The following are some of the important milestones in the history of razors that you would not ordinarily get from barber school.

30,000 BC
According to some archeologists, the cavemen are the first people to start shaving. The cavemen use flint blades that are quite sharp prior to use but become blunt after being used. These are the first disposable razors.

3000 BC
People start shaving with copper razors that can be used repeatedly. The copper razors are largely used in India and Egypt.

1500 ‚¬€ 1200 BC
The Scandinavians bring more style to shaving. They start etching a variety of images on their razors, including horses! They also keep the razors in beautiful leather carrying cases. Talk about designer razors!

500 BC
Perhaps you know something that made Alexander the Great a popular leader. However, did you know that he liked to be clean-shaven almost to the point of obsession? According to legend, Alexander would never go to battle before shaving!

300 BC
This period marks the beginning of barbershops, thanks to Publicus Ticinius Maenas, a wealthy Greek businessman. Perhaps due to his great wealth, Publicus wants people who can do the shaving for him and he hires professional barbers from Sicily. The first-shave party becomes an important ritual in celebrating the twenty-first birthday in Rome. The celebration marks the entry into adulthood.

50 BC
Julius Caesar was another leader who was obsessed with personal grooming. For example, he would use tweezers to pluck out stray hairs!

1016 AD
William the Conqueror's army defeats King Harold by disguising themselves as monks, which they achieve by cutting their hair and shaving their faces!

1500
Archeological findings show the Aztec Indians from Central and North America use volcanic glass to design their razors.

1847
William Henson, an English inventor, designs the first hoe-shaped razor, which is easier to hold. The design is still popular to date.

1901
King Camp Gillette and William Nickerson of MIT find ways of making the razor better. They design a safer double-edged razor whose blades can be replaced.

1914
Gillette signs a deal with the American Armed Forces to provide all the enlisted soldiers with safety razors and blades as they go to war. The soldiers from Europe also follow suit and start ordering the razors.

1921

Lt. Col. Jacob Schick of the U.S. Army designs the Magazine Repeating Razor that houses its replacement blades inside the handle in the same way bullets are contained in a magazine clip.

1928
Schick designs and receives a patent for an electric dry shaver, which becomes popular with young men in their 20s.

1970s
People go back to using disposable razors as the cavemen used to do.