Post Your Pictures: Swedish Steel

**honed** · 12-10-2010, 03:37 AM

C.V Heljestrand MK#24.
~4/8 ~¼ grind

The MK#24 is a stealthy whisker assassin.
It's small, light & overall very petite.

But when you put it against your face it suddenly transforms & becomes one of the stiffest & meanest blades you have ever put on your face.
I'm not kidding when I say that it feels like a big Sheffield wedge on the face. But not as smooth. It's one of those blades that seems to be able to take an edge that is almost sharper then comfortable.

It is a bit puzzling why it's in the "MK" series. It's wedgy, hasn't got a thumb-notch & I've never seen one in fancy scales. Always black plastic.
And the edge it takes are not at all similar to any of the other razor in the MK series, otherwise they all have a similar "edge feel" to them.
There is also a non-MK no 24, but that is rather different from this one.

If you get the chance to try a MK#24, do it, it really is a different experience!

This one is rescaled by myself.
(The edge looks crazy in some of the pics, it aint rust, it's just grind marks that looks funny in the pictures for some reason)

**Gustav** · 12-10-2010, 04:27 AM

What does MK stand for?

**honed** · 12-10-2010, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by Gustav

What does MK stand for?

I've heard various suggestions on the shaving boards but the best explanation I've heard also comes from the most reliable source (old Eskilstuna guy whos father spent his entire life as a grinder at various Eskilstuna forges)
& that is "Mästerlig Kvalité" ~"Master Quality"

**honed** · 12-10-2010, 05:23 AM

The following razor has been called "the greatest shaving razor ever made" by several respectable men.
And I really can't argue with that.
I can say that I have tried a few that is maybe just as good, but none better.

It can be found in two models.
This one, with thumb-notch & horn scales & another one without thumb-notch & bakelite scales.
As for the stamps, blade & shave they are IMO identical.

C.V Heljestrand tapering ~6/8 frameback:

**rambus007** · 12-11-2010, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by rambus007

Here's another Joh. Engstrom frameback that I have but it's in its original state. I haven't honed this one up yet but I think I'll do it tonight. I'm going to keep this one because it's my last Swedish razor.

Edit: Shave with this frameback for the first time today. I must say I love this razor now. It's stiff but not as heavy as a big wedge. Now would you guys suggest to leave the bone scales as they are or replace them? The scales are not broken but I will probably take the razor apart to clean it before making it a permanent unit in my rotation.

**TstebinsB** · 12-11-2010, 07:58 PM

Many of my best Japanese razors were made of Swedish steel.

**danjared** · 12-11-2010, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by rambus007

Edit: Shave with this frameback for the first time today. I must say I love this razor now. It's stiff but not as heavy as a big wedge. Now would you guys suggest to leave the bone scales as they are or replace them? The scales are not broken but I will probably take the razor apart to clean it before making it a permanent unit in my rotation.

As the old expression goes, "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

**rambus007** · 12-11-2010, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by TstebinsB

Many of my best Japanese razors were made of Swedish steel.

That's interesting. I didn't realize Japanese razors used Swedish steel. Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by danjared

As the old expression goes, "If it's not broken, don't fix it."

Good point. Ok I'll just clean it up then. Thank you.

**Gustav** · 12-12-2010, 03:59 AM

I have one or the other real frameback where the blade is unsalvageable but the holder or frame is still ok. Is it possible to replace the blade with a "new old" one or a custom made copy. Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of restoration?

**Gustav** · 12-12-2010, 04:15 AM

Here is a picture illustrating the two straights in question. Both Heljestrand.

**professorchaos** · 12-12-2010, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Gustav

I have one or the other real frameback where the blade is unsalvageable but the holder or frame is still ok. Is it possible to replace the blade with a "new old" one or a custom made copy. Has anyone ever had any experience with this type of restoration?

I haven't. So long as the blade isn't rusted in place, I don't see why you couldn't.

**Wid** · 12-13-2010, 05:41 PM

Here is my one and only, a Klas Tornblom 5/8.

**Luc** · 12-14-2010, 11:57 AM

Here's mine...

7/8 - Klas Törnblom "185" - Eskilstuna

I bought it NOS!

**orchestrion** · 12-14-2010, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by honed

The following razor has been called "the greatest shaving razor ever made" by several respectable men.
And I really can't argue with that.
I can say that I have tried a few that is maybe just as good, but none better.

It can be found in two models.
This one, with thumb-notch & horn scales & another one without thumb-notch & bakelite scales.
As for the stamps, blade & shave they are IMO identical.

C.V Heljestrand tapering ~6/8 frameback:

I have this same razor. I haven't cleaned it up or honed it yet, however. When I took it out of the package it arrived in it slid out unexpectedly and dropped onto the tile floor. I thought the blade would be destroyed but all that happened was that a piece of the scales right by the pivot broke off. I think they were just Bakelite scales but they were in pretty bad shape regardless. Shame, too, because I wasted a perfectly good swear word.

EDIT: Nevermind. I just looked at some pictures of it (I'm in my dorm and it's back home) and it looks like they're bone scales. I guess I didn't waste the swear word after all.

**Luc** · 12-15-2010, 12:00 PM

My second Swedish razor

5/8 - C.V. Heljestrand - Eskilstuna Sweden

**honed** · 12-15-2010, 01:52 PM

Not mine, but maybe worth showing anyway?
NOS 7-day set, C.V Heljestrand MK#31 genuine ivory scales. Weekdays written in Swedish on spine.

**Harvitz81** · 12-15-2010, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by honed

Not mine, but maybe worth showing anyway?
NOS 7-day set, C.V Heljestrand MK#31 genuine ivory scales. Weekdays written in Swedish on spine.

I just want one of those!

**honed** · 12-15-2010, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Harvitz81

I just want one of those!

Go for it

This particular set went for a little over 10.000 SEK in 2009 (~1500USD)

**professorchaos** · 12-15-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by honed

Not mine, but maybe worth showing anyway?
NOS 7-day set, C.V Heljestrand MK#31 genuine ivory scales. Weekdays written in Swedish on spine.

Oh my!

Did you happen to see that 7 day set of ivory clad, pristine MK #33s that sold on French Ebay a couple of years ago? Went for $250 or so. To this day I'm peeved that my snipe didn't fire.

**honed** · 12-16-2010, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by professorchaos

Oh my!

Did you happen to see that 7 day set of ivory clad, pristine MK #33s that sold on French Ebay a couple of years ago? Went for $250 or so. To this day I'm peeved that my snipe didn't fire.

Nope.

But I feel your pain. I'd still be kicking myself for that...
$250 is a good price for a single MK#33 in ivory nowadays methinks....