Col. Jacob Schick was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 inventor and entrepreneur who patented the first electric razor and started the Schick Dry Shaver, Inc.

Schick (razors)

Schick is a brand of safety razors by Wilkinson Sword, a subsidiary of Energizer Holdings. It was founded in 1926 by Jacob Schick as the Magazine Repeating Razor Company. In 1934, Schick introduced its highly successful single blade safety razor system, that stored ten blades in a steel injector...

 razor company. 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.

Early life

At age 16, Schick was in charge of a rail line that ran from Los Corrillos, New Mexico to a coal mine opened by his father. Schick enlisted in the 14th Infantry Regiment 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 retired 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

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

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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.

Inventions

Successfully patented first electric razor in November, 1923. Also patented the General Jacobs Boat for use in shallow water, and an improved pencil sharpener

Pencil sharpener

A pencil sharpener is a device for sharpening a pencil's writing point by shaving away its worn surface. Pencil sharpeners may be operated manually or by an electric motor.-History:...

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Later life

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.