Born: 16-Sep-1877 [1]
Birthplace: Ottumwa, IA
Died: 3-Jul-1937
Location of death: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Cause of death: Kidney failure
Remains: Buried, Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Inventor, Business

Nationality: Canada
Executive summary: Electric razor

Military service: US Army (1898-1910, 1916-18; to Lt Col.)

Jacob Schick said that he first conceived of the idea of an electric razor while recovering from dysentery, which made struggling to the sink for a daily shave an arduous task. It took him more than a decade to overcome the technical challenges and devise a machine for shaving without soap and water. Along the way his first business venture was a traditional razor with injection cartridge blades, allowing users to replace blades without touching the sharp edges. He also patented a boat for shallow water use and an improved pencil sharpener.

His first electric razor required the use of two hands, one to hold the bulky engine, while the other hand held the whirling razor attached to the motor by a dangling cord. The two-handed Schick dry razor was introduced in 1929, but sales were sluggish until the one-handed model was introduced in 1931. By 1933 Schick was a millionaire, and his company relocated offshore to escape American corporate taxes. He transferred most of his wealth to four holding companies in the Bahamas, and as the Joint Congressional Committee on Tax Evasion & Avoidance looked into this arrangement he made the investigation moot by moving to Montreal and becoming a Canadian citizen. Schick's company is now owned by Energizer Holdings.

    Schick Dry Razor Co. Founder & President (1929-37)
    Magazine Repeating Razor Co. Founder & President (1925-28)
    Naturalized Canadian Citizen 1935
    Renounced US Citizenship 1935

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