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Questions on a seven day set from C.V. Heljestrand

If you're thinking of re-scaling the broken scaled razor, you can still get ivory, legally, but it's extremely expensive and you have to jump through all kinds of hoops.

An alternative is to use celluloid. Celluloid razor scales were originally designed to imitate ivory, so that's a possibility.

Or if you want a natural material, bone would also work. It'd be the closest in colour and texture to ivory. Not exact, obviously, but close enough.
 
Very nice set!

Most important is to stop it deteriorating further, if nothing else, cover the steel with petroleum jelly to stop any further rust. You can then decide if you want to spend some money to have it restored and honed.

You are right, the man with all the knowledge about Swedish razors is Polarbeard. If you want to get someone's attention on the site, just mention them this way @Polarbeard and he will get a notification.
You flatterer :em2900:
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
One of the better options that I’ve found for polishing most scale materials including ivory is the jewelry polishing pads, widely available and cheap - but look for the best price. An Etsy seller is where I got my last ones.

 
You flatterer :em2900:
Dear sir, would you be able to shed some further light on the history of these razors by any chance? :)
Would you be able to guess when they were produced for example?

Not trying to push you but I am genuinely interested as maybe the could have been bought by my great grand father, or even before that who knows 😃
 
Dear sir, would you be able to shed some further light on the history of these razors by any chance? :)
Would you be able to guess when they were produced for example?

Not trying to push you but I am genuinely interested as maybe the could have been bought by my great grand father, or even before that who knows 😃
The razors are marked with a a price given 1886. From 1891 all European razors sold in the USA had to be stamped with the country of origin meaning that all Swedish razors regardless of export market from 1891 and onward are marked "Sweden". Since your razors lacks that marking they are made in the late 1890's. Congratulations, they are beautiful.
 
The razors are marked with a a price given 1886. From 1891 all European razors sold in the USA had to be stamped with the country of origin meaning that all Swedish razors regardless of export market from 1891 and onward are marked "Sweden". Since your razors lacks that marking they are made in the late 1890's. Congratulations, they are beautiful.

I have a seven day set of MK 32 with the days of the week in French.
They only say Eskilstuna, they don't say Sweden.
I didn't think MK's were supposed to be from that long ago.
Are they?
 
I have a seven day set of MK 32 with the days of the week in French.
They only say Eskilstuna, they don't say Sweden.
I didn't think MK's were supposed to be from that long ago.
Are they?
They aren't. Those razors should be marked with "Sweden". I don't know why they aren't. Perhaps Magnus Kindal (M.K.) made a series without the marking feeling fully secure that they never would be sold in the USA.

The first Heljestrand No.32 razors were made around 1925.
 
They aren't. Those razors should be marked with "Sweden". I don't know why they aren't. Perhaps Magnus Kindal (M.K.) made a series without the marking feeling fully secure that they never would be sold in the USA.

The first Heljestrand No.32 razors were made around 1925.
For what it's worth I have an MK 30 that's not stamped Sweden, too. As well as an unnumbered one, similar to an MK32 but with no nick in the thumb notch. My only other Heljestrand does have Sweden in it.
 
They aren't. Those razors should be marked with "Sweden". I don't know why they aren't. Perhaps Magnus Kindal (M.K.) made a series without the marking feeling fully secure that they never would be sold in the USA.

The first Heljestrand No.32 razors were made around 1925.

I'm going to postulate that perhaps the intended market did make a difference.
Here's two of the ones which I mentioned:

DSCN1296b.jpg


Those are in tortoise, here's another in celluloid:

DSCN1297b.jpg


Here's a 33 and a 32 in ivory:

DSCN1299b.jpg


DSCN1298b.jpg



Now switching to Le Grelot as an alternative example of nationality
being left off, past the time when it might not have been allowed to be left off,
We can see from this blade face that their gold medal was in 1931

DSCN1302b.jpg



but whenever that medal is referenced in a tang stamp,
neither Thiers nor France is mentioned:

DSCN1303b.jpg


and that's why I suspect whether or not the intended market
was export may have made a difference as to whether or not
the nation of manufacture needed to be identified.
 
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They aren't. Those razors should be marked with "Sweden". I don't know why they aren't. Perhaps Magnus Kindal (M.K.) made a series without the marking feeling fully secure that they never would be sold in the USA.

The first Heljestrand No.32 razors were made around 1925.

Perhaps this law from 1926, is the relevant one.


The Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, ensured that products could no longer be imported 'blank'
 

Legion

Staff member
People from Sweden were emigrating all over the world in the late 1800’s.

Possibly the razors without Sweden on them were made for the domestic market, but carried by the original owner to the US, and other places.
 
People from Sweden were emigrating all over the world in the late 1800’s.

Possibly the razors without Sweden on them were made for the domestic market, but carried by the original owner to the US, and other places.

Possibly.
I really can't say that I know much about these things.
 
The law i was referring to was from 1890, implemented in 1891.

I know.
But my understanding of the 1926 law,
was that the the 1926 law closed some loopholes
which allowed for the importation of 'blank' objects under certain cicumstances.

It seems like it might be relevant considering
the topic,
and the date of the law,
and the date of the origin of the MK brand.

"For much of the period covered in previous chapters,
British law on the indications of origin
was governed by the Merchandise Marks Act 1887.
This act provided specific conditions under which
imports had to provide an indication of origin;
otherwise they could be imported 'blank'.
The Merchandise Marks Act, 1926,
ensured that products could no longer be imported 'blank': ..."

I don't know if that is the relevant law.

I found out some miscellaneous things while researching this.
Around 1890, various countries enacted laws on this topic.
In USA law, "Made in "
was required to precede the name of the nation of origin in 1914.



And so, in conclusion,
I don't really know why a few of my MK's don't say Sweden on them.
My understanding is that my 32's and my 33 were mostly intended for export.
 
Over the years I have picked up a MK 32, 31 and 6 and they've all been terrific razors. I never planned to have a 7 day set, but a couple months ago someone was flogging a 7 day set of MK 32s on FleaBay. There were a couple that weren't originally with the set and a couple broken scale tips requiring some glue, but overall it looked like a nice set of gently used MK32s. I put in a bid far below what I thought they'd go for, ignored it for the evening and looked to see what it went for in the morning. Low and behold, the set went for 160 $US to me. I was going over them and realized that most of them have no wear at all. I'm thinking that this will be my spring project. I am a little blown away that with all the chatter about how hard decent MK32s are to find and how expensive they are, that these went so cheap (that's $22.86 each) 5 on ivory and 2 on bone scales.
MK 32 Set.jpg
 
I am certain I looked at that set and thought, "I'm sure it will go for more than I want to spend, but I'll check in before it's over," and then promptly forgot. I kicked myself the next day. Congrats!
 
I've been cleaning up the 7 day set mentioned in my last post. Overall, they are all heljestrand, in great shape, with little wear and the rust oddly didn't seem to penetrate. It turns out that five of them are MK 32s and two of them, under the rust on the back side of the shank/tang, are blank. At first I had assumed they would match the profile on an MK31, but upon closer examination they d
IMG_1646.jpg
IMG_1645.jpg
IMG_1643.jpg
on't. I've taken a few pics of them between an MK31 and MK32. I have to admit that I like how they handle better than my 31. I am assuming that these may be Heljestrands from before the MK series but I'd appreciate any information you can provide.
 
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