OK, I've seen a lot of people raving about their Heljestrand SRs and I'm wondering if the other Eskilstuna makers are as renowned. What makes these razors so special? Thanks for any or all replies!
Eskilstuna, what's it all about?
- Thread starter BakerAndBadger
- Start date
I don't have a Heljestrand - though I know everyone raves about them - I am sure one will be added eventually to the collection, I do have an Eskilstuna Sweden made J.A. Hellberg frameback which I recently acquired - and I absolutely LOVE it. it's a smooth and great shaver.
it's
Assuming it's the steel and craftsmanship that has made so many fans.
it's
Assuming it's the steel and craftsmanship that has made so many fans.
I bought a MK 32 C V Heljestrand last year at home in the wild for NZD$20.
It takes an amazing edge and holds it.
I really like the thumb notch it has too.
Mine had a chip in the edge and needed new scales
but looks pretty now with Tasmanian Oak scales
It takes an amazing edge and holds it.
I really like the thumb notch it has too.
Mine had a chip in the edge and needed new scales
but looks pretty now with Tasmanian Oak scales
It's a small town located in the inner archipelago around lake Mälaren, about 45 minutes by car from Stockholm.
It also happened to be a good place for setting up some forges because of the close proximity to good waterways for easy transport & an astoninshing amount of trees nearby to use as fuel..
Add to to that a dude who spent 10 years as an industrial spy in Sheffield (C.V Heljestrands dad) & came home with a head full of ideas & a mad set of skills & applied all those ideas using the superior Swedish steel
& you had an almost instant success.
There isn't much difference between the various Swedish makers to be honest.
Just like Solingen & Sheffields you have a bunch of brands/makers that are HYPED, but a no-name Solingen for exampel can shave just as good as a DD.
Same goes for the Swedes. With a few exceptions. The MK's are really top of the line.
Probably because they were made only by the very finest & most skilled of the Masters, no one else were allowed to work on them.
But really, if it is stamped with "Eskilstuna" you can't go wrong. Crazy hard steel of the very finest sort. The Best razor-making city of all I might say (but yeah, I'm biased
)
It also happened to be a good place for setting up some forges because of the close proximity to good waterways for easy transport & an astoninshing amount of trees nearby to use as fuel..
Add to to that a dude who spent 10 years as an industrial spy in Sheffield (C.V Heljestrands dad) & came home with a head full of ideas & a mad set of skills & applied all those ideas using the superior Swedish steel
& you had an almost instant success.
There isn't much difference between the various Swedish makers to be honest.
Just like Solingen & Sheffields you have a bunch of brands/makers that are HYPED, but a no-name Solingen for exampel can shave just as good as a DD.
Same goes for the Swedes. With a few exceptions. The MK's are really top of the line.
Probably because they were made only by the very finest & most skilled of the Masters, no one else were allowed to work on them.
But really, if it is stamped with "Eskilstuna" you can't go wrong. Crazy hard steel of the very finest sort. The Best razor-making city of all I might say (but yeah, I'm biased
)
Shave with one and you will understand.
- Thread starter
- #7
OK, I'm gonna try and get my hands on one rapidly. I've got my eye on one so NOBODY BID 
I move to have Honed's post removed from this thread. It's hard enough to find these gems at a decent price without him educating/hyping.
Honed--excellent answer for the OP. I love me my Sheffield choppers, and who can't appreciate a classic Solingen blade, but my Eskilstuna blades almost without exception give a finer execution when it comes to the actual shave. I really like how the style of most of the Swedish blades seems to accommodate a great edge without the bulk used elsewhere. My thinnest blade is an Erik Anton Berg, maybe a 3/8, but what an edge! If you're a straight shaver you really should seek out an Eskilstuna blade to try...
Photos.. I'm demanding photos of this blade which is only adding to my SRAD.
Especially wanting to see Giant_Kiwi's scales in Tassie Oak.
Being an Aussie.. I want to look at getting some Aussie scales.
Especially wanting to see Giant_Kiwi's scales in Tassie Oak.
Being an Aussie.. I want to look at getting some Aussie scales.
Do a search for "Heljestrand" and you'll find some nice eye candy.
It is the steel. I agree with Honed, you can't go wrong with any of the Eskilstuna brands. They are a ***** to hone (for me anyway) because the steel is so hard, but they take a very fine and durable edge.
Mk 32 with Tassie Oak
TR Cadman and Sons Bengall 6/8 Hollow in Jarrah (like sanding concrete)
Their home. 3rd razor is a full hollow Joseph Elliot best silver 6/8 in Desert Ironwood
Hope this helps the SRAD drfong
TR Cadman and Sons Bengall 6/8 Hollow in Jarrah (like sanding concrete)
Their home. 3rd razor is a full hollow Joseph Elliot best silver 6/8 in Desert Ironwood
Hope this helps the SRAD drfong
That Jarra looks awesome.
I reckon kwila wood would look good too.
I want to do what you did...
SRAD in full effect. MK31 with Jarra or Kwila mmm
I reckon kwila wood would look good too.
I want to do what you did...
SRAD in full effect. MK31 with Jarra or Kwila mmm
just found the one I mentioned earlier. It's a Klas Tornblom that looks identical to this:
http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Tornblom,_Klas_"Unspecified"_5/8_2
except with black plastic scales, and I'm going to lose the etching due to rust and about 1/16" off the width due to 2 large chips and a couple smaller ones.
Anyway, with what you all are saying about the strength of the steel.....I'm not looking forward to honing these chips out. At least it's a thin blade
http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Tornblom,_Klas_"Unspecified"_5/8_2
except with black plastic scales, and I'm going to lose the etching due to rust and about 1/16" off the width due to 2 large chips and a couple smaller ones.
Anyway, with what you all are saying about the strength of the steel.....I'm not looking forward to honing these chips out. At least it's a thin blade
I saw that one too. I offered him a BIN price but he turned it down. It sat for 2 days with no bids. Someday there's a helje in my future.
I was going to say that they are awful and you will hate them so that the rest of us could have them, but that would be dishonest and ungentlemenly. Get one and you will love it, or send it to me and I will. Nothing better than Swedish steel. If you want something awful from Sweden have the lutefisk. 
now stop it now im going to be after a swede soon god damn you all
For what it's worth, likely a majority of the iron ore used in Sheffield's steelmaking came from Sweden, although, at certain times, it also came from America. One example is ore from the Dannemora mine in Sweden. German steel--at least that of sufficient quality (dictated largely by the purity of the ore)--largely was and is from Swedish ore. (I recommend reading about the importance of Swedish iron ore before and during World War II.) Even Japanese razors sometimes are made with Swedish steel. So, the meaning of "Swedish steel" is a bit confusing.
