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36-461: A cutler is a maker of cutlery . Cutler may also refer to: Cutlery Cutlery (also referred to as silverware , flatware , or tableware ) includes any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in Western culture . A person who makes or sells cutlery is called a cutler . While most cutlers were historically men, women could be cutlers too; Agnes Cotiller

72-423: A basic razor with a handle attached to a head where a removable blade may be placed. The edge was then protected by a comb patterned on the head to protect the skin. In the more modern-day produced safety razors, the comb is now more commonly replaced by a safety bar. There are two types of safety razors, single-edged and double-edged. The single-edged razor is essentially a 4-centimetre (1.6 in) long segment of

108-600: A double-edged safety razor with replaceable blades. Gillette's idea was the use of the " loss leader " concept, in which the razors were sold at a loss, but the replacement blades earned a high margin and provided continuous sales. They were immensely successful because of advertising campaigns and slogans denigrating the straight razor's effectiveness and questioning its safety. These new safety razors did not require any serious tutelage to use. The blades were extremely hard to sharpen, were meant to be thrown away after one use, and rusted quickly if not discarded. They also required

144-444: A horizontally shaver’s foil and cutter block technology. Thick, rigid, single-edged razors such as utility knives are used for various hand-held tasks. Applications include detailed carpentry work like sanding and scraping (in a specialized holder), paper cutting for technical drawing , plumbing , and finish work such as grouting and cleaning, and removing paint from flat surfaces such as panes of glass. Unlike shaving razors,

180-557: A pin through its tang between two protective pieces called scales: when folded into the scales, the blade is protected from damage, and the user is protected. Handle scales are made of various materials, including mother-of-pearl, celluloid, bone, plastic, and wood. Once made of ivory , this has been discontinued, although fossil ivory is used occasionally. These razors are similar in use and appearance to straight razors, but use disposable blades, either standard double-edged cut in half or specially made single edge. These shavettes are used in

216-457: A popular biodegradable alternative. Bamboo (although not a wood) and maple are popular choices. Edible cutlery is made from dried grains. These are made primarily with rice, millets or wheat. Since rice cultivation needs a lot of water, manufacturers market millet based products as more environment friendly. The batter is baked in moulds which hardens it. Some manufacturers offer an option of flavoured cutlery. Edible cutlery decomposes in about

252-638: A sharp edge well, and is less likely to break in service. After fabrication, the knife had to be sharpened, originally on a grindstone , but from the late medieval period in a blade mill or (as they were known in the Sheffield region) a cutlers wheel. Introduced for convenience purposes (lightweight, no cleanup after the meal required), disposable cutlery made of plastic has become a huge worldwide market. Along with other disposable tableware (paper plates, plastic table covers, disposable cups , paper napkins , etc.), these products have become essential for

288-456: A smaller initial investment, though they cost more over time. Despite its long-term advantages, the straight razor lost significant market share. As shaving became less intimidating and men began to shave themselves more, the demand for barbers providing straight razor shaves decreased. In 1960, stainless steel blades which could be used more than once became available, reducing the cost of safety-razor shaving. The first such blades were made by

324-477: A straight razor or to a razor "the cutting blade which is at right angles with the handle, and resembles somewhat the form of a common hoe." Around 1875 a new design with a smaller blade placed on top of a handle was marketed by the Kampfe Brothers as "the best available shaving method on the market that won’t cut a user, like straight steel razors." The term safety razor was first used in 1880 and described

360-434: A straight razor with its blade surrounded by a wooden sleeve. The earliest razor guards had comb-like teeth and could only be attached to one side of a razor; a reversible guard was one of the first improvements made to guard razors. An early description of a safety razor similar in form to the ones used today is found on William Samuel Henson 's 1847 patent application for a comb tooth guard. This guard could be attached to

396-465: A straight razor. The double-edged safety razor is a razor with a slant bar that can be used on both sides, with two open edges. The blade on the double-edged safety razor is slightly curved to allow for a smoother and cleaner shave. In 1901, the American inventor King Camp Gillette , with the assistance of William Nickerson, submitted a patent for a new variation of safety razor with disposable blades which

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432-568: A very common practice for a wide variety of products. Many other brands of safety razors have come and gone. Much of the competition was based on designing blades that would fit only one style of razor until the blade shape was standardized by the inclusion of a multi-faceted central channel to the blade which would accommodate the various designs of blade securing systems; e.g., three pins, a slender metal bar, etc. Even today, these various securing forms still persist in their variety in DE razors, all accepting

