There is overlap between what some refer to as near wedge and what others refer to as quarter hollow. I think it seems more like a wedge, but there's a pdf here which describes it as quarter hollow: http://strazors.com/uploads/images/articles/Carl_Victor_Heljestrand.pdf
I think wedges are more of an advanced topic in razors and shaving. A lot of people like them more than I do, especially the heavy beard crowd. The MK 31 is very popular. The MK 4 is almost the same razor with a simpler shank. I have 3 Heljestrand in my regular rotation. I shaved with this one today: https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/swedish-razors-thread.60272/page-7#post-1996669
What widths and grinds that people prefer are as varied as people - that’s why they made so many widths and grinds. All will shave well. BTW, never, ever, send a razor to a knife guy.Razors are not little knives. In general, narrow razors are not valuable. The ‘collectible’ Heljestrands are the MK 3X series with the thumb and drip notch with tortoise or ivory scales, in new condition. The wider the more collectible. The straight tang MK 133 and 134 are desirable. Next the ones with the thumb notch but no drip notch. To be valuable and collectible, a razor has to be in near new condition unless it has provenance to a famous owner. Razors with wear, rust pitting, uneven honing, refinished, are essentially worthless except as shaving tools and some of them can shave very well. They’re just not worth anything.
Wow. Thanks for your detailed and skilled explainations about straight razors and how they are recognized and used by the community. I will watch out for the MK 31, MK4 as well as the whole MK 3X Series when I'm back in sweden... I guess in near future a nice one will show up. Thanks for your help. The guy I will send my Heljestrand is specialized on cleaning and sharpening straight razors so I hope it will come back in great shape. I will post a photo when I got it back and keep you up to date. Good evening, gentlemen... ✌
If you are looking for normally collectible Swedish razors in Sweden you might be going in the wrong direction. The Swedes didn’t like wide razors, and I think that you will be hard pressed to find a 6/8 Swedish razor in Sweden, only narrower ones. They believed Magnus Kindal (aka M.K.) could never sell wide razors. And he didn’t sell them in Sweden, but he did in Paris, and the rest of the world. If you want wide, collectible Heljestrands, you look in Paris, South America, the US and Japan (post war models), not Sweden unless it’s old unsold stock. And I’m sure that there are some, somewhere in Sweden. Good hunting!
I think if you were to peruse the entirety of this thread, you could get a good idea of what people like. Mostly, as long as the razor is in good condition, you can't go wrong with Swedish razors. That what this thread is about. You can also see a lot of Swedes in the ivory scales thread: https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/ivory-scale-razors.53934/
I would say that the MK No.24 was the most produced by Heljestrand. Here in Sweden they are the most found razors on auction sites from Heljestrand. Not high prices even in good condition. Not my cup of tea, even if I have a couple of them. I would say like @Steve56 that the 3X models are the absolute best they have made. However the grind is something you have to find out by yourself what you like or not. Good hunting! Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk
Maybe I did. I made a mistake. I have 15 razors that I shave with regularly, and 5 of them are Heljestrands. 1 MK 31 2 Unnamed type, about halfway between a 31 and a 32 3 MK23, a larger version of the MK24 4 MK 33 5 The Prisbelont one just recently shown.
From Arne at B&B: “The MK No.42, BK No.41, No.23, No.923 is a very nice near wedge razor.” and “The BK (Best Quality) 41 near wedge is indeed a great razor.” From ‘Noahpictures’: “Here is one of my Heljestrand razors that I haven't seen before; it's a BK 41, 11/16 near wedge.” Most mention it as a 5/8.
Thanks Steve. I lucked out, and obtained one. It was a "Best Offer" deal, and it came with a Rubberset 400 brush. They should arrive in a week or so, and I will be able to better evaluate their conditions. I have several Swedish Eskilstuna razors, but this is my first CVH.
Scott, I have one with Ivory scales, needs some polishing and honing. Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk