An Interesting CVH

[Steve56]

This is an interesting MK 32 razor that I posted in the acquisition thread when I got it, image below. It's also a request for info from @Polarbeard who is very knowledgeable about the Swedish razors.

This razor is either NOS or mint, original box, and no discernable spine wear. The scales are thick and have collars on the pins, and a small crack at the pivot pin. I had always assumed that these scales were plastic, and since I have another MK 32 with very nice thin ivory scales and but considerably worn, I wanted to swap the NOS blade into the pretty ivory scales. I don’t trust myself to pin ivory yet, so off to Alfredo for a simple scale swap. But it turned out it isn’t so simple.

The first problem is that even though both razors are MK 32, the heel of the NOS blade would protrude from the bottom of the ivory scales. The second development is those thick scales with the collared pins are ... ivory. I assumed that they were plastic because of the thickness, collared pins, and not much in the way of schreger lines if any, though I admit that I didn’t look that close. Alfredo mentioned the ivory scales with the small crack and that was a ‘Huh?‘ moment. He did the hot pin test and they are indeed ivory.

Has anyone else run across a thick scaled, collared ivory razor? I know that there is a thread here somewhere about one specific razor that has collared pins that the owner says is ivory (and I believe him). The other example is a current TI in ‘legal’ ivory that I saw at Planete Rasoir in 2014. It also was thick and had collared pins, was about €1,000 and had a certificate of legality under current regulations. So that’s two other examples that I know of with similar scales.

Any supplemental information Arne?

Cheers, Steve

 

[Doc226]

It was an interesting exchange with Steve. I assumed the scales were ivory and the swap was because of the crack. I did find it odd the scales were much thicker than typical ivory and they had colara that appeared to be originals.

I’ve seen many ivory pinned with collars but usually done by someone who didn’t want to mess and stress pinning ivory without the collars.

I did mention to Steve the ivory with the crack and he asked “ivory?” I had to get back to him on it and the pin test was definitely ivory.

The Schreger lines are there but not as discernible as most.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[global_dev]

I have one, dont know of it’s the one you are referring to as a Grelot but iirc special one off order

 

[Polarbeard]

Hello Steve,
I'll have to get back to you, just give me a day or two.

 

[Doc226]

I have one, dont know of it’s the one you are referring to as a Grelot but iirc special one off order

View attachment 1120420

Are you sure this is ivory?

 

[global_dev]

Here is another picture for others, as doc and i were dm’ing. It’s pretty thicc & natural.

 

[Doc226]

Here is another picture for others, as doc and i were dm’ing. It’s pretty thicc & natural.

View attachment 1120590

That is horrible, send it my way for proper disposal

 

[global_dev]

That is horrible, send it my way for proper disposal

Already posted up for expedited delivery! Give it a day extra for ‘rona delays.

 

[Polarbeard]

Hello again Steve, I’m back. I’m afraid that I don’t have a straight (no pun intended) answer to give you, but I have a plausible answer based on facts.

Jernbolaget was a comparatively large hardware manufacturer in Eskilstuna. They made cutlery, scales, knives, tools, well most of the items you could buy in a hardware store. Their goods were of high quality and that goes for their rather small straight razor production too. They made high end razors of which very few have survived to this day, most likely due to being extremely hollow and thus broke easily and took a lot of hone wear due to being thin. Their best known razor post the first world war was their thumb notch razor model that they produced in 16mm, 18mm and 20mm. You can see the 18mm in my photograph below. This razor has ivory scales that are about twice as thick as the ivory scales of later Swedish razors. Please notice the striking resemblance with the Heljestrand thumb notch series. There is no coincidence that Jernbolaget stopped making razors in 1922 and that Heljestrand started making thumb notch razors at the same time. Eskilstuna was a small town where people knew each other at cooperated. Sharing or transfer production to a "competitor" wasn't strange in any way. Not too long after that Michel Kindal (M.K.) started his cooperation with Heljestrand, a company that he soon was to take over.

So we have Jernbolaget that stopped making thumb notch razors with thick ivory scales and Heljestrand modifying and taking over Jernbolaget’s razor production. Initially there must have been a stock of thick ivory scales to take over as well. Then we mustn’t forget that the Eskilstuna razor makers cooperated (which still is a signum for Swedish industrial production). Therefore I have added a second photograph (one of my most treasured belongings) of what is a test model for what slightly modified was to become a bestseller for Erik Anton Berg in the 1920’s. It is a thumb notch razor with ivory scales of the same thickness as those on the Jernbolaget razor. This E.A. Berg razor is larger than the later actual production razors (that where 20, 18 or 16mm wide). Besides from the thicker ivory scales this test razor also has collars. I recall that the Eskilstuna manufacturers hade a common storage for ivory scales which would explain that both the razors have the ivory scales of the same thickness.

So this leads us to your 32 with the thick scales. I can see two possible explanations:

• Your 32 is a very early specimen having been fitted with some of the very last thicker ivory scales from the common storage.
• Or Someone could have saved a pair of thicker old ivory scales to fit them onto a very special razor, like a 32.

Somehow I can picture Michel Kindal, the extravagant self made entrepreneur looking for some extra luxurious details to add flair to his new razors. Besides from tortoise, what could be more attractive than the last stock of thicker ivory scales?

 

[Basil]

I have an ivory le grelot. Got this razor direct from Ti back in 2010. It has the thick scales and pins too.

This is the picture Ti sent me when my order was ready.

 

[Basil]

Here’s a few current pictures of the blade. The ivory is much more yellow now after almost 10 years.

 

[Steve56]

Many thanks to all who contributed to this thread!

 

[global_dev]

these scales really exude simple decadence, love em.

​

Here’s a few current pictures of the blade. The ivory is much more yellow now after almost 10 years.

 

[Basil]

these scales really exude simple decadence, love em.

​

Thanks! And your razor is pretty awesome too! It looks much newer than mine, or at least better kept. Lol I kinda learned to hone on this blade so lots of scratches I wish it didn’t have.

 

[global_dev]

probably "better" kept. i "lost" track of where it was for a while.. but def didn't learn to hone on this one!

 

[Basil]

Haha yeah I only had 3 razors for a while and went a solid year or two of only using this one. Experimented a bunch with the coti and this razor.

 

[camoloc]

Thanks! And your razor is pretty awesome too! It looks much newer than mine, or at least better kept. Lol I kinda learned to hone on this blade so lots of scratches I wish it didn’t have.

scratches are repairable.

camo

 

[Basil]

scratches are repairable.

camo

True. I’ll get to one day.

 

[life2short1971]

@Steve56 Those pins were sold by a guy in Hungary I believe. They are basically pop rivets with two collars and I made several sets of scales for people myself with Mk32’’s using those collars and pins before backgeared passed away and I was no longer able to get ivory reasonably.