CV Heljestrand Wedge Blade Safety Razor Variations

[Rwoodreno]

See also post 1435 from Chukka in the above razor acquisition thread, linked to in post #40. Per the info there in the links Kindal took over CV Heljestrand ownership as early as 1907 and handled all French distribution. The linked to pages are in French. Below is a link to a English translation of the French Kindal page on CV Heljestrand and Kindal history.

Google Translate

Click on "CV Heljestrand" at the linked page to see the CV Heljestrand information.

 

[Rwoodreno]

I just received the images of the following two CV Heljestrand catalog pages from the owner of the Kindal store in Paris. Still hoping for last production dates information too. These at least give model numbers and some information about the cased sets. I have all except the 85/R. I also have a probably earlier variation of the 84/R seven day set with the two piece handle. Versions with and without the honing/stropping blade holder and case cutout for it.

 

[efsk]

Great info!

 

[Rwoodreno]

Great info!

Thanks. I am trying to accumulate all the information I can regarding the CV Heljestrand wedge blade lather catcher safety razors as a reference available in English. There seems to be little information on line regarding the safety razors. Most information seems to be on their straight edge razors. Not too surprising as based on ebay listings it looks like about 99% of the razor production was straight edge razors. Only about 1% of the CVH razor listings are for the safety razors.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Per a Facebook Messenger message received this morning from the Kindal shop owner the wedge blade lather catcher razor production was continued much later than the date listed in Waits Safety Razor Compendium of circa 1930. Her best estimate is into the 1970s before production ceased. Considering the condition of some of the cases and the apparent use of stainless steel in some razors this makes a lot of sense. Also makes sense based on the 1948/1949 advertisement picturing a cased set as available for sale pictured in post #19.

As the Kindal family owned CV Heljestrand after 1907 until bankruptcy, and still own the Paris store, I think that this is about the best info available on how late these razors were made unless someone comes up with factory records. Per Kindal the catalog pages posted above are from a 1950s catalog.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Per information from Polarbeard via a B&B conversation the Swedish Government records indicate Kindal took over CV Heljestrand in 1927 rather than the 1907 date the Kindal history page lists. Be interesting to know why there is the discrepancy unless there was an initial private partial purchase and/or distribution agreement in 1907 followed by a final purchase in 1927.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Message received from Caroline Kindal this morning on Kindal and CV Heljestrand history.

Hello ! I think you've got it ! my great grandparents (Magnus from Sweden and Berthe from France/Germany) first bought shares of Heljestrand in Sweden (Eskilstuna), they had a swedish bookstore in Paris, 11 avenue de l'Opera, from 1898 to 1904 (Magnus's father had the biggest bookstore in "Göteborg" in Sweden). At that time, the pages of the books opened with small pennknives !!! they had a good selection of knives and things from Heljestrand with the books... They moved to open a knife shop, in a bigger shop, 33 avenue de l'Opéra (1904-2008) Berthe and her son Richard bought the whole factory Heljestrand, Richard lived in sweden and was in charge of the factory and Berthe was in charge of the knife shop during 2 wars !!! In the shop they sold metal things (knives, scissors, razors, many surgical instruments,...)from the factory. Manufacture lasted until Heljestrand's closing in 1979. Best Regards, Caroline Kindal

The above is a direct cut and paste of the message from Caroline Kindal. So basically it looks like the Kindal family first bought stock in CV Heljestrand circa 1907 and then bought the whole business circa 1927 which is when the formal takeover took place per the Swedish info from Polarbear. This clears up one mystery. I wish to thank Caroline for doing this short write-up of the history for me. It seems to fill in a few blanks. Also based on communication apparently the CV Heljestrand safety razors production continues until near the end of factory production in the 1970s. Below is a photo from Caroline of the original knife shop that lasted for over 100 years.

 

[efsk]

Outstanding research. Thank you very much for all this information on one of the more legendary razorbrands.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Outstanding research. Thank you very much for all this information on one of the more legendary razorbrands.

Thanks! As someone with an interest in both history and technology this thread is the type of information I look for on a site like this one. Also why I try to give as much info as possible on my razor acquisition posts and am disappointed with posts that are a photo only with minimal or no information about the item. I have the Razor Compendium in both printed and PDF forms as well as Waits book "Before Gillette" and the Adams Gillette biography plus several other related books.

BTW please remember that if you have a CV Heljestrand safety razor then you are encouraged to upload photos and all available information. CV Heljestrand also made the Simplex razor. This is incredibly scarce it seems as I have never seen one offered on Ebay.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Here are some photos of the CV Heljestrand Simplex razor. Again a wedge blade design and quite scarce as I have never seen one for sale. Any information would be appreciated. It looks to be a very simple stamped sheet metal design. Based on scarcity apparently not a successful product. In the middle photo note how substantial the blade edge stops appear to be. They also appear to be blade corner guards. Based on the cardboard box style case this was apparently a much less expensive razor than the lather catcher design.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Additional Simplex photos just received from Madame Kindal.

