For those not familiar with the Segal one-piece TTO open comb razor, I present a "Segal newbie" perspective.
Samuel Segal was a prolific entrepreneur and inventor of the early 20th century responsible for many patents covering a range of items and was mostly remembered as someone that perfected and sold high strength security locks.
The Segal safety razor is a unique one-piece ("Unitary") DE razor design that requires proprietary double edge razor blades. It was patented and produced in an era in which Gillette dominated the safety razor market. Externally the Segal appears like it would disassemble as would any typical Gillette razor, but functionally it is quite different.
Rotating the bottom TTO knob extends the top cap up and away from the razor body and positions it so a blade can then be slid over the top cap and seated.
Vintage Segal blades will fit both Segal razors as well as Gillette safety razors of the era, but not vice-versa. Using a Gillette-type blade in a Segal razor requires cutting out an oval portion of the center of the blade in order to properly fit the Segal.
Segal appears to have beaten Gillette to the goal of marketing the first one-piece razor as indicated by a 1938 lawsuit filed by Segal against the Gillette Safety Razor Company in US District court for $3 million dollars* alleging infringement on Segal's patent for the one-piece razor concept (*Source: Lewiston Daily Sun, January 1938).
History would indicate Segal did not prevail in its effort to block Gillette and further litigation by Gillette against Segal for patent infringement of blades would end Segal's production of blades designed to fit both its own razors as well as Gillette models. Such constraints coupled with Gillette's overall market predominance eventually ended Segal's foray into the double edge safety razor market. To date I haven't been able to dig up the date of final production, as these razors are not as well documented as King Gillette's offerings.
In order to use a Segal razor today we have to either scrounge up vintage blades that are pushing 80 years of age (nah...) or use cuticle scissors to modify current production blades (yes!).
Using an original blade as a template, you can outline the center portion to be cut out using a fine tip Sharpie marker. If you don't have an original blade for template purposes you can even wing it by eye. After cutting my first couple of blades, I realized the two tabs which lay at the outer ends of the blade's center cut out (see arrow in pic) serve as positioners when sitting in the Segal razor. Due to this welcome feature, the precision of the center cut is not critical, and can even be a bit ragged or imprecise, as these tabs will ensure the blade is properly oriented.
Revlon or another high quality brand cuticle scissors quickly and easily cuts the .004" thick Gillette Nacet blade to fit the Segal. I had botched my first effort to trim a GSB before realizing the error of my ways
Two important notes if you decide to cut your own custom Segal razor blades: Have some form of eye protection on and perform this procedure outside or have some means to contain blade trimmings due to the potential for tiny slivers of stainless steel to be lost while trimming.
The Segal TTO knob features some additional "over turn" to reach full tight after the top cap contacts the razor body. This presses the blade flat and into conformity and very evenly as far as I can tell using my eyes, including the .004" thick Gillette Nacet pictured.
So how does a vintage Segal razor shave with a customized Gillette Nacet? Well let's put it this way - if I were blindfolded and asked to guess the razor without knowing what it was in advance I would have told you I was using a Merkur 34C. I did not sustain one single wound with a two pass plus touch up using Proraso green. In fact its level of mildness triggers a tendency to want to start "drag racing" during the shave.
A razor I would use every day? No, though it could easily fill that role if necessary. However I'm glad to have acquired one as a representative of an era of DE razors that are part of our shaving history.
Samuel Segal was a prolific entrepreneur and inventor of the early 20th century responsible for many patents covering a range of items and was mostly remembered as someone that perfected and sold high strength security locks.
The Segal safety razor is a unique one-piece ("Unitary") DE razor design that requires proprietary double edge razor blades. It was patented and produced in an era in which Gillette dominated the safety razor market. Externally the Segal appears like it would disassemble as would any typical Gillette razor, but functionally it is quite different.
Rotating the bottom TTO knob extends the top cap up and away from the razor body and positions it so a blade can then be slid over the top cap and seated.
Vintage Segal blades will fit both Segal razors as well as Gillette safety razors of the era, but not vice-versa. Using a Gillette-type blade in a Segal razor requires cutting out an oval portion of the center of the blade in order to properly fit the Segal.
Segal appears to have beaten Gillette to the goal of marketing the first one-piece razor as indicated by a 1938 lawsuit filed by Segal against the Gillette Safety Razor Company in US District court for $3 million dollars* alleging infringement on Segal's patent for the one-piece razor concept (*Source: Lewiston Daily Sun, January 1938).
History would indicate Segal did not prevail in its effort to block Gillette and further litigation by Gillette against Segal for patent infringement of blades would end Segal's production of blades designed to fit both its own razors as well as Gillette models. Such constraints coupled with Gillette's overall market predominance eventually ended Segal's foray into the double edge safety razor market. To date I haven't been able to dig up the date of final production, as these razors are not as well documented as King Gillette's offerings.
In order to use a Segal razor today we have to either scrounge up vintage blades that are pushing 80 years of age (nah...) or use cuticle scissors to modify current production blades (yes!).
Using an original blade as a template, you can outline the center portion to be cut out using a fine tip Sharpie marker. If you don't have an original blade for template purposes you can even wing it by eye. After cutting my first couple of blades, I realized the two tabs which lay at the outer ends of the blade's center cut out (see arrow in pic) serve as positioners when sitting in the Segal razor. Due to this welcome feature, the precision of the center cut is not critical, and can even be a bit ragged or imprecise, as these tabs will ensure the blade is properly oriented.
Revlon or another high quality brand cuticle scissors quickly and easily cuts the .004" thick Gillette Nacet blade to fit the Segal. I had botched my first effort to trim a GSB before realizing the error of my ways
Two important notes if you decide to cut your own custom Segal razor blades: Have some form of eye protection on and perform this procedure outside or have some means to contain blade trimmings due to the potential for tiny slivers of stainless steel to be lost while trimming.
The Segal TTO knob features some additional "over turn" to reach full tight after the top cap contacts the razor body. This presses the blade flat and into conformity and very evenly as far as I can tell using my eyes, including the .004" thick Gillette Nacet pictured.
So how does a vintage Segal razor shave with a customized Gillette Nacet? Well let's put it this way - if I were blindfolded and asked to guess the razor without knowing what it was in advance I would have told you I was using a Merkur 34C. I did not sustain one single wound with a two pass plus touch up using Proraso green. In fact its level of mildness triggers a tendency to want to start "drag racing" during the shave.
A razor I would use every day? No, though it could easily fill that role if necessary. However I'm glad to have acquired one as a representative of an era of DE razors that are part of our shaving history.
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