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I just bought one off eBay for 100 dollars... Probably overpaid... Anyways mine was an 11/16 not a 5/8... Also mine looks brand new and has plastic not the ivory scales...
What was the production years for this razor... And how big is the blade supposed to be?
I hope that I´m not breaking anny rules here.
This is from a store in Sweden that sells the last of the production.
Hope this help.
Heljestrand Knife Factory was founded in Eskilstuna in 1808 by the alderman Olof Heljestrand ( 1781-1837 ) that Sweden took the previously unknown art of etching and gilding finer steel works. From the beginning consisted manufacturing including steel pens, fickursfjädrar and saws of steel, but gradually shifted emphasis and expertise against scissors , surgical instruments , and above all - straight razors .
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After his father's death in 1837 the company was run on the eldest son , Nils Fredrik Heljestrand ( 1808-1868 ) . Even then produced large amounts of razors in the workshop and the company had more than 32 employees.
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The younger son , Carl Victor (1816-1861) , often abbreviated CV in razor DEVICES stamps, then had little played in the factory all the nooks and crannies. Even at age 12 performed Carl Victor easier work in the factory, and here he would also get to stay up until the age of 23 . By this time, namely Kong League Board of Trade brought the proposal to promote finsmidesindustrins development in Sweden by sending selected workers to foreign countries to practically learn from and be inspired .
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C.V. Heljestrand therefore received an offer to for this purpose trip to England , but then he was missing several of the required prerequisites , including proficiency in the English language , he grants to a few months to acquire these skills at the Technological Institute in Stockholm ( current Royal Institute of Technology ) . Autumn of 1943 went C.V.s Heljestrand then to England , where he eventually obtained employment at Parker 's & Lindby 's knife factory in Sheffield.
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Through his pleasant manner won C.V.s Heljestrand appreciation and confidence among the English workers , and he eventually acquired the skills that been the purpose of the trip. At the end of 1845 , he left because England and traveled through Belgium and Germany back to Sweden . During the return journey he took the opportunity to visit Europe's most distinguished and renowned knife factories.
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Once back in Eskilstuna few months later managed to resume Heljestrand , after many obstacles, in one of the city sliphus hire a small scrub about 4 cubits wide and eight cubits (1 cubit = 0.59 meters). It was furnished now , as best they allowed themselves to do, a grinder after English model with several grinding and polishing postures. Within this modest area , he taught and learned up several workers in the art of manufacturing shears and table forks , which he continued until autumn 1849. By this time, another of the city's sliphus become available to lease , and CV Heljestrand signed the lease for this in 25 years' time - with today 's standards an unlikely long term in a lease .
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Now could C.V. Helje Strand's business take off for real. But at the same time with this little success began seed develop into the chest illness, which would eventually pave the hardworking and talented man life. Probably he had contracted this debilitating disease during the three-year stay in the crowded, unhealthy premises.
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But even he was not entirely devote himself to his own factory. Several times hired his experience and insights of Sweden's other prominent Bruksman who wanted his help to establish business relations with the rest of the world major players in the iron industry. To this end, he made three more trips to foreign lands : the first time ( in 1851 ) with the ironmaster CA Rettig to England and Belgium; second time ( 1854 ) to England at the expense of ironmaster CJ Olsson at Knight foundry , and finally in 1856 , this time to England with Chamberlain Stock Power. Through all these trips were achieved the desired result , which was largely Helje Strands merit.
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C.V. Heljestrand could now calmly , with the greatest hope of success, continue their primary occupation: finsmidestillverkningen and production of the best razors that our country has seen. He also had the joy of seeing her makes obtaining the best grade , both within and outside Sweden . However, his bodily forces about to end, and even though his soul into it last took full vigor , put a debilitating tuberculosis him in the grave on the 29th July 1861 at the mere age of 45.
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Shortly after C.V.s Helje Strand's death was to be found in " Post and Gazette ":
« The deceased has become known for great knowledge and zealous activity in forging manufacture in general and particularly in the finer steel works which by him himself produced . Within his community , he served more than anyone else at the same time and with the same zeal for the promotion of manufacture and the public affairs. Even then he had taken the sick bed he no more would leave , he announced often his thoughts and advice on matters concerning the general with the sound judgment and clear perceptive ability, which was his own . He is respected and destitute of the society he belonged , and the loss is so much greater , as it certainly long becomes irreplaceable. » * View source
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C.V. Helje Strands razors and fine steel products highlighted at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1855, Stockholm in 1866, Bogotá in 1875 , Philadelphia in 1876 , Chicago in 1883 , Paris in 1900 and 1937. The company was operated on in Eskilstuna of Helje Strand's descendants until 1980 when the company went bankrupt , mainly because of the lack of a market when Gillette and its more razor at this time conquered the world as man's primary rakverktyg . The machines are then sold to Tanzania and the large stock of razors fell into oblivion .
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Any remaining razor manufacturing has moved overseas to low-wage countries such as China , and instead of Swedish steel used now preferably Chinese and British steel in manufacturing. Today produced no razors at all in Sweden .
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2009 bought Gents up the remaining bankruptcy layer of Helje Strands razors . The collection besides these razors, even a large number of straight razors with handles in real ivory and genuine tortoiseshell, today protected species and therefore forbidden to put on the market.
Wow lots of info... So my mk31 is probably from the 80's or the 2009 batch
According to a PDF I downloaded the MK 31 can be either 17mm or 17.5mm full hollow.
Bob
Heljestrand didnt care much about the size. i seen many NOS razors made by them that is both bigger,smaler,longer,shorter then the stated size. thay didnt care to much about the micro MM back then.
To anyone who got their hopes up, Gents only carried two cirka 3/8-4/8 models and now they only have the 'Exellens' model that has an ugly notch in the heel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ullmencott
IIRC Heljestrand's MK31 was a 5/8 and their MK32 a 6/8. Whether they measured them from the top of the spine to the bottom of the cutting edge, or from the honing flat I don't recall. Some companies did it the one way and some the other.