Safety razor become locked into buying their proprietary cartridges, for as long as the manufacturer continues to make them. Subsequent to introducing the higher-priced Mach3 in 1998, Gillette's blade sales realized a 50% increase, and profits increased in an otherwise mature market. The marketing of increasing numbers of blades in a cartridge has been parodied since the 1970s. The debut episode of "Saturday Night Live" in 1975 included a parody advertisement for the Triple Trac Razor, shortly after the first two-blade cartridge for men's razors was advertised. "Mad" magazine announced the "Trac 76", arranged as a chain of cartridges with a handle
Austin Cartridge Company Austin Cartridge Company Austin Cartridge Company was an Austin Powder Company subsidiary manufacturing cartridge ammunition for small arms. The company made shotgun shells and rimfire cartridges from 1895 until purchased by Western Cartridge Company in 1907. Austin Powder Company was founded in 1833 by brothers Daniel, Alvin, Lorenzo, Henry, and Linus Austin of Wilmington, Vermont. After exploring the market for gunpowder on the western frontier, they built and operated a gunpowder mill at Old Forge on the Cuyahoga River near Akron, Ohio. Early production was largely used as blasting powder for coal mining but some was sold as sporting rifle