Helle fjellkniven slightly bent from battoning

[ringonotts]

Hi All,

I've been struggling to sharpen my fjellkniven and noticed today that its got quite a warp in it. I suspect I damaged it when battoning some wood.

Is it ok to put the knife in a vice and bend it straight ? Or should i try and do something different ?

Any advice is much appreciated!

TIA, Ringo

 

[ringonotts]

 

[Dave Budd]

Yet another example of why bludgeoning is a silly idea If you need to split wood then use an axe!


generally i blade has bent once, then you should be OK to bend it back again. You're best bet is to make a 3 point bending jig for the vice. Basically two bars on one jaw (for either side of the inside of the bend) and one bar on the other jaw for the apex of the bend). Squeeze the blade a little beyond straight and you should be OK. Another option is to hammer the outside of the bend with the inside resting on a log (preferably over a slight depression i a log)

 

[Toddy]

I've batoned tons of timber, with so many different knives, and I've never done that to one of them. I've no idea how you did that to yours, it looks more like you used it to kedge the split apart.
I'd contact Falkniven and show them the photos

 

[Toddy]

Sorry, just read Dave's post, and he's the knifemaker

 

[Janne]

As pointed out earlier, batoning is not the best idea with a blade this thin.

If you do not want to carry an axe, get a wedge and use that to split wood.


Check if the blade is made from laminated steel. If yes, be very gentle as the core is quite hard.
Helle had some issues with delamination a few years back, no doubt fixed by now, so this should be no risk.

 

[Corso]

I'd contact Falkniven and show them the photos

Its a Helle

 

[Toddy]

Its a Helle

But Ringo said that it was a, "fjellkniven"......so I wasn't thinking very hard :roll:

Actually, if it's a Helle, do contact them. I delaminated a Helle Polar and they were very good about it.

 

[ringonotts]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I can't actually remember it bending but needless too say, i must have treated it badly for it to have happenned. I'll try and bend it back....

Ringo

 

[Janne]

Fjellkniven is a model ( translated ’mountain knife’) from Norwegian brand Helle, made in Norway
Fällkniven is a Swedish brand, made in Japan. Translated it means ’folder’.

 

[ringonotts]

Well, it bent back into shape very easily. Possibly too easily. I'll have to keep an eye on it.....

 

[Toddy]

Reply @Janne
I'm not Scandinavian I'm a wee Scottish housewife, albeit with some interesting friends The words look very alike to me and I didn't take time to read them clearly.
Mea culpa.

I'd still contact Helle though, even if just for advice.

M

 

[Janne]

That is a characteristic of a laminated blade.
Only a thin layer inside is hard. Surrounded by soft steel.

The laminated blades made in Mora are the same.

Does it say on the blade it is laminated?

 

[Janne]

Reply @Janne
I'm not Scandinavian I'm a wee Scottish housewife, albeit with some interesting friends The words look very alike to me and I didn't take time to read them clearly.
Mea culpa.

I'd still contact Helle though, even if just for advice.
M

You have taught me lots and lots too!

I am happy to translate, it brings on other level if you know the meaning of foreign names/words!

With some extremely bad luck, it is possible to cause cracks in the hard core, and the blade can later fail. Should be visible on the edge though. Black marker, applied then wiped off, can show edge cracks.

 

[ringonotts]

That is a characteristic of a laminated blade.
Only a thin layer inside is hard. Surrounded by soft steel.

The laminated blades made in Mora are the same.

Does it say on the blade it is laminated?

Yes, Triple laminated stainless steel.

From the website https://helle.com/collections/knives/products/helle-fjellkniven:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fjellkniven is a traditional all-purpose belt knife.

This highly polished laminated stainless steel blade is shaped for every day chores. The comfortable grip is shaped to keep your hands off the blade. It comes with the traditional pouch style sheath that does not require a keeper strap.

Specifications
Name: Fjellkniven
Weight: 112 g
Blade material: Triple laminated stainless steel
Blade thickness: 3,1 mm
Blade length: 100 mm
Handle material: Curly birch
Handle length: 105 mm
Sheath material: Genuine leather
Sheath weight: 50 g
Design: Helle-design
Year: 1994
Art. no: 4
​

 

[Janne]

Thank you!

I hope it is undamaged and will serve you for many years!

I love those Scandi laminated blades. I have a feeling though that Morakniv will phase them out.
I think they only make the classic looking knives with that blade option.

Imagine how much the Japanese charge for a laminated blade....

 

[Dave Budd]

i didn't realise before that it was a laminated blade. They are really easy to bend! I've managed to bend a 5mm thick 8" long blade in my bare hands before! There is a chance that the edge steel is cracked, but I doubt it with that little bend (go 90 degrees and it will crack for sue!). If it has cracked then you may notice a tiny snagging when you carve, but it's nothing much (the rest of the blade is fine afterall)