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To shave, cut, or remove with or as with a razor: razored off the mustache; razored pages from a rare book.
[Middle English rasor, from Old French, from raser, to scrape. See raze.]
A safety razor is a device used to remove hair from areas of the body where it is undesirable such as the face for men and the legs and underarm regions for women. The modern blade razor consists of a specially designed blade mounted in a metal or plastic shell that is attached to a handle. This kind of razor can be designed as a refillable cartridge which can accept new blades or as a disposable unit which is intended to be thrown away after the blade becomes dull.
History
Since primitive times, shaving has been an important cultural grooming practice. Cave painting show that even the prehistoric men practiced shaving by scraping hair off with crude implements such as stones, flint, clam shells, and other sharpened natural objects. With the advent of the Bronze Age, humans developed the ability forge simple metals and began to make razors from iron, bronze, and even gold. The ancient Egyptians began the custom of shaving their beards and heads, which was eventually adopted by the Greeks and Romans around 330 B.C. This practice was advantageous for soldiers because it prevented enemies from grasping their hair in hand-to-hand combat. The unshaven, unkempt tribes they fought became known as barbarians, meaning the unbarbered.
Until the nineteenth century, the most common razor was still a long handled open blade called a "cut-throat" razor which was difficult to use, required repeated sharpening, and was usually wielded by professional barbers. Credit for the first safety razor is generally given to a Frenchman, Jean-Jacques Perret, who modeled his design after a joiner's plane. He even wrote a book on the subject entitled Pogonotomy or the Art of Learning to Shave Oneself. As with the razors of today, Perret's design covered the blade on three sides to protect the user from nicks and cuts. However, it still required periodic sharpening to give a good shave. Similar inventions were introduced throughout the 1800s. Nonetheless, even as late as the early 1900s most men were still shaved periodically at the barber.
Shaving practices began to change dramatically around the turn of the century. In 1895, an American named King Camp Gillette had the idea of marketing a disposable blade that didn't require sharpening. Gillette designed a razor that had a separate handle and clamp unit that allowed the user to easily replace the blade when it became dull. However, metal working technology took another two years before it was able to make the paper thin steel blades required by Gillette's design. Even though he filed patents in 1901, Gillette could not market his disposable blades until 1903 when he produced a total of 51 razors and 168 blades. By 1905, sales rose to 90,000 razors and 2.5 million blades. Sales continued to grow over the next several years, reaching 0.3 million razors and 14 million blades in 1908. After Gillette's initial success, other manufacturers soon followed suit with their own designs, and an entire industry was born. Over the last 90 years, a variety of products have been introduced including tiny safety razors for women, long-life stainless steel blades, twin-blade safety razors, the completely disposable, one-piece plastic razor introduced by Bic, and the state of the art Sensor and Mach 3 shaving systems by Gillette.
Design
Razor designs vary depending on the style. Some razors, such as the single piece disposables, are relatively simple. They consist of a hollow plastic handle, a blade, and a head assembly to keep the blade in place. They are primarily designed to be simple, economical, and disposable. The refillable cartridge style is more complicated. They are designed to give a more premium shaving experience with options like multiple blades, pivoting heads, and lubricating strips. For example, Gillette's Mach 3 razor, which was introduced in 1998, features a skin guard comprised of flexible microfins, a soft grip handle, water-activated moisturizers, a flow-through cartridge, optimal blade positioning, and other innovative features. The engineering behind some of these advancements is quite impressive. Gillette employs 500 design engineers, who are constantly developing new shaving systems. Preliminary designs are developed into working prototypes that are tested by over 300 company employees, who take part in Gillette's shave-at-work program. The company has 20 booths set up where employees use unmarked razors on different sides of their faces. They then rate performance attributes of each razor with the aid of a computer program. Engineers use this feedback to adjust their designs and create improved prototypes for further evaluation.
