American Safety Razor Company
American Safety Razor Company was an American manufacturer of shaving, personal-care, medical, and industrial blades.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
American Safety Razor Company was an American shaving and blade manufacturer whose corporate history grew out of several nineteenth-century safety-razor businesses. Its immediate corporate foundation came in 1906, when Gem Cutlery Company and Ever-Ready were combined. The enterprise later incorporated the Star Safety Razor business and adopted the American Safety Razor Corporation name in 1919. Although the company is frequently associated with its Personna, Gem, Ever-Ready, Pal, and Treet products, its business extended beyond consumer shaving into shaving accessories, complementary toiletries, medical blades, and industrial cutting products. The company’s roots reach back to the Kampfe brothers, German immigrants who established a tool-and-die operation in Brooklyn and developed the Star safety razor. Their work helped establish an American safety-razor manufacturing tradition before the formation of American Safety Razor Company itself. Gem Cutlery, founded in 1898 by Jerry Reichard after his employment with the Kampfe brothers, became an important competitor in single-edge shaving. Reichard later established the business that became Ever-Ready, and Gem and Ever-Ready merged in 1906. The combined company moved away from earlier wedge-blade construction and introduced a single-edge rib-back blade design that became an enduring part of its product heritage. American Safety Razor expanded its portfolio during the twentieth century. It introduced Ever-Ready shaving brushes, created the Safetee Soap Corporation subsidiary for shaving soaps, creams, powders, talc, and aftershave products, and acquired the Pal Blade Company in 1953. That transaction brought the Pal, Treet, and Personna names into the company’s portfolio. Personna later became especially important to the business and was used for stainless-steel and other advanced blade products. In 1974, the American Line Brand extended the company’s activities into industrial blades. Ownership changed several times. Philip Morris acquired American Safety Razor in 1960 as part of a diversification strategy. Management later bought the business back in 1977. The company experienced financial deterioration after 2008 and lost Walmart as its largest customer in 2010. It filed for bankruptcy in July 2010, and Energizer Holdings acquired the business in November of that year for $301 million. Energizer subsequently placed its personal-care operations into Edgewell Personal Care through a 2015 corporate spinoff. The industrial-blade activities associated with Personna were later separated from Edgewell and renamed AccuTec Blades by their new owners. As a result, American Safety Razor Company is no longer generally presented as an independent operating company, while products and businesses derived from its portfolio continue under successor ownership and brand structures.
History
American Safety Razor Company’s corporate history began with several related safety-razor enterprises in Brooklyn, New York. In 1870, Frederick, Otto, and Richard Kampfe, immigrants from Saxony, established a tool-and-die shop. Frederick Kampfe adapted the straight razor by shortening its blade and placing it in a protective frame. The resulting device became known as Kampfe’s rake and was first made for acquaintances and customers. The brothers formed Star Safety Razor in 1875, and on June 15, 1880, received a United States patent for the Star Razor, identified as the first safety razor produced in the United States. Jerry Reichard, who had worked for the Kampfe brothers for 23 years, founded Gem Cutlery Company in 1898. Gem’s first product, the Gem Safety Razor, drew substantially on the Star design but achieved stronger sales. In 1903, Reichard left Gem and formed a new business with August Scheuber. Initially called Reichard & Scheuber Manufacturing Company, it became the Yankee Company and produced wedge-blade razors under the Yankee, Mohican, and Winner names. The business was renamed Ever-Ready in 1905. Gem and Ever-Ready merged in 1906 and were incorporated as American Safety Razor Company. The new company abandoned the earlier wedge-blade format in favor of a single-edge rib-back blade introduced in 1906. It also developed shaving accessories, including Ever-Ready shaving brushes, which were produced from 1915 until the early 1990s. In December 1919, the Safetee Soap Corporation was established as a subsidiary to make complementary shaving soaps, creams, powders, talc, and aftershave lotions. In the same year, Gem and Ever-Ready were combined with Star, and the resulting company was chartered in Virginia as American Safety Razor Corporation while