An introduction to the Heljestrand No.24 and the Hellberg 42.

[Polarbeard]

Gentlemen, today I give you a razor that I only seen on BB a couple of times; The Heljestrand No.24. Since it is rather unknown I'd though I'd introduce it to you. I’ve stated before that the most common razor, for the common man, in Sweden probably was the Heljestrand (MK) No. 3/4/7/8. That razor has found its way to this forum and seems to be rightfully appreciated along with its more glamorous sister the MK No.31. Even so the (MK) No.24 was nearly as popular. Actually it was so popular that Hellberg started to produce an exact replica of it and named it 42. I wonder what an American patents rights lawyer could do out of a case like that.

The No.24 is a near wedge 4/8 razor. There was a 3/8 version made as well. It had a very long production run and was made in several versions, but roughly they can be grouped into:

• Early No.24 that had a long blade. The razor in the picture below is such a razor, but it has the luxury of having bone scales. Bakelite was otherwise commonplace. Later versions had a more prominent shoulder.
• No.24. This is the same razor but the blade is a bit shorter. Unfortunately I haven’t got a picture of it, since I no longer own one.
• MK No24. This is actually the same razor as the early No.24. The No.24 is the only to me known Heljestrand razor where there´s actually a difference between the razors with the MK and those without (MK= Mästerlig kvalitet= Master Quality).
• N024. For surgical use. This is a steel scaled version that’s even a bit shorter than the ordinary version.

The shape of the point changed over the decades depending on what was in fashion. I beliee I have owned most versions and the shave is exactly the same.

Why is it then that the No.24. is so little heard of at this forum? This is just guesswork, but I see two reasons:

• It’s a very small razor, and it never went on export to the USA, probably because of its diminutive size.
• It’s definitely not a beginner’s razor. It took me quite some time before I had skill enough to master this razor, but now I find it to be as good as any other Heljestrand. Actually I know no other razor that is as nimble as this one. The small width is compensated by the blade being a near wedge, but if you need a wide blade to estimate the correct angle you're in trouble.

Pictured below from top to bottom:

1. The Hellberg No.42. The Hellberg version was commonly sold through the Åhlen&Holm catalogue. Those razors had the etching you can see on this one.
2. An early No.24, I shaved with it this morning.
3. A nearly unused MK No.24. I have decided that this one is going to stay as long as I do.
4. No.24 Surgical version.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.



The No.24 side by side with the 42.



The No.24 and a 5/8 Dovo


The etching on the 42.

 

[Lmarkow]

Beautiful razor. I like the slight sway in the spine. The Dovo looks clumsy by comparison, imo.

 

[Crispycrunchy]

Nice write-up, I like hearing some of the history and details about these razors! I do posses two different no24, one of the kind we see mostly (probably 4/8) and then one called no24 extra with "ruba extra" etched on its blade which is even smaller at 7/16. Only the ruba extra is in shaving condition and I've used it a couple of times, the other needs a good hone-up. I'm planning on giving the plain no24 away to a friend of mine interested in starting with straight razor shaving. Seeing that they're rather easy to come by around here I'm quite sure I'll get another at some point. But if the no24 is a bit harder to learn shaving with maybe I should consider giving him a different one... I may have a no3/4/7/8 laying about on my top shelf.

I do like the shave from the Ruba Extra no24, very nimble these razors, as you say. It is well that they are near-wedge, or else I think they'd be to light and as a consequence susceptible to being a bit unstable and unpredictable. And maybe they still are a tad bit, perhaps another reason as to why they might not be the best beginners razors.

Here's the ruba extra no24, maybe mk or maybe not, can't remember.

 

[Polarbeard]

Nice write-up, I like hearing some of the history and details about these razors! (...) maybe I should consider giving him a different one... I may have a no3/4/7/8 laying about on my top shelf.
(...)
Here's the ruba extra no24, maybe mk or maybe not, can't remember.

I was was you I'd swap the 24 for a no3/4/7/8. It might save your friendship. "Ruba Extra" is some sort of rather rare quality mark that Heljestrand sometimes put on their razors. I've got a No.2 marked "Ruba Extra", and I've tried to find out what it means, but no luck so far.

 

[KW Driver]

I've got a 24, and while it's nimble for sure, it's a stiff, rigid little bugger too.

 

[global_dev]

Picked up NOS CVH №24 recently, slightly different than I've seen before and above (probably just means I haven't looked enough around).

it's a "№24 5/8" 1/4 hollow <-> near wedge 17mm width by 70mm length edge in black scales. The shoulder appears slightly different than the CVH examples above. I'm think more plastic than bakelite, but I don't have many bakelite objects to reference. I'm also not thinking it's not exactly a near wedge as it appears more like a 1/4 hollow, but it's definitely not full hollow.

№24 5/8

 

[Polarbeard]

Picked up NOS CVH №24 recently, slightly different than I've seen before and above (probably just means I haven't looked enough around).

it's a "№24 5/8" 1/4 hollow <-> near wedge 17mm width by 70mm length edge in black scales. The shoulder appears slightly different than the CVH examples above. I'm think more plastic than bakelite, but I don't have many bakelite objects to reference. I'm also not thinking it's not exactly a near wedge as it appears more like a 1/4 hollow, but it's definitely not full hollow.

