Why did medicine cabinets have razor blade slots?

Typically, men would seek out the assistance of their local barber for help keeping that facial hair tight. It was, as they say, the best a man could get. As medicine cabinets were installed directly into walls, manufacturers added a tiny slot in the back through which shavers could dispose of their used blades.

Why do old houses have razor slots?

Razor blades are a common find in houses dating to the late 1870s. “There would have been a metal slot in the wall next to the sink to dispose of single- or double-edge Gillette razor blades. There wasn’t trash pickup or recycling like we have today, so hollow walls often served as a disposal site for unwanted items.”

Did medicine cabinets have razor blade slots?

The old razor blades seem to be a result of small slots in some medicine cabinets common in homes built before the 1970s. Before plastic, disposable razors became the norm, the slots were meant for people to “dispose” of the used blades, Reader’s Digest said.

What is a razor slot in a bathroom?

Instead of throwing a used (but still dangerous) blade into the trash can where it could be found by children or pets, shavers could deposit it through this slot into a cavity in the bathroom wall. …

Why do razor blades have holes in the middle?

The Gillette Company launched it’s first blade. It was a unique double-edge use and throw blade that was so thin that it was very flexible. In order to firmly fix the blade on the razor structure, it was required to fit it through screw mechanism. It was just a simple blade with three holes on it.

Can you throw away razor blades?

Whether the razorblade is the type used in a shaving razor, safety razor, hobby knife or utility knife, blades must be stored and disposed of with care. Wrap in tape, paper or place in a sharps container and dispose of in the garbage or at a sharps collection location.

Why do razor blades have holes?

The classic steel bladed razors had a stem and a holder for the blade. The hole simply allowed the holders containing the blade to fit in. So much thought goes into everyday items to make our lives better.

How do you dispose of old razor blades?

When did razor blades come out?

In 1901, the American inventor King Camp Gillette, with the assistance of William Nickerson, submitted a patent of a new variation of safety razor with disposable blades which was patented in 1904.

What can you do with old razor blades?

Store and Dispose of Blades With Care Whether the razorblade is the type used in a shaving razor, safety razor, hobby knife or utility knife, blades must be stored and disposed of with care. Wrap in tape, paper or place in a sharps container and dispose of in the garbage or at a sharps collection location.

Why do medicine cabinets have razor slots in them?

Eventually, medicine cabinets came with the razor-slot built-in, and for another 40 years Americans filled their wall cavities with aging metal. On one hand, shavers of yesteryear were correct in assuming that their razor blades were so thin that it would take centuries to fill the wall completely.

How did razor blades end up in the walls?

“We have found stacks of razor blades in the walls at least a dozen times when we do remodels and restorations of older homes,” said D’Angelo. “We even once found them in the ceiling of the first floor: they fell through the wall from the second-floor bathroom, down a hole made for plumbing pipes, and into the ceiling cavity of the kitchen.

How do you dispose of a used razor blade in the bathroom?

Instead of throwing a used (but still dangerous) blade into the trash can where it could be found by children or pets, shavers could deposit it through this slot into a cavity in the bathroom wall. Some of these slots are simply cut into the wall or medicine cabinet, but others were made decorative through the use of special blade slot tiles.

What happened to the wall slots in old medicine cabinets?

With the improvement and invention of newer methods of shaving, and the installation of new medicine cabinets, the wall slots were often plastered over without another thought, and this practice all but forgotten. Until someone tries to knock down an old wall, that is.