Forfex the Hair Clipper and the Way of Bosch

A hair trimmer as the forerunner of the hammer drill, the angle grinder, and the cordless screwdriver? Hard to believe, right? But Bosch's journey into the world of power actually began with this unexpected pioneer.

More than just cars

Bosch's power tools saga kicked off with a serious shakeup in the European car scene, due to the collapse of the global economy toward the end of the 20s. Sales had plummeted around 40 percent, forcing hundreds of small European automakers into insolvency or to merge with others, such as Benz and Daimler. As an automotive supplier, Bosch was also hit hard and had to take swift action to become less dependent on the automotive industry by offering new products that were both attractive and commercially successful.

It was none other than Robert Bosch himself who dropped the wisdom bomb on Hermann Steinhart, head of the design department, “Mr. Steinhart, we need other products to keep our production lines running!” Steinhart then showed Bosch a handy electric hair trimmer, courtesy of Ernst Eisemann, the brain behind the company that Bosch had acquired a few years back.

Eisemann was an inventor who had designed and built the hair trimmer in his own workshop. It had a small electric motor in the handle, a game-changer from the traditional trimmers with suspended motors and flexible shafts. Only hiccup? Steinhart called out the device’s inadequate electrical fuse. Bosch laid eyes on the trimmer and told Steinhart to turn this experimental one-off into a market hit. They used Resitex, an almost indestructible plastic from the Bosch “isolith plant” near Stuttgart, for the housing. And boom, 1928 saw the birth of the Forfex hair clipper. Bosch subsidiary Eisemann handled manufacturing and sales, although the motors came from Bosch.

In 1928, the Forfex hair clipper proudly became the first Bosch power tool to be launched on the market. Barbers loved it, and this set Bosch on a path to craft more power tools – all with that motor-in-the-handle principle. Bosch engineers fine-tuned these tools from 1930 onward, starting with manufacturing needs at Bosch itself. They proved particularly useful for screwdriving and grinding on the production line. By 1932, Bosch was extending the love to builders and craftsmen. The Bosch hammer, the world’s first electric hammer drill with a swirl hammer mechanism, proved to be a beast in relentless use.

Check out the figure below for a quick rundown of the major 20th-century events, you know, the social and political happenings that had a real impact on the construction scene and lit a fire under electrical appliance innovation. Right off the bat, you can see how the Industrial Revolution and the whole mass production/assembly line deal in factories played a major role. Also, don't forget that right after World War 1, there was an acute housing shortage and a spike in post-war baby births, which really pushed for some out-of-the-box construction methods.

Then, 1952 introduced another Bosch heavy-hitter that appealed to the group of DIYers — the Bosch Combi tool. It was based on a handy all-in-one tool with suitable attachments for sanding, brushing, drilling, milling, and grinding. Think of it as the Swiss Army knife of the trades. Accessories included the Bosch Combi base, the emery plate with angle table, and the sawing and planing table. Fast forward to 1984, Bosch amped up the convenience. The first cordless hammer drill offered construction workers the freedom to use their power tools anywhere, with no strings attached.

And there you have it, the story of how Bosch's power tools went from fixing hair to revolutionizing industries. From the Forfex hair clipper in 1928 to the game-changing BiTurbo Brushless high-performance tool series in 2023, Bosch's journey reflects a commitment to innovation and adaptability. These tools are more than just gadgets; they're a testament to resilience and the pursuit of inventive spirit.

1887 marks the starting point of success for Bosch with the invention of the magneto ignition device. This innovation played a crucial role in making the first-ever motor race from Paris to Beijing possible.

Then in 1932 at the iconic Leipzig Trade Fair, Bosch rolled out the first-ever hammer drill, the OG "Bosch hammer." Now, the footage you're seeing is actually from the 1928 Leipzig Trade Fair because, well, I couldn't dig up any archives from the '32 event.

Bosch has been in the motorsports scene since the early days. In the 1938 German Grand Prix, they rolled out the Bosch Racing Service’s pit stop for the first time. Fun fact: Bosch also sponsored the first-ever World Championship for electric cars in Boeblingen, West Germany, on Sunday, 14th October 1979.

Bosch has a rich history of diversifying their product portfolio – some stuck around, some didn't. The goal was always clear: position the company well and ensure job security for all its associates. Want to see the iconic Forfex electric hair clipper I mentioned earlier? Jump to 2:16 in the video!