Helle - now I know what "sharp" is . . .

F

Foilist

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Dec 20, 2004
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In today's mail, I got a Helle Futura in a swap with another forum member. This is my first ever scandi knife and boy, is it SHARP! Seriously, I have never handled a sharper knife in my life.

It also is very attractive with a curly birch handle, and is very comfortable in the hand (more so than my Northstar). The Futura has a groove for the index finger that makes for a secure, controllable grip - sort of like having a choil but without wasting blade.

I'm looking forward to trying it out, but I want to wait until I hear that my swap partner is satisfied with his end of the deal before I start slicing and dicing out in the woods.

Who else has been using Helle knives extensively? How are they holding up?
 
I've been using some of the Helle knives for awhile & they're holding up just fine:

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I haven't tried to beat the tar out of them or anything like that,but for woodworking type tasks they're hard to beat for the price.

The Futura & Harding are my two favorites but they're all nice knives.

Hope you enjoy using your Futura.

Cliff
 
I'm not a Scandi fan, but those are beautiful knives!

I've always wanted to try the UHC ones at 66 HRC. I'm sure the edge retention would be very impressive.
 
My fav is the Jegermester and its been a great knife. Feels super light with the version I bout that was all burch with a reindeer antler piece.
 
Helle yes:thumbup:

Here's a Helle carbon steel 'Tollkniv' blank ,(4 3/8" blade, almost 7/8" wide and .160" thick), that I handled with a piece of local Birch. Veg tan leather pants. It is thicker than my Moras. It still slices veggies and meats just fine and has kept it's dang sharp edge for the last month of carving walking staff heads and lots of food:)
I plan on picking up an Eggen soon.
Thanks for the nice pic, Cliff.

What Helle fun:D
 

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If I'm not mistaken, the Futura is Sandvik stainless steel. I like it! I would say "good trade", Foilist, but I couldn;t without knowing what was traded.

I'm surprised by the steel on my Symfoni - surprised that I can get it soooo sharp! I never expected that out of a stainless.

I use a King 800 waterstone to hone the Scandi edge to zero, then I switch to a King 1200. After the grind is "zeroed", I take a few very light whispery passes on the fine Sharpmaker stones at 30 degrees, then strop with green oxide. It's even sharper than that mini-Canadian most of the time, and that's saying alot! :thumbup:
 
I love Sandi's and Love the Helle knives. My big chopper/cutter is the Helle Laplander.
 
udtjim said:
I love Sandi's and Love the Helle knives. My big chopper/cutter is the Helle Laplander.
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Wow, that's a nice one:thumbup: . I just checked it out, as I hadn't seen one at Ragnars or Thompsons Scandinavian. I have been considering putting a handle on a 7 3/4" bladed Roselli Leuko to round out my scandi kit.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention, udtjim.

Mark
 
Is the core of the laminated Helle knives carbon or stainless? I hear it described as stainless, but so far the only composition of it I've seen listed had very low Cr.
 
helle jubileum with a nice Ahti Rames from Ragnars Forge, and a Kullervo puukko from kellam Knives.
 
OOPs, forot the pics. Kullervo from Kellam, and Ahti Rames from Ragnars.
 

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StretchNM said:
If I'm not mistaken, the Futura is Sandvik stainless steel. I like it! I would say "good trade", Foilist, but I couldn;t without knowing what was traded.
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"Good trade" indeed - I traded a lightly used Becker Crewman for the NIB Helle Futura. The Becker is a really good knife of its type, but I really have no use for such a tool - total overkill for my purposes. I got it four or five years ago and my whole taste and philosophy about fixed blade knives has changed since then. Now my only fixed blades are a Mini Canadian, Northstar and this Futura.

I hope the other guy is as happy with the trade as me - I haven't heard from him yet.

With that large scandi bevel, even a nitwit like me ought to be able to sharpen it decently!
 
Yes, it's the Scandi-ground knives that I sharpen on the benchstones. I have nowhere near the confidence to sharpen a v-grind that way!

ALTHOUGH..... even with that wide bevel, you need to be very careful to avoid any rocking. Maybe it's not possible, I don;t know, but no matter how I try I cannot grind a perfectly (relative term) flat bevel.... especially as the angle changes from belly to tip. I've learned a few tricks and I can get that knife truly sharp, but true "flatness" still escapes me.
 
Welcome to the world of Scandi!!!

Since my first I have never turned back. I really love the look of the Helle's and have always wanted to pick one up, but I just wish they offered them in carbon as well.
 
The triple laminated steel is the berries, you can't go wrong buy a Helle knife. The Ahti knives are very nice as well.
 
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