Your Opinion on potential scales.

[Antique Hoosier]

I acquired a NOS Heljestrand pair from a contact in Stockholm which are the blade geometry of MK31 thumb notch distinctive proper size sans any stamping of C.V. Heljestrand or Kindal Paris. They have a plain black scales and I thought I might upgrade them to something more exotic or interesting.

My original thought was way out there with Pua / Abalone, Mother of Pearl, Wooly Mammoth etc. also considering African Macassar ebony, some sort of antler, or Camel bone.

Your inspirations requested in case I’m missing some really great choices.

 

[Wid]

I like the camel or giraffe bone for scales.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I've always been partial to contrasting scales for a gentleman's set. It occurs to me that there are a lot of ways to do that, though. The traditional one razor in ivory and one in dark horn or ebony is timeless. But something like MOP and blue paua would be quite striking.

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

In general, I am not against scale replacements. However, with Heljestrands (or Filarmonica), I am usually reticent as I believe they look best when they are still using the factory scales or something made to replicate those. I think the factory did a pretty good job on matching the design of the blade with the scales. There is a timeless and balanced element around this.

Now, the ones in the image don’t seem to use a special material and if I would really want to play around that, I would try to replicate exactly that design but using either black horn (without striations) or bone. This way, I’d preserve that distinctive Heljestrand look/design.

 

[Legion]

Bone to me has always had the air of poor man’s ivory. Might be just me.

Mammoth is really cool, but I’m not sure it would suit those razors. Same with MOP.

I’d go with a fancy grain wood with a glossy CA finish.

 

[Gamma]

If the scales aren't broken or problematic, I'd leave them alone. They look great as is. And that's how the maker intended them to be.

 

[Legion]

If the scales aren't broken or problematic, I'd leave them alone. They look great as is. And that's how the maker intended them to be.

All his other razors will laugh at them.

 

[Wid]

Bone to me has always had the air of poor man’s ivory. Might be just me.

It is

 

[Lightcs1776]

Beautiful. Just beautiful. I don’t think any scales will make them anything but beautiful. That said, ebony would be nice if you really wanted to swap them out.

 

[DrStrange]

This is what an old Heljestrand looks in rosewood:

https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/attachments/dscn0865b-jpg.1063878/

but, the original scales were broken.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

If the scales aren't broken or problematic, I'd leave them alone. They look great as is. And that's how the maker intended them to be.

Totally agree. Thanks

 

[Gamma]

Totally agree. Thanks

You're welcome.

 

[Christian1212]

I have an mk 30 in Hawaiian Koa wood scales that I like a bunch.

 

[Mr Bedlington]

Michael, If they were mine I would dress them in faux Tortoiseshell kirinite, it will be an upgrade, here is a set I made for an MK 31 from this material it looks fantastic, it's important to keep the same Heljestrand scale template so they will look perfect. PS I used the Ivory Heljestrand scale template with a slightly pointed finish on both ends of the scales, it also polishes up to a glass-like finish.

 

[Mr Bedlington]

I also made a set for my Frederick Reynolds using Faux Tortoiseshell Kirinite.

 

[GreazyThumbs]

For a complimentary set like that with narrow scales I would probably rock a blonde horn and a dark horn, the would look great together. A little yin and yang, you could even use the opposite color as the Wedge, might be classy. If you are looking on the pricey side you could go Ivory, I am also a huge fan of that.

 

[Gord A]

I would leave them as is and do a full restoration.
If the scales were damaged I would only replace them with material that was on offer by Heljestrand for these razors. I would also stick with the original design so they will fit into their box.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Really love the tortoise scales by Mr. Bedlington.

I wouldnt choose paua for a Helje, doesn't seem fitting to me. My vote would be ivory or bone, white or black or the lovely tortoise.