Raw Materials
Blades
Razor blades are periodically exposed to high levels of moisture and therefore must be made from a special corrosion resistant steel alloy. Furthermore, the grade of steel must be hard enough to allow the blade to hold its shape, yet malleable enough to allow it to be processed. The preferred type of steel is called carbide steel because it is made using a tungsten-carbon compound. One patented combination of elements used in stainless steel blade construction includes carbon (0.45-0.55%), silicon (0.4-1%); manganese (0.5-1.0%); chromium (12-14%) and molybdenum (1.0-1.6%); with the remainder being iron.
Plastic parts
The plastic portions of a safety razor include the handle and blade cartridge, or portions thereof, depending on the razor design. These parts are typically molded from a number of different plastic resins including polystyrene, polypropylene, and phenyleneoxide based resins as well as elastomeric compounds. These resins are taken in pellet form and are melted and molded into the razor components through a combination of extrusion and injection molding techniques. For example, in making the handle for their advanced shaving systems, Gillette uses a coextrusion process which simultaneously molds an elastomer molded over polypropylene to create a surface that is easy to grip.
Other components
Razors may contain a variety of miscellaneous parts which help hold the blade in place, guards which cover the blade during shipping, or springs or other release mechanisms which facilitate changing of the blades. These pieces are molded by similar processes. The more sophisticated brands include a lubricating strip made of polyurethane, or other similar materials, that is impregnated with acrylic polymers. These strips are mounted on the head of the razor, in front of the blades. The polymer film absorbs water and becomes very slippery, thus creating a lubricating surface that helps the blade glide across the surface of the face without snagging or cutting the skin.
The Manufacturing
Process
Cutting blade formation
Support member formation
Plastic component molding
Assembly of components
Packaging
Quality Control
All finished razor components must conform to tight specifications before they are released. For example, blades must meet a designated hardness rating and contain a certain amount of steel. Gillette blades must meet a standard knows as Vickers hardness of at least 620 and a carbide density of 10-45 particles per 100 square microns to avoid rejection. The equipment itself operates so precisely that Gillette measures its reject rate in parts per million. Similarly, molded plastic parts are closely inspected by operators with lighted magnifying glasses to check for loose flashing or rough edges; they alert technicians when problems are discovered. In addition, razor components are checked by a computerized vision system which compares a critical dimension to a reference.
The Future
Razor manufacturers like Gillette are constantly designing new and improved shaving systems. Their commitment to improved materials science continues to produce blades of increased hardness that are capable of sustaining sharp edge for more shaves. Advanced head design allows the blades to contact the face without cuts or nicks. They are also constantly updating their manufacturing equipment. The future manufacturing techniques also improve efficiency in molding and stamping operations. Gillette claims they are twice as fast as they were 10 years ago and have fewer defects.
Where to Learn More
Books
Panati, Charles. Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things. New York: Perennial Library, 1987.
Other
Gillette Company. 1999. http://www.gillette.com/ (April 5,1999).
[Article by: Randy Schueller]
A business tactic involving the sale of dependent goods for different prices - one good is sold at a discount, while the second dependent good is sold at a considerably higher price.
Investopedia Says:
If you've ever purchased razors and their replacement blades, you know this business method well. The razors are practically free, but the replacement blades are extremely expensive.
The video-game industry is another user of this pricing strategy. They sell the game consoles at a relatively low price, recouping the lost profits on the high-priced games.
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A type of tool known from the European Bronze Age which comprises a thin bronze blade, often double-edged, which is believed to have been used for removing facial or body hair. A number of different styles can be recognized including bi-fid, horseshoe, Hallstatt, Scandinavian Terramara, quadrangular, and crescentic forms.
A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in shaving on the body to remove unwanted hair.
Razors have been identified from many Bronze Age cultures. These were made of bronze or obsidian and were generally oval in shape, with a small tang protruding from one of the short ends. [citation needed]
Straight razors with open steel blades were the most commonly used razors before the 20th century. However, they are now chiefly used by barbers and individuals who prefer to use a straight razor.
Straight razors consist of a blade sharpened on one edge. The blade can be made of either stainless steel, which is slow to hone and strop but dulls more slowly, or high-carbon steel, which hones and strops quickly but requires it more often, and will rust if neglected. At present, stainless-steel razors are easy to find but expensive; carbon-steel razors are nearly as expensive but quite difficult to find though they are available for sale on the Internet.
The blade rotates on a pin through its tang between two protective pieces called scales: when folded into the scales, the blade is protected from accidental damage, and the user is protected from accidental injury. Handle scales are made of various materials, including mother-of-pearl, celluloid, bone, plastic and wood. They were once made of ivory, but this has been discontinued, though fossil ivory is still used occasionally, and antique razors with ivory scales are occasionally found.
The first safety razor, a razor where the skin is protected from all but the very edge of the blade, was invented in the late 18th Century by a Frenchman, Jean-Jacques Perret, who was inspired by the joiner's plane. Marketed as "the best available shaving method on the market that won’t cut a user, like straight steel razors."
The first American safety razor was released in 1875 by the Kampfe Brothers. In 1901, the American inventor King Camp Gillette, with the assistance of William Nickerson, invented a safety razor with disposable blades. Gillette realized that a profit could be made by selling a razor with inexpensive disposable blades. This has been called the Razor and blades business model, or a "loss leader", and has become a very common practice for a wide variety of products.
There are also safety razors that are made of inexpensive materials that are meant to be wholly disposable.
The electric razor (also known as the electric dry shaver) is a common electrical shaving device with a rotating or oscillating blade. The electric razor does not require the use of shaving cream, soap, or water. The razor is powered by a small DC motor, and usually has rechargeable batteries, though early ones were powered directly by house current. Some very early mechanical shavers had no electric motor and had to be powered by hand, for example by pulling a cord to drive a flywheel.
The typical major designs include the foil variety which uses a structure of layered metal bands that partially pull out the hair before cutting off the extracted length and then allowing the remainder to retract below the skin. The other design is the rotary type with circular blade structures, usually three in a triangular arrangement which has the same shaving function.
It was patented in 1928 by the American manufacturer Col. Jacob Schick. The Remington Rand Corporation developed the electric razor further, first producing the Remington brand of razor in 1937. Another important inventor was Prof. Alexandre Horowitz, from Philips Laboratories in the Netherlands, who invented the very successful concept of the revolving electric razor. It has a shaving head consisting of cutters that cut off the hair entering the head of the razor at skin level.
Early versions of electric razors were meant to be used on dry skin only. More recent electric razors have been designed which allow for shaving cream and moisture. Some patience is necessary when starting to use a razor of this type, as the skin usually takes some time to adjust to the way that the electric razor lifts and cuts the hairs. This also requires diligence in the use of moistures.[1]
Early electric razors plugged directly into an AC outlet, but in recent decades most have been rechargeable, rontaining rechargeable batteries sealed inside the razor's case. Most manufacturers have been reluctant to divulge the chemical nature of the batteries, but one can infer from the instructions—"discharge fully, then recharge overnight"—that they use nickel cadmium batteries. Curiously, the batteries cannot be removed without using a screwdriver and a soldering iron (or wirecutters), and doing so voids the warranty; nor can one buy new batteries from the manufacturer. This differs from the practice of cell phone makers, who advertise the type of batteries and sell replacement batteries, which are easily removable without tools. Even some cordless phones have user-replaceable batteries of known composition.
In theory, one can return the razor to the "dealer" for repair, but most stores that sell such devices—and even the manufacturers—lack repair facilities. In practice, a device that fails within a month can be exchanged for a new one under the store's guarantee; or a device that fails after the store guarantee expires but before the manufacturer's warranty expires can be exchanged by the manufacterer—the store guarantee and the manufacturer's warranty are mutually exclusive. If it fails after the warranty expires, one is expected to throw it away and buy a new one, from the same company. There used to be repair shops that offered warranty service for such devices, but in the 1980's, most became mail-forwarding services that sent things to manufacturers for replacement; and most disappeared in the 1990's. It is possible that repair shops still exist, but this is not likely. [citation needed]
Some modern styles of electric hair clippers include bulk hair clippers, which are used to remove a bulk of the hair being shaved; main hair clippers, on which guards are attached to achieve a perfect length all over the head; and mini clippers, which are used to trim the edges of the haircut.