468-400: A week if disposed. At Sheffield the trade of cutler became divided, with allied trades such as razormaker , awl bladesmith, shearsmith and forkmaker emerging and becoming distinct trades by the 18th century. Before the mid 19th century when cheap mild steel became available due to new methods of steelmaking , knives (and other edged tools) were made by welding a strip of steel on to

504-490: Is gaining popularity. Some manufacturers coat their products in food-safe plant oils, waxes and lemon juice for a longer shelf life making these safe for human use. Cutlery is then cured for a few days before leaving the manufacturing plant. Traditional centres of cutlery-making include: Razor While the razor has been in existence since before the Bronze Age (the oldest razor-like object has been dated to 18,000 BC ),

540-409: Is made for disposable use, and is frequently used outdoors for camping , excursions , and barbecues for instance. Plastic cutlery is also commonly used at fast-food or take-away outlets and provided with airline meals in economy class. Plastic is also used for children's cutlery. It is often thicker and more durable than disposable plastic cutlery. Wooden disposable cutlery is available as

576-561: The Middle English word 'cuteler' and this in turn derives from Old French 'coutelier' which comes from 'coutel'; meaning knife (modern French: couteau). The word's early origins can be seen in the Latin word 'culter' (knife). Sterling silver is the traditional material from which good quality cutlery is made. Historically, silver had the advantage over other metals of being less chemically reactive. Chemical reactions between certain foods and

612-468: The Wilkinson firm, famous maker of ceremonial swords, in Sheffield. Soon Gillette , Schick , and other manufacturers were making stainless steel blades. These were followed by multiple-blade cartridges and disposable razors. For each type of replaceable blade, there is generally a disposable razor. In the 1930s, electric razors became available. These can rival the cost of a good straight razor, although

648-517: The fast food and catering industry. The products are emblematic of throw-away societies and the cause of millions of tons of non-biodegradable plastic waste . The European Union has banned such plastic products from 3 July 2021 as part of the European Plastics Strategy . Bans are also planned in the UK and Canada. As an ecofriendly alternative to non-degradable plastic, wooden cutlery

684-545: The knife , fork and spoon . These three implements first appeared together on tables in Britain in the Georgian era . In recent times, hybrid versions of cutlery have been made combining the functionality of different eating implements, including the spork ( sp oon / f ork ), spife ( sp oon / kn ife ), and knork ( kn ife / f ork ). The sporf or splayd combines all three. The word cutler derives from

720-431: The 20th century and remained common in many countries until the 1950s. Barbers were specially trained to give customers a thorough and quick shave, and a collection of straight razors ready for use was a common sight in most barbershops. Modern-day barbers still keep straight razors, but they use them less often. Straight razors eventually fell out of fashion. Their first challenger was manufactured by King C. Gillette :

756-615: The 4th millennium BC. Razors were used and manufactured in Kerma during the Bronze Age. Several razors as well as other personal hygiene artifacts were recovered from Bronze Age burials in northern Europe and are believed to belong to high-status individuals. The Roman historian Livy reported that the razor was introduced in ancient Rome in the 6th century BC by the legendary king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus . The first modern straight razor, complete with decorated handles and hollow ground blades,

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792-534: The British metallurgist Harry Brearley discovered stainless steel by chance, bringing affordable cutlery to the masses. This metal has come to be the predominant one used in cutlery. An alternative is melchior , corrosion-resistant nickel and copper alloy, which can also sometimes contain manganese and nickel-iron. Titanium has also been used to make cutlery for its lower thermal conductivity and weight savings compared to steel, with uses in camping. Plastic cutlery

828-540: The French to adopt the process and only did so after they saw its success in France. Sheffield steel (also called Sheffield silver steel) is a highly polished steel, famous for its deep gloss finish. It is considered to be of superior quality and is still used to this day in France by such manufacturers as Thiers Issard . In the 18th and 19th centuries, the wealthy had servants to shave them or could visit barbershops. Daily shaving

864-429: The cutlery metal can lead to unpleasant tastes. Gold is even less reactive than silver, but the use of gold cutlery was confined to the exceptionally wealthy, such as monarchs. Steel was always used for more utilitarian knives, and pewter was used for some cheaper items, especially spoons. From the nineteenth century, electroplated nickel silver (EPNS) was used as a cheaper substitute for sterling silver. In 1913,

900-780: The most common types of razors currently used are the safety razor and the electric razor. Razors have been identified from many Bronze Age cultures. These were made of bronze or obsidian and were generally oval-shaped, with a small tang protruding from one of the short ends. Various forms of razors were used throughout history, which were different in appearance but similar in use to modern straight razors. In prehistoric times clam shells, shark teeth, and flint were sharpened and used to shave with. Drawings of such blades were found in prehistoric caves. Some tribes still use blades made of flint to this day. Excavations in Egypt have unearthed solid gold and copper razors in tombs dating back to

