Show Off Your Helle Knives

[Guyon]

I've been perusing the Helles over at ragweedforge and drooling just a bit. So many to choose from it's hard to figure on a first choice to try. I really like the utter simplicity of the Viking model, but I also appreciate the more modern Storm bushcraft/hunting blade with the rubber inserts. Being a fillet knife connoisseur, I may have to give the Steinbit a try when I get some extra pocket change.

Three things, please (pick one, two, or all three) ...

Talk about the laminated steel and how you like it.

Discuss how the curly birch holds up and how to care for it.

And show me some Helles!

 

[Guyon]

It must be above 50 degrees, because I'm hearing crickets.

My theory? Helle owners are so old-school that they don't own cameras. They instead have oil paintings made of their knives.

Seriously, I looked through some old Helle threads but am yet to see any good user pics. I'll keep looking...

 

[rinos]

The Earth's blade is triple laminated stainless steel with scandi grind,not Fallkniven but pretty close in action.
The blade was very sharp,although used,(friend who gave it to me,used knife for a year,light woodwork,without sharpening), little bit of stropping and it become scary sharp,and still is.
Indention for thumb on the blade is not something that i would put on it,and neither the groove in the handle, but they are there,whole knife is nicely finished and it have sense of sturdiness.
(I'm thinking of getting Helle Viking,with carbon laminated blade.)

Curly birch is my favorite handle material,so I'm not objective,i just love it,it is warm on touch,light but strong,it was lighter in color but with use and after couple treatments with protection mixture it gets little darker.
Linseed oil(or Orange oil), beeswax and carnauba mixture is what i use for handle protection,and it works excellent.

 

[kgd]

My good buddy has one. It is very sharp and pretty much what I consider a dressed up mora. They are very light and a bit smaller than I always though it would be (that could be the model he has). I was a bit put off by how light it was in the hand. I'm just used to a bit more heft of the full tangs, but I really couldn't complain about its sharpness, handle ergos or how well in handled making fuzzies from cottonwood.

 

[desmobob]

Hi Guyon,

I love to look through the Ragweed inventory, too. I eventually gave in and picked out one of the Helles: the Harding. It has an interesting handle combining curly birch, walnut and leather. It is very pretty!


I don't have a good photo of it, but you can see it on the left in this shot:

I haven't done anything to treat the handle, but if I felt the need to put anything on it, I'd choose an oil type finish.

The butt end of the handle didn't feel quite right in my hand so I sanded off parts of the "swell" that continues around the butt from the bird's beak (I think that's what the projection on the bottom side of the butt end of the handle is called). It feels fine now.

I love the laminated steel blade. The outside layers are highly polished and the inside layer takes a shaving sharp edge and holds it well with no chipping. I have not used the knife heavily and have been able to maintain the edge with a loaded strop.

My only complaint with the knife is the poor fit of the bolster. It is not snugged up against the blade and gaps show where a tiny bit of the tang is exposed. It's not a big deal, but the knife is so nicely finished otherwise, it stands out. The knife came with a very nice sheath that uses a brass stud on the butt of the knife and a kind of buttonhole slot on the sheath flap to hold the knife securely in place.

I'm always tempted to buy another Helle and I'm sure I eventually will.

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[mckrob]

A pretty crappy photo but you get the picture...

After spending about a year working in Norway, I got the bug and had purchased just about every model that Helle had out at the time, I was working in the bush and tested several with daily use. By far my favourite is the Nying (third from the bottom), a small fixed blade with a 2.75" blade of triple laminate steel, with an ugly, but super ergonomic handle.

The laminated steel is easy to sharpen and holds a very good edge, the sheaths are functional works of art, and best of all the price is very reasonable.

The birch handles of course require some care, they are not "hard-use" by any means, and I would never baton with one (but I don't baton, that's what an axe is for) for fear of splitting the birch. The birch does not seem to require much care, although I have heard of some of them splitting when dry.

I've carried and used my Nying all over the world and will continue to do so.

My only complaint is perhaps with the Symfoni, which I love, but the reindeer antler really is quite porous and soaks up water on the cut end (I've never really felt as though it is all that hygienic, even after washing).

 

[kgd]

and I would never baton with one (but I don't baton, that's what an axe is for)

Most people swing their axe's McRob...Nice collection of helle's....

 

[mckrob]

and I would never baton with one (but I don't baton, that's what an axe is for)


Most people swing their axe's McRob...Nice collection of helle's....

probably not the best place for me to even bring this up