"While this is a most useful reference on early safety razors -- and even straight razors, with its coverage of guarded straights --it's the stories of the players in this business that really shine. Waits' book shows that the shaving-device inventors and promoters were often fascinating characters, and he tells their tales in detail: the lace industry machinist who first labored to produce a steam-powered flying machine, the engineer who "undergrounded" New York's railway system, the purveyor of quack medical appliances, and a host of others. More than just a reference, this is an enjoyable read; I can't help but think that if the masses were to discover this book, a lot more folks would find themselves inspired to collect these interesting old shaving devices."