Thread: Help on Swedish razor

Hello everybody:
I got an old nice C.V.Heljestrand razor from Sweden.
I was searching about it and i can't understand what the MK number is.
I know there are some nº 30, 31, 32. Also 22,23,24.
Mine is M K Nº 10. Blade around 6/8 and celluloid scales.
Some one knows what these numbers represent ??
Thanks for any help.

I don't know how much this will help you , but I have a MK30 that has the same shape blade , and the same scales as your razor except mine is a 4/8 .

I've been working on a spreadsheet of the numbers and size I've come across so far. If anyone has a number and size that isn't listed here, please PM me!
https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?...=en&output=htm

updated link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...Gc&output=html

There are two camps when it comes to the meaning of the MK and BK stamps.

There are those(me included) who think it stands for 'Mästerlig kvalitet'(Masterly/superior quality) and Bra/Bästa kvalitet(Good/Best quality).

Then there are those who think that it stands for Magnus Kindal(A Swede living in Paris who had a monopoly on importing Heljestrand's razors) and that BK was one of his children's initials, personally I find that far fetched, especially since the razors that were not shipped to France were also stamped with these markings.

I used to think it was Markus Kindal until my friend Mikael from Sweden visited somewhere over there where they have a museum and they told him unequivocally told him that is was as Baxxter thinks - who think it stands for 'Mästerlig kvalitet'(Masterly/superior quality) and Bra/Bästa kvalitet(Godd/Best quality).

All this was a good few years ago and there is a strong thread on it all on this site.

Regards,
Neil

During a visit to the store in Paris in 2011, the granddaughter of Magnus Kindal confirmed that letters MK corresponded to the initials of her grandfather Magnus Kindal and that it was her widow, Berthe, who had acquired the Aktiebolaget C.V Heljestrand company.Here

The son, Richard, officiated as manager in the company:

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

I used to think it was Markus Kindal until my friend Mikael from Sweden visited somewhere over there where they have a museum and they told him unequivocally told him that is was as Baxxter thinks - who think it stands for 'Mästerlig kvalitet'(Masterly/superior quality) and Bra/Bästa kvalitet(Godd/Best quality).

All this was a good few years ago and there is a strong thread on it all on this site.

Regards,
Neil

I've visited Eskilstuna myself and this is what a number of former employees told me as well.
Mästerlig kvalité and Bästa kvalité.

I seem to remember seeing as much in writing from the company itself, as well as on razors coffins too.

As to the "french connection" it sounds to me as it would have been R K and not M K if it were in fact based on Mr. KIndal's name and not a very common treat in Swedish industry back then.

I have two Heljestrands with the MK logo. A No 31 which is on your spreadsheet, and also a No 3.
The No 3 is a 5/8" full hollow with imitation ivory scales. Photo attached.

"Bästa kvalité" ? In my humble opinion, this is inconsistent with the genuine tortoise scales :