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Shells, Knives and Trimmers: How Shaving Changed, Than Shaved in Antiquity
June 27 is World Inventor’s Day, so the experts of the international company for the production of trimmers and hair clippers WAHL will remember how the first shave began and what tools were used in different eras.
British illustration of the XNUMXth century. “Sunday morning”
Facial hair has always been an indicator of a man’s wealth and belonging to a particular class. At different times, a bushy beard and mustache could become the subject of masculinity and barbarism, prosperity and poverty, and caring for them – an obligatory daily ritual.
The first shaving tools
Thousands of years ago there was no civilization, and our ancestors hardly knew that modern men would shave with trimmers and razors. However, males have begun hair removal since prehistoric times. And as proof of this – rock art with smooth-shaven hunters and farmers. Excessive facial hair trapped moisture and increased the risk of frostbite, and in fierce combat could be an advantage to capture the enemy.
All kinds of improvised means were used as shaving tools: stone knives, obsidian scrapers and even shellfish shells… A more radical way was apply clay and remove unwanted hairs with a hardened crust – why is this procedure not a predecessor of shugaring?
Ancient Egyptians they removed hair with bronze scrapers not only on the face, but also on the head. By the way, it was they who became shaving technology legislators and developers. first care products: as a shaving cream, the inhabitants of the desert used a broth of arsenic, starch and hydrated lime.
1100 BC among the ancient Greeks и the Romans there were similar metal razors made of iron and bone, as well as a cream based on olive oil, ammonia and vinegar, which was considered to be milder (although now it is highly questionable).
There have been times in history when a beard and mustache were worth their weight in gold. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the invaders of the lands became barbarians, they are also trendsetters. Growing stubble was considered a sign of masculinity and power. It was only after the split of the church that the smooth chin regained its former popularity.
Exactly in the Renaissance appeared barber’s profession: To be able to use a straight razor, a master had to study for at least a year. The most virtuoso barbers were in good standing.
A straight razor from the British company Mappin. XNUMXth century
An ad for Pears shaving soap featuring a barber with a straight razor. XNUMXth century
Dangerous shaving devices
Pioneering hair care began in the Iron Age with the invention of sharp metal objects. In between battles, the military shaved off their regrown beard and mustache sabers, axes и combat knivesand. Yet the innovation that became a habit was a rather dangerous endeavor.
The engraving depicts a safety razor with one blade
The first analogue of a modern razor was single handle blade… The technical revolution took place in the XNUMXth century. English scientist William Henson invented a safe, also known as T-shaped razor, in which a double-sided blade was clamped perpendicular to the handle.
In the following decades, the shape of the razor remained virtually unchanged. Until 1919 Leo Wall invented the first ever clipper: a small motor was built into the mechanism, which set the blade in motion, and the tool itself was easily placed in the palm of your hand.
Another breakthrough was the invention of the wireless lithium-ion battery (for example, it is built into all WAHL flagship trimmers). The advantage of the technology is clear: 60 minutes of charging is enough for 240 minutes of continuous smooth shaving. In addition, each model has a wide range of attachments for both bristle care and the whole body, and the width of the blades will help you achieve the desired result quickly and safely.
Without knowing it, modern people have adopted many technologies and life hacks for perfectly smooth skin from their ancestors. Which proves once again: there is nothing better than experience tested over the centuries.