Apparently some of us have a healthy admiration of Helle knives. Post up pics, reviews, questions, etc.
I have owned a Fire, made and gifted several blades, found a Nying at a garage sale for $10 (still have it), and have since added a Temagami, Utvaer and a Viking. Great blades, high quality, hand made. I do think that the QC has slipped somewhat in the time I have known and used Helle knives (About 2005 or so). I think Helle really started to hit folk's radars once this whole bushcraft fad came about and Les Stroud/ Survivorman designed (or at least allowed his name to be pimped) the Temagami knife. At any rate, check out the video of him at the factory: At any rate, I own and use both a Temagami and Utvaer and enjoy both of them. Different takes on the same theme. While my Temagami is Helle's triple laminated stainless version, they do have a carbon steel version available, but my interpretation is that the outer layers are still stainless- and the spine edge is still too soft to really spark a ferro rod. The Utvaer is only available in Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel. Both take a scary sharp edge and hold it well. These are not knives I plan on abusing, but rather aesthetically pleasing woods tools built more for the subtleties of woodcraft. I do believe I could lay into them if it depended on it, I would just consider them "bushcraft" > "survival" knives. On to some comparison photographs. Sorry to not have any staged, cool, machismo lumberjack photos, but life has consisted of grad school and family for the last couple of years, so my well patina'd pizza stone will have to suffice for today's installment of pics. Temagami and Utvaer: Side by side: Spine and handle profile shot: In hand Utvaer: In hand Temagani: With a ESEE 4 comparison shot: Sheath 1. I do really wish Helle would have stayed with the Norwegian- Scandinavian style sheath with the Temagami, the marriage between Scandinavian and Canadian North woods was nice, and the more I use Scandi style sheaths, the more I like them. Sheath 2:
This crappy photo is several years old, I'll have to take some new photos with my more recent Helles. The Nyng is still my favourite design and most used Helle.
Yes! So much awesomeness right there. The Nying is a very cool little knife, unusual design, but very comfortable and once you hold it you know it is a function over form design born of use. I'd like to add either a Jubileum or a Harding, an Eggen, Beseggan, Hellefisk, Harmony... the list goes on and on... Very nice collection bro, I'd love to hear your thoughts after having some for a while now.
Annndddd, just scored a great deal on a Trofe. Yay for the collection. Annndddd, Ragweed forge now has the Utvaer as a bare blade.
They really are fantastic knives. If you could strike a firesteel with the spine I am sure more of the hipster bushcrafters would latch onto them.
Great knives. I have the Hellefisk and the Viking knife. My only observation and its not a complaint, but I have big hands. I wish the handles were thicker.