Origins & Early Life

King Camp Gillette (January 5, 1855 – July 9, 1932) was an American businessman who invented a bestselling safety razor and was the founder of the Gillette razor company. Gillette's innovation was the thin, inexpensive, disposable blade of stamped steel. Gillette is often erroneously credited with inventing the so-called razor-and-blades business model, in which razors are sold cheaply to increase the market for blades. However, Gillette Safety Razor Company adopted the business model from its competitors.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Gillette paternal ancestors were French Huguenots who sought refuge in England in the late 16th century. One or two generations later, in 1630, Nathan Gillette sailed from England to the newly founded Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America. King Camp Gillette was born on January 5, 1855, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and raised in Chicago, Illinois. His family survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Gillette joined the Baltimore Crown Cork and Seal Company in 1891 and developed a close friendship with the founder, William Painter, inventor of the disposable metal bottle cap ("crown cork").

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Painter advised him, "King, you are always thinking and inventing something...

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• 1855 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1855
• January 5 (01-05) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 5
• 1932 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1932
• July 9 (07-09) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 9