Safety razor facts for kids
A safety razor is a special tool used for shaving. It has a protective part that sits between the sharp blade and your skin. This protection was added to make it much easier and safer for people to shave themselves. Before safety razors, many people needed a professional barber to shave them.
The idea for the safety razor was first written down in a special document called a patent in 1880. Today, you can find many kinds of safety razors. Some are made of plastic and are meant to be thrown away after a few uses. Others have blades that you can easily change when they get dull. Modern razors often have several blades, sometimes from one to five, to give a closer shave.
Contents
How Safety Razors Work
Safety razors were designed to make shaving safer. The very first safety razors had a guard that looked like a small comb. This comb-like guard was placed over the blade's edge. It was inspired by similar protective parts used on older, open-blade straight razors. These guards helped to prevent the blade from cutting the skin too deeply.
Different Types of Razors
Over time, safety razors have changed a lot.
- Single-edge razors use one blade.
- Double-edge razors have two sharp edges on one blade. You can flip the blade over to use the other side.
- Cartridge razors are very common today. They have a handle and a replaceable head, or "cartridge," that holds multiple blades. These cartridges are designed to be thrown away once the blades are dull.
Keeping Blades Sharp
To make your razor blades last longer and stay sharp, you can take good care of them. Some people used to rub their blades on a strip of old denim fabric to keep them sharp. This process is called stropping.
Most safety razor blades are made from a type of stainless steel called "razor steel." This steel can be made very, very sharp. However, it can also rust easily if it stays wet. To help your blades last longer, always dry them carefully after you use them. The salt from your skin can also make blades rust, so washing them well and drying them is a good idea.
Images for kids
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Gillette safety-razor patent drawing
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A modern double-edge safety razor blade
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A Gem Micromatic single-edge razor and a packet of blades
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Gillette Fusion five-blade cartridge
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A three-piece British 'knockout' safety razor made from Bakelite and steel, probably from between 1930s–1950s
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See also
In Spanish: Maquinilla de afeitar para niños