 

[Rwoodreno]

A photo of a 31 day CV Heljestrand blade set also just received from Madame Kindal. I have never seen such an item before, even in photos, much less listed for sale.

 

[imatabor]

A photo of a 31 day CV Heljestrand blade set also just received from Madame Kindal.. I have never seen such an item before, even in photos, much less listed for sale.

View attachment 827118

 

[efsk]

A 31-day bladeset ... Never ever heard of something like that.

 

[Rwoodreno]

A 31-day bladeset ... Never ever heard of something like that.

Per what I have read there was once a theory that knife and razor edges worked better if given a rest between uses. Thus the 7 day sets for straight razors and wedge blades. My own theory is that many folks worked 12 hour days for 6 days a week with only Sunday off. Saturday MIGHT be only a 8 hours work day. Saturday late or Sunday was when you sharpened all your blades or razors for the coming week. No time the rest of the week.

 

[efsk]

Except the working classes would be those with no money for a luxuryitem like a 7-day set ...

 

[Rwoodreno]

Except the working classes would be those with no money for a luxuryitem like a 7-day set ...

Working classes included a sizeable middle class, even circa 1900 and before. My great grandfather was a mine foreman in Colorado for instance and there were many employed as lower to middle management and things like school teachers at the college level who had reasonable incomes. Also things like storekeepers and small businessmen. If truly rich you were probably shaved by a personal servant or went to "your barber" daily. A high end Kampfe set with 7 blades, Auto stropper and strop and all accessories was in the same retail price range as a Colt Single Action Army revolver at about $15 so we had a similar range of incomes then as we do now. Just the average working stiff was relatively low paid.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Lost history so far. Even the Kindal family can only guess the production dates for their earliest wedge blade CV Heljestrand safety razors. The patent date for Swedish patent # 18647 is late 1904 so 1905 is likely to be first production of the lather catcher razor version with that patent number stamp on the cross bar. The later ones with the patent number replaced by the SWEDEN stamp may date to as late as 1930 or so per a guesstimate from Madame Kindal but at this time there is no idea of the transition date between these two early versions. Lost history unless evidence shows up. Per "A Safety Razor Compendium" the old models were made till circa 1930 and the machined handle razors with the straight line decoration as shown in posts 3 and later are post 1930. This seems to agree with Madame Kindal's estimate. The late 7 day sets use a molded plastic blade holder and I have versions in red, black and cream colored plastic. This was used in the late seven day sets apparently in both the small cases without the strop and the large cases with the MAGNUS stropper and leather strop. Early post 1930 sets with the late model razor head and two piece machined handle use a slotted wood blade block, cloth covered. Again the transition date between wood block and plastic blade block is unknown.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Here is a unusual case for a 7 day set that originally included a strop, now missing. The case is Synthetic suede leather lined so far as I can tell. Other cases I have seen are all silk lined. This case also has a different catch than usual. The catch is normally one that is pressed inward to release the top. This one has a catch button which is slides to the left to release the lid. The stains on the top of the case came off easily.

Got this one relatively cheap as the listing only showed local pickup as available until you entered a zip code and requested shipping cost. I have not seen that before but bidding was non-existent, probably for that reason. Also listed as a CJ Heljestrand rather than a CV Heljestrand.

Four good blades, two with rough edges and one chipped bad enough so probably junk so 6 of 7 look usable with some work. The first set I have seen with the days engraved on the blades in Swedish. Even a set I bought from Sweden had the blades engraved in English. The razor itself has a one piece handle and is the first one piece handle version I have seen with the KINDAL and FABRIQUE EN SUEDE stamps on the head.

 

[imatabor]

Here is a unusual case for a 7 day set that originally included a strop, now missing. The case is Synthetic suede leather lined so far as I can tell. Other cases I have seen are all silk lined. This case also has a different catch than usual. The catch is normally one that is pressed inward to release the top. This one has a catch button which is slides to the left to release the lid. The stains on the top of the case came off easily.

Got this one relatively cheap as the listing only showed local pickup as available until you entered a zip code and requested shipping cost. I have not seen that before but bidding was non-existent, probably for that reason. Also listed as a CJ Heljestrand rather than a CV Heljestrand.

Four good blades, two with rough edges and one chipped bad enough so probably junk so 6 of 7 look usable with some work. The first set I have seen with the days engraved on the blades in Swedish. Even a set I bought from Sweden had the blades engraved in English. The razor itself has a one piece handle and is the first one piece handle version I have seen with the KINDAL and FABRIQUE EN SUEDE stamps on the head.

View attachment 853928 View attachment 853929 View attachment 853930 View attachment 853931

Good to see you back around.
Nice score! I have C.V. envy! I scored one but the retaining spring is shot, my hunt continues.