razor and blade manufacturing remained in Brooklyn. By 1921, the business had produced 1.8 million safety razors, 110 million blades, one million shaving brushes, and two million cakes of soap. The company continued to develop consumer-facing products and marketing. By 1942, it had introduced and popularized the expression “five o’clock shadow.” In 1953, it acquired the Pal Blade Company, adding the Pal, Treet, and Personna names to its portfolio. The factory moved from Brooklyn to Staunton, Virginia, in 1954 after redevelopment plans associated with the Brooklyn City Planning Commission affected the original industrial site. The former factory at 333 Jay Street later became a campus of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Seeking diversification, Philip Morris acquired American Safety Razor in 1960. The company became the first blade maker to produce stainless-steel blades in 1963, selling them under the Personna name. Philip Morris also acquired the Burma-Vita Company, maker of Burma-Shave, in 1968. In 1970, American Safety Razor introduced the Personna 74, a tungsten-steel blade. Its move into industrial products became more explicit in 1974 with the American Line Brand. In 1977, company executives purchased Personna American Safety Razor Company from Philip Morris in a management buyout. The business later encountered financial pressure. Earnings declined from 2008, and the loss of Walmart as its largest customer in early 2010 contributed to a bankruptcy filing in July of that year. Energizer Holdings purchased American Safety Razor in November 2010 for $301 million. Energizer’s personal-care operations were spun off as Edgewell Personal Care in 2015. Edgewell subsequently announced plans to reduce or divest industrial-blade production and sold the Personna Industrial Division to an investment group, which renamed it AccuTec Blades. American Safety Razor Company therefore survives primarily through successor businesses and continuing product names rather than as a separately operating corporate entity.
- 2015
Personal-care business becomes Edgewell
[1]Energizer spun off its personal-care division as Edgewell Personal Care; the Personna Industrial Division was later sold and renamed AccuTec Blades.
- 2010
Bankruptcy and Energizer acquisition
[1]The company filed for bankruptcy in July and was acquired by Energizer Holdings in November for $301 million.
- 1977
Management buyout
[1]Company executives purchased Personna American Safety Razor Company from Philip Morris.
- 1974
Industrial-blade business expands
[1]The American Line Brand was introduced to broaden the company’s industrial product range.
- 1970
Personna 74 launches
[1]The company introduced the Personna 74, a blade made with tungsten steel.
- 1963
Personna stainless-steel blades introduced
[1]American Safety Razor introduced stainless-steel blades under the Personna name.
- 1960
Philip Morris acquires the company
[1]Philip Morris purchased American Safety Razor as part of a diversification program.
- 1954
Manufacturing moves to Staunton
[1]The factory relocated from Brooklyn, New York, to Staunton, Virginia.
- 1953
Pal Blade Company is acquired
[1]The acquisition added the Pal, Treet, and Personna names to the company’s blade portfolio.
- 1919
Corporate consolidation and Safetee Soap subsidiary
[1]Star joined Gem and Ever-Ready in the American Safety Razor Corporation structure, while Safetee Soap Corporation was formed to supply complementary shaving products.
Products and positioning
A vertically expanding blade and personal-care manufacturer serving consumer shaving, professional, medical, and industrial applications.
Consumer and professional razor blades · 1953
Personna
Personna became one of American Safety Razor’s best-known blade names after the 1953 acquisition of Pal Blade Company. The line covered consumer shaving blades and professional products, including stainless-steel blades introduced in 1963 and the tungsten-steel Personna 74 introduced in 1970. Personna products also formed the basis for later industrial-blade activities that were separated from the personal-care business.
Single-edge safety razors and blades · 1898
Gem
Gem was the shaving business founded by Jerry Reichard in 1898. Its Gem Safety Razor drew on the earlier Star design and became a major predecessor product to American Safety Razor’s single-edge razor activities. Gem was consolidated into the American Safety Razor structure in 1906.
Razors, blades, and shaving accessories · 1905
Ever-Ready
Ever-Ready was the successor to Reichard and Scheuber’s Yankee business, which produced wedge-blade razors under several names. Renamed in 1905, it merged with Gem in 1906. Ever-Ready later became particularly associated with shaving brushes, manufactured from 1915 until the early 1990s, as well as razors and blades.
