contract supplying every WWI American
soldier with a Gillette safety razor in his DOP kit helped further cement the
Gillette brand name in the annals of American history.
In 1991 Gillette ranked 20 among the Fortune 500 companies
Thus shaving lead to emerging of a brand that we know today as
Gillette and thus Gillette revolutionized safe shaving methods.
Then we saw the invention of many more technologies including
trimmers, electric shavers and trimmers, straight razor, etc
So will you shave?
Will you do it with a Gillette?
Centuries of expertise has gone behind evolution of this brand.
Now whenever I will shave, I will have so many
thoughts regarding the evolution of Shaving. Every reader will feel the same I
believe!
Happy Reading!!
well researched post and thanks for tagging me but sorry now my all posts are finished. You must mention the tag in your post as well to be consider it eligible.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis all seems quite a bit on shaving! Though on my personal level I quite like the stubble on men :D
ReplyDeleteRicha