<P> A third pivotal innovation was a safety razor using a disposable double - edge blade that King Camp Gillette submitted a patent application for in 1901 and was granted in 1904 . The success of Gillette 's invention was largely a result of his having been awarded a contract to supply the American troops in World War I with double - edge safety razors as part of their standard field kits ( delivering a total of 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades for them ) . The returning soldiers were permitted to keep that part of their equipment and therefore easily retained their new shaving habits . The subsequent consumer demand for replacement blades put the shaving industry on course toward its present form with Gillette as a dominant force . Prior to the introduction of the disposable blade , users of safety razors still needed to strop and hone the edges of their blades . These are not trivial skills ( honing frequently being left to a professional ) and remained a barrier to the ubiquitous adopting of the be your own barber ideal . </P>
<P> A third pivotal innovation was a safety razor using a disposable double - edge blade that King Camp Gillette submitted a patent application for in 1901 and was granted in 1904 . The success of Gillette 's invention was largely a result of his having been awarded a contract to supply the American troops in World War I with double - edge safety razors as part of their standard field kits ( delivering a total of 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades for them ) . The returning soldiers were permitted to keep that part of their equipment and therefore easily retained their new shaving habits . The subsequent consumer demand for replacement blades put the shaving industry on course toward its present form with Gillette as a dominant force . Prior to the introduction of the disposable blade , users of safety razors still needed to strop and hone the edges of their blades . These are not trivial skills ( honing frequently being left to a professional ) and remained a barrier to the ubiquitous adopting of the be your own barber ideal . </P>
when was the double edged safety razor invented
when was the double edged safety razor invented
1901
1901