Life, 1917-08-16 · page 29 of 40
Life — August 16, 1917 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. The page markets the AutoStrop Safety Razor to military servicemen during what appears to be World War I or the interwar period. The two photographs show soldiers and sailors in field conditions—one group at a riverside, another near naval vessels. These images establish the practical problem the ad addresses: military personnel lack access to blade sharpening supplies and must shave in harsh conditions (cold water, tender skin from exposure). The advertisement's pitch is straightforward: the AutoStrop razor's built-in stropping mechanism allows soldiers to maintain sharp blades without external shops or supplies. The circular inset portraits likely show satisfied servicemen, though specific identities are unclear. This represents period marketing that leveraged patriotic appeals and military lifestyle imagery to sell consumer goods to troops and those preparing for service.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Both Arms of the Service EN in both arms of the service must shave with the razor they have with them. There is no shop at hand for keeping razor blades sharp. There is no nearby store where blades can be purchased. The beard of the soldier or marine is stubborn from neglect, his skin is tender from exposure, his shaving water is cold. THIS RAZOR KEEPS ITS OWN BLADES SHARP Think of the comfort to such men of a razor that keeps its own blades sharp and free from rust, Such comfort is pos- sible only with the AutoStrop Razor for it is the only razor that sharpens its own blades. It is a safety razor and a blade sharpener combined. The blade is stropped without being removed. The razor is cleaned without taking apart. Its equipment of twelve blades will give at least five hundred clean, smooth shaves. Cold water, tender skin or heavy beard makes no difference. Before you go to the front or training camp sce the Auto- Strop Razor. Try it out and you will decide it is the true military razor—the one you want to take along. AutoStrop Safety Razor AutoStrop Safety Razor Co. 345 Fifth Avenue New York AutoStrop Safety Razor Co., Ltd. 83 Duke Street Toronto, Canada