C.V. Heljestrand was bornon January 30th 1816 inEskilstuna, Sweden. Hisfather, Alderman OlofHeljestrand, who hadlearned until now theunknown art of affixetching and gold plating ofsteel works. In 1810 theproduction started of finersteelworks. Already at theage of twelve, his son CarlVictor Heljestrand, beganto work in his father'sworkshop. Which, afterOlof's death in 1837, wastaken over by the olderbrother, Nils Fredrik. Theyounger brother Carl Victorworked there until 1843.

In 1842, Professor N.G.Säfström of The Royal Boardof Commerce, brought aproposal to the

Whitesmithery-industrial development to send some workers abroad to gainpractical knowledge of this industry. Due to this purpose, C.V.Heljestrand was offered to travel to England, but he lacked knowledge inseveral prerequisites, including the English language. he received grantsfor some months to acquire these skills at the Technological Institute inStockholm. In the fall of 1843, he left for England where he, after manydifficulties, obtained employment at Parker's & Lindby's knife factory inSheffield.

Through his appealing personality, C.V.Heljestrand soon won theconfidence amongst the English workmen. It also helped him to acquire theknowledge faster as it was the purpose of the trip. At the end of 1845,he left England and traveled across Belgium and Germany. He made sure tovisit some of Europe's most renowned knife factories on his way back toSweden. He returned to Eskilstuna later the same year.

After his return from England and encountering several barrier, hemanaged to rent a room of about eight feet wide and sixteen feet long inan existing grinding house. In this room, he procured a workshop afterthe English model with several grinding and polishing stands. Here inthis narrow area, he taught and trained several workers in the art ofmaking scissors and table forks. He continued to do so until the fall1849. At this time, one of the town's grind houses became available forlease, and C.V.Heljestrand signed a lease contract for 25 years (it wasunlikely to sign a lease for that long at the time).

He started to develop a chest disease, which would ultimately send thishard working, gifted man to a premature grave. He probably caught thisdebilitating disease during the three-year resident of the crowded,unhealthy premises.

But yet, he was not only working in his own factory. Several times, heshared his experience and insights with other Swedish workmen who wantedhis help to establish the business relations with the rest of the world'sand the big players in the steel industry. For this purpose, he madethree more trips to foreign countries: the first time (1851) with theironmaster C.A. Rettig to England and Belgium, the second time (1854) toEngland at the expense of the mill owner C.J. Olsson Riddarhyttan, andfinally in 1856, again to England with The chamberlain Stockenström.Through all these trips, the desired results was achieved, which waslargely by Heljestrands earnings.

C.V. Heljestrand could now rest inpeace and quiet. He would have thegreatest hope of success andcontinue the primary occupation:whitesmithery and the production ofthe best razors that Sweden hasever seen. He also had the pleasureof seeing his brands receive thebest ratings, both within andoutside Sweden. But, his bodilyforces are coming to an end, andeven though his soul to the endtook full vigor, a debilitatingtuberculosis laid him in the graveon the 29th July 1861 when he wasonly 45 of age.

Shortly after C.V. Heljestrand's death, this was written in the "Post andDomestic Newspapers":

"The deceased has been known for great knowledge and zealous activity inforging and manufacturing in general and particularly in the finer steelworks, which was made by himself. Within his community, he seemed morethan anyone else, at the same time and with the same zeal for themanufacture for proper promotion and public affairs. Even after he wastaken to his sick bed, he wouldn't leave. He often shared his thoughtsand advice on matters relating to the public with the sound discretionand clearly perceptive ability, which was his own. He is loved and missedby the community he belonged, and the loss is so much bigger, as long asit surely will be irreplaceable. "

Heljestrand knife factory was founded in 1808 by Olof Heljestrand, thefactory was closed, caused by bankruptcy in 1980.

Heljestrand razors size chart:width (mm) grind

MK 10 20 3/4 hollowMK 22 15.8 WedgeMK 23 17 wedgeMK 24 12.7 1/4 hollowMK 29 14,13 full hollowMK 30 13MK 31 17, 17.5 full hollowMK 32* 19, 19.5, 19.5, 20 full hollowMK 33 21,22 full hollowMK 4 17 full hollowMK 41 17.46 1/4 hollowMK 42 16.8 1/4 hollow

MK 44 20MK 6 20, 19.5 1/2 hollowMK 134 25,26 full hollow'N' 17

unmarked 22.5 full hollow

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