Can anyone recommend Helle hunting knives? My friend can get a discount on them and I'm looking for a new knife. Are Helle any good? I'd never heard of them before :S
Helle
- Thread starter arctic hobo
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what people don't realise is the he doesn't use decimal number system when counting his knives. It's got to be base 16 at least
(20 in base 16 is 34 IIRC)
I've heard good things and bad things about helle knives, someone had a very nasty accident when one broke
(20 in base 16 is 34 IIRC)
I've heard good things and bad things about helle knives, someone had a very nasty accident when one broke
http://www.helle.no/ is their site... On the basis of mixed reviews, can anyone add any more? Thank you 
Hoodoo I was looking at the Jegermester knife
Hoodoo I was looking at the Jegermester knife
Not at all familiar with that model. Kind of interesting though. All my Helle knives have a scandi grind and all but one have laminated blades. This one looks like it's flat ground (as near as I can tell from the pic) with a small secondary bevel and is specifically designed for hunting. The stainless is high quality. The handle looks nicely contoured. I'll betcha that would make a dandy hunting knife for big game.
Hello Hobo.
I have three Helle's, all SS. I think of them strictly as cutters and avoid batoning and the like. All came with a final micro bevel (something under 1mm) and very sharp. That final bevel is convex now (perhaps 1.5 mm), and they are still very sharp. For pictures and descriptions one might look at www.ragweedforge.com, although Ragnar is west of the Pond.
Tom
I have three Helle's, all SS. I think of them strictly as cutters and avoid batoning and the like. All came with a final micro bevel (something under 1mm) and very sharp. That final bevel is convex now (perhaps 1.5 mm), and they are still very sharp. For pictures and descriptions one might look at www.ragweedforge.com, although Ragnar is west of the Pond.
Tom
Helle knives are ok.
the finish on the handles can be a little rough and are better if you have a little time to sand them to about 1000 grit. I think they are finished to about 400 as they are delivered.
the sheaths are again usable, but are not always well finished.
IMHO they lack the personality of a knife.. they are produced in their hundreds every day, and I guess the quality control system is not always as it should be.
The blades however are good. I have 2 stainless knives that i fitted hele blades into. this way there is a little more of a personal touch, and the sheath can be made exactly as you want it.
The shaft material is always curlybirch, and the quality varies a fair bit from knife to knife.
Just my opinion.
To my mind the best bet would be to buy the blade and then fit and sheath it yourself.. of get someone else to do it for you.
the finish on the handles can be a little rough and are better if you have a little time to sand them to about 1000 grit. I think they are finished to about 400 as they are delivered.
the sheaths are again usable, but are not always well finished.
IMHO they lack the personality of a knife.. they are produced in their hundreds every day, and I guess the quality control system is not always as it should be.
The blades however are good. I have 2 stainless knives that i fitted hele blades into. this way there is a little more of a personal touch, and the sheath can be made exactly as you want it.
The shaft material is always curlybirch, and the quality varies a fair bit from knife to knife.
Just my opinion.
To my mind the best bet would be to buy the blade and then fit and sheath it yourself.. of get someone else to do it for you.
In my limited experence Battoning is a no no 
with Helle. The blade are good do. Fitting and Sheathing it yourself might make you a bit more confident when bashing it about in the woods.
Regards,
James
with Helle. The blade are good do. Fitting and Sheathing it yourself might make you a bit more confident when bashing it about in the woods.Regards,
James
I own a Helle Eggen which is quite a nice knife. It is however useless for striking a firesteel. When I did my Fundamental Bushcraft a couple of the other students used Helle knives, and by the end of the week both had loose handles.
Mine is mainly used around the kitchen now, and for game preparation.
Grain in the handle raises a little when wet.
However, for the price paid - around £30 - I'm quite satisfied.
For heavy work I use either my Woodlore or a Frosts.
Dave
Mine is mainly used around the kitchen now, and for game preparation.
Grain in the handle raises a little when wet.
However, for the price paid - around £30 - I'm quite satisfied.
For heavy work I use either my Woodlore or a Frosts.
Dave
arctic hobo said:
Yes!
they are the 2 most known factories here in the land of nog.
Same sort of thing really. shaft material pretty much the same, as is the finish.
the blades are all ok.
Both Helle and brusletto give an oiling with pure boiled linseed which takes an age to cure properly. Fibres of any wood will raise when they get wet, and this is not sorted out after.
my advice stays the same as before. Buy the blades and the design the shaft and sheath yourself.
TheViking said:I agree. When my Brusletto Bamsen arrived I was disappointed about the sheath. It didn't/doesn't fit properly to the big handle.
Q.E.D!
Hobo,
I have a Helle Fjellkniven 4 (£45) and a Brusletto Rognald (£40 ish). Both are SS: the Helle is laminated. Both are wickedly sharp, and sharpen readily. I have had no probs with either. I haven't 'bashed' anything with either though - I use an axe for that! I have made a couple of modifications to the sheaths to suit and both work fine for my current purposes.
Hope this helps
I have a Helle Fjellkniven 4 (£45) and a Brusletto Rognald (£40 ish). Both are SS: the Helle is laminated. Both are wickedly sharp, and sharpen readily. I have had no probs with either. I haven't 'bashed' anything with either though - I use an axe for that! I have made a couple of modifications to the sheaths to suit and both work fine for my current purposes.
Hope this helps