Razor blades · 1953
Pal
Pal entered American Safety Razor’s portfolio through the 1953 purchase of Pal Blade Company. The name represented one of the company’s continuing consumer blade brands alongside Treet and Personna.
Razor blades · 1953
Treet
Treet was added to the American Safety Razor portfolio through the acquisition of Pal Blade Company in 1953. It was one of the blade names that continued beyond the transaction and remained associated with the company’s shaving-product heritage.
Industrial blades · 1974
American Line Brand
Introduced in 1974, American Line Brand represented American Safety Razor’s expansion beyond personal shaving into industrial cutting products. The line formed part of the company’s broader diversification into industrial blade applications.
Shaving toiletries · 1919
Safetee shaving products
Safetee Soap Corporation was formed as an American Safety Razor subsidiary in 1919. It produced complementary shaving soaps, creams, powders, talc, and aftershave lotions, allowing the company to extend from razors and blades into a wider shaving-care offering.
Brand decisions
2015
Separation of personal-care and industrial activitiesStrategyBackground
Energizer reorganized its portfolio and separated personal-care operations from other activities.
Action taken
Energizer spun off its personal-care division as Edgewell Personal Care, while the Personna Industrial Division was subsequently sold to an investment group.
Aftermath
The industrial division was renamed AccuTec Blades, leaving the American Safety Razor heritage distributed across successor businesses.
2010
Bankruptcy filingOtherBackground
Declining earnings after 2008 and the loss of Walmart as the company’s largest customer placed pressure on the business.
Action taken
American Safety Razor filed for bankruptcy in July 2010.
Aftermath
The filing preceded Energizer Holdings’ acquisition of the company later that year.
2010
Sale to Energizer HoldingsM&ABackground
Following its bankruptcy filing, American Safety Razor required a new owner and operating structure.
Action taken
Energizer Holdings acquired American Safety Razor Company in November 2010.
Aftermath
The shaving and blade business entered Energizer’s personal-care operations and was later associated with Edgewell Personal Care.
Acquisition price. $301 million (November 2010)
1977
Management buyout from Philip MorrisM&ABackground
After operating under Philip Morris, company executives sought to regain control of the razor business.
Action taken
Executives purchased Personna American Safety Razor Company from Philip Morris.
Aftermath
The company returned to management ownership before its later financial distress and sale to Energizer.
1974
Expansion into industrial bladesStrategyBackground
The company sought diversification beyond consumer shaving products.
Action taken
American Safety Razor introduced the American Line Brand for industrial products.
Aftermath
Industrial blades became a distinct part of the company’s portfolio and later successor businesses.
1970
Introduction of Personna 74Product launchBackground
American Safety Razor continued experimenting with blade materials and product performance.
Action taken
It introduced the Personna 74, made with tungsten steel.
Aftermath
The product became a notable example of the company’s premium blade development.
1963
Launch of Personna stainless-steel bladesProduct launchBackground
The company was developing blade materials beyond conventional steel formats.
Action taken
It introduced stainless-steel blades under the Personna brand.
Aftermath
Personna became associated with the company’s material and performance innovations.
1960
Philip Morris acquisitionM&ABackground
Philip Morris was pursuing diversification beyond its established tobacco operations.
Action taken
Philip Morris acquired American Safety Razor.
Aftermath
American Safety Razor operated within Philip Morris until a management buyout in 1977.
1953
Acquisition of Pal Blade CompanyM&ABackground
American Safety Razor sought to strengthen and broaden its branded blade portfolio.
Action taken
The company purchased Pal Blade Company and obtained the Pal, Treet, and Personna names.
Aftermath
Personna became a central product identity in the company’s consumer and professional blade activities.
1919
Expansion into shaving toiletriesStrategyBackground
The company sought to complement its razor and blade products with consumable shaving-care items.
Action taken
It formed Safetee Soap Corporation as a subsidiary producing shaving soaps, creams, powders, talc, and aftershave lotions.
Aftermath
The company developed a broader personal-care portfolio alongside its core blade business.
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