A Close Shave

I don't, as a rule, wonder about simple items we use every day. I don't wonder where they come from, how they are made or who made them. I did come across a story about the inventor of the Gillette disposal shaver that I thought was worth passing on. It is a story of perseverance and believing in yourself when no one else does. King Camp Gillette had a dream of creating a sharp but disposable razor. You would think that having a name like "King Camp" would have been hardship enough, but he set himself up for ridicule from investors, metal engineers and experts at MIT by pursuing his vision. Gillette laboured for four years creating a razor that was sharp, but yet inexpensive enough to be disposed of when it became dull. It took another six years before Gillette razors reached store shelves. Ten years of Gillette's life were devoted to creating something no one else believed in! When it finally reached stores, only 51 blades sold the first year, but in the second year, over 90,000 were purchased. Within the next few years, Gillette's disposal razors were in most homes and his creation changed the shaving industry forever. So, the next time you use - and dispose of - a Gillette shaver, take a moment to think about King Camp Gillette and his determination and belief in his himself. Knowing that sometimes even the craziest ideas are brilliant . . . it's a good thing!