Jacob Schick

Col. Jacob Schick (September 16, 1877 – July 3, 1937) was an American inventor and entrepreneur who patented the first electric razor and started the Schick Dry Shaver, Inc. razor company.[1] He is the father of electric razors. Schick became a Canadian citizen in 1935 to avoid an investigation by the Joint Congressional Committee on Tax Evasion & Avoidance after he moved most of his wealth to a series of holding companies in the Bahamas.

Jacob Schick
Born(1877-09-16)September 16, 1877
Ottumwa, Iowa, United States
Died(1937-07-03)July 3, 1937 (age 59)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Resting placeMount Royal Cemetery, Montreal
OccupationInventor, Entrepreneur
Known forPioneer of Electric razor

Early life

At the early age of 16, Schick was in charge of a railroad line that ran from Los Corrillos, New Mexico to a coal mine opened by his father. Schick enlisted in the 14th Infantry Regiment in 1898 and was shortly thereafter assigned to the Philippines in the 1st Division 8th Army Corps. He returned to the Philippines from 1903-1905 as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 8th Infantry Regiment. He returned to the U.S. suffering from dysentery, where one version of the invention story claims he conceived of the idea of an electric razor. He was promoted to first lieutenant and was transferred to the 22nd Infantry Regiment in Alaska a year later, where he helped to lay telegraph lines for the military. He officially separated from the military in 1910, but returned to duty from 1916-1918 as a Captain (eventually promoted to Lt. Colonel) due to the outbreak of World War I.

An early Schick electric shaver advertisement.

Business

Jacob Schick's first business venture, the Magazine Repeating Razor Co. (Founded 1925) sold a razor with injection cartridge blades designed much like a repeating rifle, where the blades were sold in clips that could be loaded into the razor without touching the blade. This business provided the necessary capital to develop his electric razor concept when he sold it to the American Chain & Cable Company in 1928.[2]

Inventions

Successfully patented first electric razor in May, 1930.[3] Also patented the General Jacobs Boat for use in shallow water, and an improved pencil sharpener.

Later life
Detail of Schick's funeral monument in Mount Royal Cemetery, in Montreal.

After moving to Canada, Schick died from complications due to a kidney operation. He was survived by his wife Florence Leavitt Schick Stedman, and his two daughters Virginia and Barbara. He is buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal, Quebec.

References
  1. "Jacob Schick". NNDB. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
  2. "Col. Jacob Schick (1878-1937)". Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
  3. "Jacob Schick Invents the Electric Razor – Today in History: May 13 - ConnecticutHistory.org". connecticuthistory.org.
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