Razor and blades model the disposable safety razor and founder of Gillette Safety Razor Company, Gillette did not originate this model. The urban legend about Gillette is that he realized that a disposable razor blade would not only be convenient, but also generate a continuous revenue stream. To foster that stream, he sold razors at an artificially low price to create the market for the blades. But Gillette razors were expensive when they were first introduced and the price only went down after his patents expired: it was his competitors who invented the razors-and-blades model. This model has been used in several businesses for
Safety razor professional) and remained a barrier to the ubiquitous adopting of the "be your own barber" ideal. The first safety razors used a single-edge blade that was essentially a 4 cm long segment of a straight razor. A flat blade that could be used alternately with this "wedge" was first illustrated in a patent issued in 1878, serving as a close prototype for the single-edge blade in its present form. New single-edge razors were developed and used side-by-side with double-edge razors for decades. The largest manufacturers were the American Safety Razor Company with its "Ever-Ready" series, and the Gem Cutlery Company