Thread: C.V Heljestrand

Originally Posted by doc47

Hans, I don't disagree with Kindal being an agent, I am not finding anything in Sweden to confirm what is printed on the Kindal Website regarding ownership. Wouldn't you expect CVH in their company records to mention something as signifcant as a sale to Kindal? You must remember that CVH as a company was regarding by Sweden as a model Swedish Company; sort of a national treasure for a variety of reasons. CVHs sale would have drawn great interest and publicity in Sweden; yet not a word in the Swedish press. I'm not trying to be argumentative about this, it's just that nothing substantive from Sweden supports the French claims of ownership. I understand the close relationship between families and don't doubt that the Kindal family was the agent for CVH in France. All I'm saying is that the information and the sources offer contradicting information regarding many of the "absolutes" that have been presented through this thread. You may believe whatever sources you want, but I choose to remain skeptical and until someone shows me otherwise I shall remain a skeptic.

It just dawned on me that having the sole distributorship in France for the sale of the CVH product could easily be viewed as a "purchase" because Kindal would have "owned" the right to sell this brand exclusively outside of Sweden.

dan,

i have no horse in that race, and personally my interest in the topic is rather limited. i simply find the information that the kindal family became the owner of CVH at some point somewhat convincing. if it turns out that this not true, so be it.

let's wait and see what mr. kindal has to say. i'll keep you posted.

regards,
hans

Hans, I'm the same way, I'm just curious, but don't care one way or another. It will be interesting what your Mr. Kindal says. Ask him why after 107 years we are just learning that the business was sold to his family. That's the question that bothers me the most; sort of like a long lost relative showing up at the reading of the will. Why didn't we know this before. Again, this is a mystery to me and I love a good mystery. Have a wonderful weekend.

Here's a short history of the Kindals I found. It is in Swedish. Kindal | eskilstunaknivar.se

It says something about him buying Heljestrand. At the bottom it tells you wat MK, BK and RK stand for.
Look carefully at the advert. Kindal sold Heljestrand razors both with and without MK stamp.

Originally Posted by Kees

Here's a short history of the Kindals I found. It is in Swedish. Kindal | eskilstunaknivar.se

It says something about him buying Heljestrand. At the bottom it tells you wat MK, BK and RK stand for.
Look carefully at the advert. Kindal sold Heljestrand razors both with and without MK stamp.

That is a great resource for all things razors and knives from Eskilstuna, by the way.

Originally Posted by doc47

Hans, I'm the same way, I'm just curious, but don't care one way or another. It will be interesting what your Mr. Kindal says. Ask him why after 107 years we are just learning that the business was sold to his family. That's the question that bothers me the most; sort of like a long lost relative showing up at the reading of the will. Why didn't we know this before. Again, this is a mystery to me and I love a good mystery. Have a wonderful weekend.

dan,

i had sent my e-mail to mr kindal before you you posted the message quoted above. i simply asked him if the kindal family became the owners of c.v. heljestrand at some point, but not, why this has been unknown for so long. in the meantime i received his reply to my question. from his e-mail:

"You are absolutely right with your opinion.
My grandfather was a retailer of CV Heljestrand in France before he bought the company.
I have no enough knowledge about the knives and the differences of the sizes as I was mainly working with surgical instruments.
One thing I am sure of, my grandfather bought it and then my father operated it.
Ha en trevlig summer.."

i hope you understand that i don't want to disclose mr. kindal's first name or address. i think i bothered him enough with my questions in the past. just for clarification: the grandfather he mentions is magnus kindal (MK). magnus was married to berthe (BK). one of their children was richard (RK) who is the father of our mr kindal.

regards,
hans

Well that is enteresting. When do you figure the company was bought?

A Swedish historian and friend of mine posted this: "When Kindal bought Heljestrand in the 1920's Heljestrand began producing what they called Inox razors (Inox applies to any steel with at least 11% chromium content)." I'm still trying to get more information from my Swedish acquaintances.

I never saw an inox Heljestrand razor other than a lathercatcher.

Originally Posted by Kees

I never saw an inox Heljestrand razor other than a lathercatcher.

I was really sharing the sale date, his quote was a bit long. But yes, and almost all were made exclusively, I'm led to believe, for Kindal in France.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Well that is enteresting. When do you figure the company was bought?

according to the kindal website this must have been in 1907. as the grandson explains the company was bought by his grandfather magnus, who died in 1912.

regards,
hans