Two Generations of CV Heljestrand Safety Razors

[Rwoodreno]

Based on photos and posts I have found I believe there have been three generations of CV Heljestrand wedge blade lather catcher safety razors. I have cased 7 blade compact sets of the two later models as well as some other cased sets and uncased razors. The middle model typically had a two piece very light tubular handle and a head with a very large CV Heljestrand name stamped into the body along with other stamped decorative designs and was typically silver plated, at least in my samples.

The third generation has a two piece solid machined knurled handle in the brass versions and was made in silver, gold and chrome plated versions that I have examples of. There is also a version with a one piece handle made with Inox stainless steel for both the razor head and handle. I have several of the stainless steel versions. My SS versions are distinguished from the third generation brass ones by the one piece handle and the lack of a "KINDLE FABRIQUE IN SUEDE" two line stamp on the razor head. They react very slightly to a strong magnet.

The first photo is a second generation 7 day compact set, silver plated. The next photo is a third generation chrome plated brass compact 7 day set. Note the simpler head decoration. It is also thicker material. The earlier head weighs approximately 0.9 ounces while the later head is 1.2 ounces.

The third photo is a stainless steel version in a much larger case that would have included a strop and auto stropper originally I believe. Note that the cutout for the razor is sized for a single piece handle. There is no cutout for a stropping blade holder as seen in the upper two photos.

If any member has photos of the first generation version please post them. I am told the first generation model CV Heljestrand is distinguished by a different blade holding arrangement that does not include blade stops. The second and third generation units basically use an identical blade holding design as the NEW GEM razor. No idea who copied who though as I have not found any manufacturing dates for the CV Heljestrand razors. Enjoy!

 

[captnronfl]

Would any of these be able to use a Gem blade by wedging the blade in?​

 

[Rwoodreno]

No need to wedge the blade in. It fits fine in both generations of these CV Heljestrand razors. They have blade stops and the top flipper holds the top of the blade fine. I have read that there is an even earlier version without the blade stops but have never seen one.

 

[McKinneys]

Beautiful razors. Do you know the years they have been made?

 

[iLamb0]

Wow. Nice collection you got there. At first I read CV and I thought it was going to be straights such as MK31, but I didn't finish reading the 'safety razors' part.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Beautiful razors. Do you know the years they have been made?

Minimal information on them, even in the Razor Compendium, but I believe that the era from about 1900 to 1939 or so is close. No idea if razor production continued during WW2. Most web info seems to be about their straight razors. Certainly more listings for the straight razors on ebay.

 

[McKinneys]

Well, the Heljestrand factory existed until 1980 so there must be some documentation somewhere.

 

[Rwoodreno]

When this one arrives it will be my oldest as best I can judge. It has more elaborate stamping on the razor body and the blade side guides and connecting bar than later units. Per a web search the patent dates from 1 Jan. 1904 so is quite early. The image from the patent is the lowest image here. This might indicate that the NEW GEM razor copied the CV Heljestrand as far as blade retention is concerned.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Well, the Heljestrand factory existed until 1980 so there must be some documentation somewhere.

An awful lot of records are trashed when a business is liquidated unless donated to a university or other institution. Many businesses also discard records after a given amount of time, frequently as soon as they legally can. Records storage costs money and most businesses try to minimize expenses and maximize profits at the expense of company history considerations. Very few companies have a company historian position.

 

[Rwoodreno]

When this one arrives it will be my oldest as best I can judge. It has more elaborate stamping on the razor body and the blade side guides and connecting bar than later units. Per a web search the patent dates from 1 Jan. 1904 so is quite early. The image from the patent is the lowest image here. This might indicate that the NEW GEM razor copied the CV Heljestrand as far as blade retention is concerned.



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A check in the Razor Compendium indicates that the CV Heljestrand blade retention and side blade guides design appears to be virtually identical to that shown in Gem American patent 686143 of 5 Nov 1901 so the Gem patent came first.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Here are copies of the drawings from the Gem 1901 patent. Blade retention is identical but CV Heljestrand relocated the position of the comb teeth and did not make the head hinged to open like the NEW GEM. I do have a NEW GEM in close to NOS condition so am able to do a side by side comparison. The spring design on the CVH razor is also simplified and fixed by one rivet versus two in the Gem design.

Figures 1. 2, 5 and 6 appear to apply to the hinged head opening NEW GEM while pictures 3 and 4 appear to show the swinging gate assembly used later on the Gem Junior Bar and Star Bar razors. which were more open C shape and no hinge head designs. Interesting that the Gem Junior Bar was not introduced for about 7 years after the patent date.

 

[Rwoodreno]

Wow. Nice collection you got there. At first I read CV and I thought it was going to be straights such as MK31, but I didn't finish reading the 'safety razors' part.

The straight razor versions of both CV Heljestrand and JA Henckels razors are much more common than their safety razor counterparts based on ebay listings. The proportions seem to be close to 100 to 1 for both makers, making the wedge blade safety razors from both makers relatively scarce items and relatively expensive compared to most Gem blade compatible razors other than the English Streamline razors and sets.

 

[Polarbeard]

An awful lot of records are trashed when a business is liquidated unless donated to a university or other institution. Many businesses also discard records after a given amount of time, frequently as soon as they legally can. Records storage costs money and most businesses try to minimize expenses and maximize profits at the expense of company history considerations. Very few companies have a company historian position.

There's documentation to be found. Since 1628 the Swedes and their companies and all govermental administration has been recorded very thorough. The best place to start would be the Eskilstuna town archive that is there to save records on everything and everyone and have done so for hundreds of years. The second place would be Riksarkivet that saves copies of EVERYTHING ever printed in Sweden, also since centuries. The only thing you need is an archivist and a lot of time on your hands. I know an archivist with an interest in razors. Neither of us have any time though. Some day when I'm retired perhaps.

 

[McKinneys]

The only thing you need is an archivist and a lot of time on your hands. I know an archivist with an interest in razors. Neither of us have any time though. Some day when I'm retired perhaps.

There should be a Badger & Blade research fund installed for situations like that & we should talk Gillette into donating some money...