In Leviticus 19:27, Jews are bidden to refrain from "destroying" the corners of the beard. In the Talmud (Makkos 20a), this destruction is explained as the utilization of a single-bladed razor. Jews are thus prohibited from using a razor to cut the hairs of a few particular parts of their beards, and for practical purposes, those who comply with halacha as defined by rabbinic judaism refrain from the use of razors altogether.
Some Orthodox Jews, including Hassidim, refrain from cutting their beards altogether, and with the exception of occasionally trimming their moustaches when they interfere with eating, never cut their facial hair. Those who take a modern approach and shave their facial hair must utilize electric shavers. The reason why some electric shavers have been deemed permissible by some is because they cut hairs with a scissor action.
With the advent of "Lift and Cut technology" by Philips (initially marketed under the Philishave and Norelco brand names), with which shavers are said to first lift the hair with a primary blade and then slice it with a secondary blade, the question of whether or not this constitutes use of a single blade has been raised, as the secondary blade is apparently no longer working in concert with the comb of the rotary head to produce a scissor action. While the vast majority of Orthodox rabbis have banned the use of shavers utilizing Lift and Cut technology, there are those that permit it on the basis of their research conclusions that this technology does not actually perform as it claims to and the hairs are cut as though this technology has not even been implemented. For those who wish to comply with the stricter standards nonetheless, the Lift and Cut primary blades are easily removed from the rotary blade head.[2]
A single-edge razor blade was actually manufactured prior to the advent of the double edge razor, for various applications where the blade is required to be hand-held. Unlike double-edge blades, single-edge blades have only one sharp edge, usually having a reinforced back edge with no sharpness at all. In addition, they are often a more rigid steel and much thicker, as well as being less sharp (but with much sharper non-rounded corners). They are used in carpentry for detailed work, sanding, and scraping (in a specialized holder), in mechanical drawing for paper cutting, in plumbing and finish work for grouting and cleaning, for removing paint from flat surfaces such as panes of glass, and in many other applications. Razors are also sometimes used in bread production to slash the surface of an unbaked loaf; in this usage, they are referred to using the French word lamé.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Dansk (Danish)
n. - barberkniv, ragekniv, barbermaskine
v. tr. - barbere, skære ned på
v. intr. - nedskæres
idioms:
Nederlands (Dutch)
scheermes, scheren met mes, bewerken met scheermes
Français (French)
n. - rasoir
v. tr. - raser, couper au ras de
v. intr. - raser, couper au ras de
idioms:
Deutsch (German)
n. - Rasiermesser
v. - abrasieren
idioms:
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ξυράφι (ξυρίσματος)
v. - ξυρίζω
idioms:
idioms:
Português (Portuguese)
n. - navalha de barbear (f), aparelho de barbear (m)
v. - barbear, usar a navalha
idioms:
idioms:
Español (Spanish)
n. - navaja de afeitar, maquinilla de afeitar, máquina de afeitar eléctrica
v. tr. - navaja de afeitar, maquinilla de afeitar, máquina de afeitar eléctrica
v. intr. - navaja de afeitar, maquinilla de afeitar, máquina de afeitar eléctrica
idioms:
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - rakhyvel/apparat
v. - raka, (sl) dela byte
中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
剃刀, 剃, 用剃刀刮, 瓜分, 被剃刀刮
idioms:
中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 剃刀
v. tr. - 剃, 用剃刀刮, 瓜分
v. intr. - 被剃刀刮
idioms:
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 면도칼, 면도기
v. tr. - ~을 면도질하다, 나누다
v. intr. - 면도하다
idioms:
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) موس, حلاقه (فعل) يقص أو يحلق بشفرة أو موس,
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - תער, סכין גילוח
v. tr. - גילח, חתך בתער
v. intr. - חתך (משהו) כאילו בתער
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Some good "razor" pages on the web:
 American Sign Language commtechlab.msu.edu |
| razor | braun razor |
| Razor Comb | norelco razor |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Archaeology Dictionary. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Copyright © 2002, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Razor". Read more |
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