Eskilstuna J.A. Hellberg & Co No.23 5/8 Chip removal

[Bevel]

There's not many threads on chip removal and I recently got a Hellberg 23.
I've only ever seen one of these before, I think it was @2bit_collie so maybe they're rare?

This one has a decent sized ding at the heal so that'll have to go


I find the best way to deal with these is to tape the spine and concentrate only on the heal. I honed the heal on a 1.5k Shapton occasionally breadknifing it, which always feels wrong, but it makes the work go faster and it was only the heal being worked on. It also allows you to generate the new slightly swooped profile.

Once I got to where the ding was barely noticeable, but still there, I concentrated on making the swoop as natural looking as possible.


Now it was time to hone the full blade and blend the swoop and straight of the blade. A Coticule and slurry is perfect for this.


Honed until the ding was gone, took off the tape at the very end and diluted to water



I just shaved with this razor and while it's small it gives an incredible shave with ATG and fools pass in its stride.
Used my homemade badger behemoth (30mm EHD) and some Palmolive

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Beautiful work. Those little shoulderless Swedes are fun to hone and shave like a dream.

 

[2bit_collie]

There's not many threads on chip removal and I recently got a Hellberg 23.
I've only ever seen one of these before, I think it was @2bit_collie so maybe they're rare?

This one has a decent sized ding at the heal so that'll have to go
View attachment 1439705

I find the best way to deal with these is to tape the spine and concentrate only on the heal. I honed the heal on a 1.5k Shapton occasionally breadknifing it, which always feels wrong, but it makes the work go faster and it was only the heal being worked on. It also allows you to generate the new slightly swooped profile.

Once I got to where the ding was barely noticeable, but still there, I concentrated on making the swoop as natural looking as possible.
View attachment 1439706

Now it was time to hone the full blade and blend the swoop and straight of the blade. A Coticule and slurry is perfect for this.
View attachment 1439707

Honed until the ding was gone, took off the tape at the very end and diluted to water
View attachment 1439708View attachment 1439709


I just shaved with this razor and while it's small it gives an incredible shave with ATG and fools pass in its stride.
Used my homemade badger behemoth (30mm EHD) and some Palmolive
View attachment 1439714

Nice job @Bevel !
You are right, I have a Hellberg just like this. I just shaved yesterday with a Tornblom that also has the same shape. You show a lot of patience taking out a chip like that with a 1.5k. I will reach as low as a Shapton 320 with decent sized chips. I get perhaps 2/3 of it, then start stepping up through a King 800 and King 1200 to a Shapton 2k. The goal is that by the time I get to the Shapton 2k the chip disappears about the same time as I erase the scratches from the previous stone. That seems to give a good combination of speed without excessive metal loss. Whether I use tape or not depends on the bevel angle at the start. If its around 15-16 I will tape up the spine. If it is more like 18-19 then I don’t use tape.

 

[thp001]

Anyone know why narrow razors were so popular in Sweden?

 

[Bevel]

Anyone know why narrow razors were so popular in Sweden?

I think it's just a tradition thing, they made larger but mostly for export keeping these little screaming demons for themselves. @Polarbeard is the man to ask about anything Swedish.

Nice job @Bevel !
You are right, I have a Hellberg just like this. I just shaved yesterday with a Tornblom that also has the same shape. You show a lot of patience taking out a chip like that with a 1.5k. I will reach as low as a Shapton 320 with decent sized chips. I get perhaps 2/3 of it, then start stepping up through a King 800 and King 1200 to a Shapton 2k. The goal is that by the time I get to the Shapton 2k the chip disappears about the same time as I erase the scratches from the previous stone. That seems to give a good combination of speed without excessive metal loss. Whether I use tape or not depends on the bevel angle at the start. If its around 15-16 I will tape up the spine. If it is more like 18-19 then I don’t use tape.

Cheers, yeah these little Hellburgs really are something. As I said yours is the only other #23 I've ever seen so treasure it.
I also recently got a C.V. HELJESTRAND No. 24 which is similar to this in size but a silent shaver as it's a 1/4 grind. I usually prefer 6/8 but if I could only have a few razors this would be a contender with how it shaves.

 

[rbscebu]

I'm getting very tempted to acquire a small (4/8) Swedish SR. Just have to wait for the April GRUME to finish.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Nice work, @Bevel!

 

[2bit_collie]

I'm getting very tempted to acquire a small (4/8) Swedish SR. Just have to wait for the April GRUME to finish.

The Heljestrand MK24 that @Bevel mentioned would fit this description. I have one of those as well. Nice little near wedge. I think the heavier grinds are a good fit for smaller blades, keeps the weight a bit higher so the blade doesn’t bounce around too much.

 

[Bevel]

Mmm 24 bellissimo. It is one of the few that is No24, not MK24, see link and pictures. Any insight @Polarbeard ?
Small, silent but oh so capable.


Between the two the Hellburg is currently my favorite even though it's hollower and I really like meatier blades.
The Hellburg is slightly bigger, both edges are on the line here.

C.V. Heljestrand Manufacturer

This page is intended to list a straight razor manufacturer with all his information.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[PintoPlain]

I'm getting very tempted to acquire a small (4/8) Swedish SR. Just have to wait for the April GRUME to finish.

I have a few Swedish razors. Most of them are 4/8 or 9/16, as seems to be typical for most Swedish razors. I have a MK24 in 5/8 which is marked as such. Most MK24s are apparently 4/8.

I would recommend any of the Swedish razors, not just the Heljestrands. EA Berg and JA Hellberg razors can be found for a very reasonable price and will hold their own compared with the more expensive Swedes.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

As I recall from what Arne has told us, prior to Magnus Kindal taking over direct management of Heljestrand in the mid 1920s, their most common razors were No 2 (4/8 full hollow), No 4 (5/8 full hollow) and No 24 (4/8 quarter hollow). When they started using the MK marking they incorporated that into the existing model numbers so the MK 24 was basically the same although sometimes apparently made with a longer blade.

The 23 was a 5/8 quarter hollow but as noted above you'll also see 24 5/8 marked as such.

Hellberg made an identical razor to the 24, it was their number 42.

 

[Bevel]

I'm getting very tempted to acquire a small (4/8) Swedish SR. Just have to wait for the April GRUME to finish.

The only thing I'd say about the smaller razors is that you need to pay much closer attention to your shaving angles but I know you do about 10 degrees so a 4/8ths would suit you perfectly.