936-410: The piece of iron that was to be formed into a knife, or sandwiching a strip of steel between two pieces of iron. This was done because steel was then a much more expensive commodity than iron. Modern blades are sometimes laminated , but for a different reason. Since the hardest steel is brittle, a layer of hard steel may be laid between two layers of a milder, less brittle steel, for a blade that keeps

972-428: The same universal blade design. Exploiting the same razor and blades business model as pioneered in the early 20th century, cartridge razors were developed in the 1960s and are now the most common form of shaving in developed countries. Although designed to have a more ergonomic shape at both the handle and head (including commonly a pivoted head which keeps the blades angled to the skin at a predetermined angle through

1008-407: The same way as straight razors but do not require stropping and honing. The first step towards a safer-to-use razor was the guard razor – also called a straight safety razor – which added a protective guard to a regular straight razor. The first such razor was most likely invented by a French cutler Jean-Jacques Perret circa 1762. The invention was inspired by the joiner's plane and was essentially

1044-665: The shaving motion), the concept is very similar to that of the double edge razor. However, here, the entire head assembly (a cartridge) is removed and disposed of, not just the blade. It is also common for these cartridge heads to have multiple razor blades set into them, commonly between two and five blades. In 2023, US-based retailers sold 20 percent fewer razor blades than in 2019. Disposable safety razors are highly similar in design to cartridge razors, constructed from inexpensive materials (most commonly injection molded polycarbonate) , yet are meant to be wholly disposable after use with no blade sharpening or replacement possible. One device

1080-710: The whole straight-razor shaving kit can exceed the cost of even an expensive electric razor. Straight razors with open steel blades, also commonly known as cut-throats, were the most commonly used razors before the 20th century. Straight razors consist of a blade sharpened on one edge. The blade can be made of either stainless steel, which is slower to hone and strop , but it is easier to maintain since it does not stain easily, or high carbon steel, which hones and strops quickly and keeps its edge well, but rusts and stains easily if not cleaned and dried promptly. At present, stainless-steel razors are harder to find than carbon steel, but both remain in production. The blade rotates on

1116-661: Was constructed in Sheffield , in England; in the 18th and 19th centuries, England was considered to be the center of the cutlery industry. Benjamin Huntsman produced the first superior hard steel grade, through a special crucible process, suitable for use as blade material in 1740, though it was first rejected in England. Huntsman's process was adopted by the French sometime later; albeit reluctantly at first because of nationalist sentiments. English manufacturers were even more reluctant than

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1152-529: Was invented by John F. O’Rourke in 1898. Industrial production of electric razor machines started in 1937 by the US company Remington Rand based on the patent of Jacob Schick from 1928. Since 1939 the Dutch company Philips has produced electric razor machines. One of the main differences between electric razors is the shaving technology they use. Usually, electric shaving machines use several round rotating shaving blades or

1188-712: Was invented in 1963 by American entertainer and inventor Paul Winchell . Safety razor life may be extended by drying the blades after use. The electric razor (also known as an electric dry shaver) has a rotating or oscillating blade. Its use typically does not require the use of shaving cream , soap, or water. The razor may be powered by a small DC motor , which is either powered by batteries or mains electricity . Many modern-day models are powered using rechargeable batteries . Alternatively, some models use an electro-mechanical oscillator driven by an AC-energized solenoid . Some early mechanical shavers had no electric motor and had to be powered by hand. The first electric razor

1224-401: Was not a widespread practice in the 19th century; some never shaved at all. The custom of everyday shaving among American men only began after World War I . Men were required to shave daily so their gas masks would fit properly. This became much easier with the introduction of the safety razor, which was standard issue during the war. Straight razors were the most common form of shaving before

1260-402: Was patented in 1904. One reason was that shaving with a safety razor should be safer and more convenient than shaving with a classic straight razor with a sharp blade. The thick grip of these safety razors can be reused. Gillette realized that a profit could be made by selling an inexpensive razor with disposable blades. This has been called the razor and blades business model , and has become

1296-578: Was working as a cutler in London in 1346, and training a woman apprentice, known as Juseana. The city of Sheffield in England has been famous for the production of cutlery since the 17th century and a train – the Master Cutler – running from Sheffield to London was named after the industry. Bringing affordable cutlery to the masses, stainless steel was developed in Sheffield in the early 20th century. The major items of cutlery in Western culture are

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