Helle Knives?

[DZ-Y]

I bought a Helle Harding this summer and love it. I plan to go to Norway this year and will get me a Odel or a trofe. Love the fact that it is a true scandi knife with the look of a traditional knife.

They really are impossible to use as a firesteel scraper and the soft outer layer of the blade is prone to cosmetic damage, but it is a true user.

 

[Toddy]

I bought a Helle Harding this summer and love it. I plan to go to Norway this year and will get me a Odel or a trofe. Love the fact that it is a true scandi knife with the look of a traditional knife.

They really are impossible to use as a firesteel scraper and the soft outer layer of the blade is prone to cosmetic damage, but it is a true user.

Are you sure? 'cos both the Tomeliten and the Polar work very well with a firesteel.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[DZ-Y]

Are you sure? 'cos both the Tomeliten and the Polar work very well with a firesteel.

Cheers,
Toddy

Hi Toddy,

I'am afraid so. I realised on your reply that I hadn't tried squering the spine, hence the late reply. I did yesterday, but unfortunetely it made no difference . I guess it is the soft outer steel of the trilaminate that causes it. Are your helle knives trilaminate?

regards,


Harmen

 

[TheGreenMan]

I just got my first Helle a few months ago, this Odel model.

[image removed]

Give them a try, you'll be really happy.

The Odel was my first ‘serious’ knife. I can remember feeling more than a little guilty for spending so much money on a knife (only had a couple of Moras at that time)…but guilt, knifes, and money, are no longer words I associate with each other!

The Handle on the Odel is so comfortable (might be a bit small if you have large hands), and it arrived ‘freaky sharp’ out of the box, it’s as light as a feather, and the blade is a lovely size and shape. The inability of it to spark off a firesteel is a minor drawback…I suppose... :aargh4:

Best regards,
Paul.

 

[Toddy]

Hi Toddy,

I'am afraid so. I realised on your reply that I hadn't tried squering the spine, hence the late reply. I did yesterday, but unfortunetely it made no difference . I guess it is the soft outer steel of the trilaminate that causes it. Are your helle knives trilaminate?

regards,


Harmen

Well, the Polar certainly is, and I've just gone and had a try again to see if my memory was correct.
Nae bother! and I haven't squared off the spine of a knife in my life
Different steels maybe

cheers,
Toddy

 

[jon r]

I bought a helle knife and the blade bent easily so i sent it back!
The knife overall looked very nice but i think it was made of stanless steel to it was not as strong as carbon steel! Pluss i couldnt get it as sharp as my £10 Mora

 

[DZ-Y]

Well, the Polar certainly is, and I've just gone and had a try again to see if my memory was correct.
Nae bother! and I haven't squared off the spine of a knife in my life
Different steels maybe

cheers,
Toddy

Good to hear there's nothing wrong with your memory . I don't really mind that much. I tend to nick myself with the cutting edge when using the spine with a firesteel. I prefer to use the saw of a SAK or a Leatherman, or the striker that came with it.

regards,

Harmen

 

[laurens ch]

Are you sure? 'cos both the Tomeliten and the Polar work very well with a firesteel.

Cheers,
Toddy

some of the helle knives are just plain sanvik i think the tomeliten is one of them not sure whether the polor is laminated or plain sanvik



http://www.helleknives.com/product18.html

 

[Toddy]

The Polar is definitely laminated. TheTomeliten looks like it's been almost guillotined out of the bar stock.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toddy]

Another possible explanation:
please see Dave Budd's post (number 19) on this thread
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=18770

Not all firesteels are equal it seems

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Spaniel man]

Add me to the list of Helle supporters! I've had a Fjellkniven for years, and my other half uses a Nying. Both excellent tools. Just do't try batonning with them!

 

[brancho]

Just do't try batonning with them!

Why what happened and what did you hit it with?

 

[Spaniel man]

Nothing major, but the metal washer came a bit loose when splitting some firewood. A few clouts in the right place soon sorted it! I prefer full tang knives now, maybe I'm a bit rough on my tools!

 

[brancho]

Nothing major, but the metal washer came a bit loose when splitting some firewood. A few clouts in the right place soon sorted it! I prefer full tang knives now, maybe I'm a bit rough on my tools!

If you had sent it back they would have replaced it as far as I have heard as it should stand up to a bit of battoning assuming you hit the blade not the handle

 

[michiel]

Don't know if they replace broken knives, but they did replace my Harding when the bolster became loose. I didn't have to send the old knife back because that would be too expensive for me. A photograph would suffice for Helle.

Lovely service imo

 

[Gill]

i have a helle harding too, helle are great knives . you wont be dissapointed , and the prices are good too

 

[Bimble]

Ladies and gents, fire steels will not strike on the outside stainless laminations of the helle knifes as the stainless is too soft. What you need to do is get a Dremmel and grind a small crescent dimple in the back of the blade towards the front. This exposes the harder internal stainless lamination, which will defiantly strike a big spark. If you’re good you can keep this sharper than the blade back alone and shave off great globs of burning metal like mine does.
I wish helle would supply their stainless laminations with such a groove, but I had to modify mine. Here’s a pick of a similar groove by way of example (wilderness survival knife)


I have owned a helle knife for the last 16 years, It was given to me by a Norwegian fishing friend of mine who lives just by the factory. I have used the knife for everything under the sun and it has never failed me. It remains one of the few possessions I hold dear amongst the other C**p I own.
I unfortunately don’t know its model name, as it was a gift, but it has a 3mm thick laminated stainless blade about 120mm long, a black ‘friction’ fit sheaf with a paw print cut-out. I have never know the knife to work free of its sheath.
I thought I’d lost it in Africa earlier this year and for two day’s I was grief stricken until it turned up under the seat of the Land cruiser I’d been in. Joy of joys.
It is true that the edge is not quite as sharp as carbon steel but sharp none the less. I prefer the stainless laminated knife as when fishing, particularly in the sea, a carbon knife just won’t hold up from corrosion.
I regularly use the knife for baton splitting firewood and it is as tough as old boots. I don’t know if the modern helle are as good as my old one, but if they are I would defiantly recommend them.
As an aside reading other posts, I would say that a knife should always bend rather than break, you can still use a bent knife in an emergency, and a snapping blade is a danger to the operator.

 

[FGYT]

got a couple of HelleBard knives which i beleive was befor the name change to just Helle

one was my grandads and dates from the 60's at least and is my User bushie
the re released it as one of the 75th anniversary pattern knifes

this is the anniversary one

the other allegedly was a special made for the Norwiegian leg of the RAC and issued to the cars for dispatching any moose they hit ( no idea if its true or what year ) ?????
its an odd one and not a usfull shape for bushcraft very pointy very basic sheath any utility handle finish tho tri lam blade

ATB

Duncan

 

[MartiniDave]

I've been using an Eggen for about 6 years now and it's a very nice knife. For some tasks I even prefer it to my all-time-favourite Woodlore.
I was a little disapointed with the sheath which seemed quite flimsy, but a hot-wax treatment with beeswax has put that to rights. I get good sparks from a firesteel by using the portion of spine just back from the tip. It holds a good edge for ages, is quite light and just feels good in the hand.

Your milage may vary.

Dave

 

[Limaed]

Hi
Has anyone used the Helle Lapland (the large Lekku style) and if so do you rate it? I was thinking of buying one at some point. Ta Ed