The Evolution of Shaving

At Panasonic we are proud of the legacy of innovation we have brought to the world of electric shavers. Since 1955, we have been leading the charge in bringing new and exciting features to make your shave even better. But, as we release our most innovative shavers yet, we think it’s worthwhile to look back at our own history and the role Panasonic has played in developing some of the world’s finest electric shavers!

Prior to the invention of the electric shaver, men had been shaving with straight razors, a costly and potentially painful method of removing facial hair. It was only after the invention of the rotating motor in 1931 that the first electric shavers finally entered the market. These shavers were a huge step forward, but they were almost unrecognizable to the shavers we use today. They were clunky, corded, dull and quite frankly – ugly. That is, until Panasonic got involved.

In the mid-1950s, Panasonic launched its first electric shavers. Our first innovation was to use centuries of Japanese sword making technology and apply it to our electric shaver blades. Where most shavers were using common steel, Panasonic made its shaver blades from Yasukihagane stainless steel – steel that was famously used for centuries to make Samurai swords. By 1981 we had launched our first water resistant electric shaver and in 1991 we were one of the first companies to release the 2-blade shaver (an early pre-cursor to our new 5-blade shavers).

In 1995, we blew our competition out of the water by launching the world’s first linear motor shaver. This shaver was capable of delivering thousands of strokes per minute and delivered un-precedented performance. But that wasn’t enough, in 2002 we released the world’s sharpest razor – featuring 30° inner-blades and a pivoting head. By 2011 we had launched a series of 5-blade shavers that delivered an even closer and more comfortable shaving experience and in 2015 we pioneered 3D suspension in our pivoting heads – allowing you to shave forwards and back, up and down and left-to right.

Panasonic has made a lot of progress towards perfecting shaving, but we’re not done yet. Our next step is to bring the world of shaving together with the world of smart technology to create the world’s first smart shavers! Our newest 5-blade models feature automatic beard sensor technology, biometric safety locks and 5D pivoting heads. We’re incorporating sensor technology into our razors in a way that will revolutionize shaving. So throw out your old pre-historic shavers and invest in a new Panasonic shaver, because we are investing in the future and together we will bring shaving into the 21st century.

To view the evolution of Panasonic’s shavers, check out the image gallery below and marvel and just how far we have come!