This American Life

Last month, This American Life featured an episode on fathers and their legacy. Ira Glass, the show’s host introduces the show with recollections of his father and how his father taught him to shave. He then introduces the first story which is about Jon Wyant and his involvement in the development of the Trapper Keeper. I knew that Jon was involved in the development. And my father had mentioned him when he was originally interviewed by Mental Floss back in 2013 about the development and launch of the Trapper Keeper. For anyone stumbling upon this site, here is the link to the This American Life podcast:

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/815/how-i-learned-to-shave/act-one-2

And here is a link to the current version of the original Mental Floss article:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52726/history-trapper-keeper

Please feel free to share your honest reactions and questions to the podcast and the Mental Floss article.

I am writing a book on the subject of the innovation that led up to the Trapper Keeper. The story starts decades earlier and there will be an occasional blog post highlight excerpts. Please check in our join the mailing list on the contact page.

If you have a particular memory of the Trapper Keeper, please share it! And if you worked at Westab or Mead Products and have information to add to the story, please please reach out!