№24 5/8

You're right it's quarter hollow. At the time I often used near wedge and quarter as synonyms. It did cause some confusion. After writing this I've also found out that the 24, during the 1970's, was made in 3/8,4/8 and 5/8. Heljestrand's last decade was full of naming anomalies. Congratulations to what I find to be a first class shaver.

 

[Mlee]

Okay Arne, you need to stop this right now, you're killing me. Just kidding . Another great informative thread as are all of your threads. If it weren't for you a lot of us wouldn't know what we wanted.

I have an Edmond Roffler 4/8 almost wedge, made in France. When I first got it, I did a search but couldn't find much. To me it looks like the No.24. Is it possible there's a connection?

I also have a Hellberg 12 5/8 1/4 that looks like a No.24 5/8.

 

[Polarbeard]

Okay Arne, you need to stop this right now, you're killing me. Just kidding . Another great informative thread as are all of your threads. If it weren't for you a lot of us wouldn't know what we wanted.

I have an Edmond Roffler 4/8 almost wedge, made in France. When I first got it, I did a search but couldn't find much. To me it looks like the No.24. Is it possible there's a connection?
View attachment 1004965

I also have a Hellberg 12 5/8 1/4 that looks like a No.24 5/8.
View attachment 1004967

I'm afraid that there's no French connection. The 5/8 Hellberg however is identical to the 5/8 heljestrand. The 5/8 1/4 heljestrand was made with many different numbers over the years. Among them: 22 ,23, 41, 42, 923.

 

[Mlee]

Thanks Arne, maybe someday I'll run across some information about it. Although my honing and shaving skills won't let me fully enjoy it yet, it is a great little razor.

 

[brightred]

You're right it's quarter hollow. At the time I often used near wedge and quarter as synonyms. It did cause some confusion. After writing this I've also found out that the 24, during the 1970's, was made in 3/8,4/8 and 5/8. Heljestrand's last decade was full of naming anomalies. Congratulations to what I find to be a first class shaver.

long time lurker and first time poster here. and a heljestrand fan and user.

i have a heljestrand catalogue and a price list from 1957. all the 1/4 hollow razors you mention, 22, 23, 24 with 3/8, 4/8 and 5/8 blades, were sold in 1957 already. the 22 had the widest blade (11/16), followed by the 23 (5/8) and the 24. i don't know what the difference is between a 23 and a 24 5/8.

in 1957, the 22 was available with black rubber scales only (not bakelite, but ebonite/vulcanite, a rubber containing a high amount of sulphur). the 23 and all 24 razors were available with either ebonite or white celluloid scales.

regards,
hans

 

[Polarbeard]

Welcome Hans,
Despite being Swedish, and numbering their razor models, Heljestrand weren't consequential when it comes to their razor models. The models changed slightly over the years. Then again since the "modern" Heljestrand company, owned by the Kindal family, was in business for nearly 60 years it's understandable that the specifications changed. A Chevrolet Corvette of today has very little in common with one made in 1964. I
didn't know that there was a 24 5/8 available in 1957. The two 23 I have had are exactly the same as the 24 5/8 I have. Then again the razor models and their numbering changed over the years. Another example of this is the NOS No.22 I've got. It's 22mm wide making it a 11/16 (not 5/8 as I wrote), but it definitely have plastic scales. Actually I would have preferred ebonite. I kind of like the feline smell of it.

 

[Basil]

I'm afraid that there's no French connection. The 5/8 Hellberg however is identical to the 5/8 heljestrand. The 5/8 1/4 heljestrand was made with many different numbers over the years. Among them: 22 ,23, 41, 42, 923.

I have an mk23 that is pretty much identical to your 24. I haven’t measured but it’s also about 5/8 and has the 1/4 grind.

 

[Polarbeard]

I have an mk23 that is pretty much identical to your 24. I haven’t measured but it’s also about 5/8 and has the 1/4 grind.

View attachment 1006239 View attachment 1006240

That razor looks great and it's a great shaver too. The shaving soap isn't one of my favourites but its scent is. It'll be a sad day when I've finally have used up my two remaining bottles of C&E Sandalwood cologne. It was my wife's favourite scent too.

 

[Earcutter]

Very cool. I have 3, 4/8 Swedish “shorties” in my collection. It’s rare that anyone wants to talk about em lol, so yay!

I’ll take a picture when I get home. I forgot their numbers.

 

[Basil]

That razor looks great and it's a great shaver too. The shaving soap isn't one of my favourites but its scent is. It'll be a sad day when I've finally have used up my two remaining bottles of C&E Sandalwood cologne. It was my wife's favourite scent too.

Agreed the razor just silently wipes the stubble clean. It’s one of my favourites in my Heljestrand collection.

Also agree about the scent. I have the nomad and sienna and they all smell great. Soaps performance is ok but like you said the scent makes it a staple in the rotation.

 

[Earcutter]

Man, mine are so small I thought I must of had 24s - looks like I’ve got two 29’s, and a 30. Who knows what size they are?

I’ll say this - I love shaving with them!

 

[Basil]

Not sure about the 29 but I think the 30 are 4/8?

 

[KW Driver]

yep, my 30 is a 4/8

 

[Willem-Jan]

I just bought an MK 24. My first Heljestrand. What a beauty and so tiny! The seller put an amazing edge on it. Already on the lookout for more of these beauties!