Who the hell is Helle Knives?

E

EDCanAdamas

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Sep 8, 2013
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I got a Helle Skala for Christmas. It seems like a really well built folding knife. This particular knife has Cocabolo handles and a blade similar to those found on Mora knives, which I suspect has to do with the fact that Norway (where it is from) and Sweden are near each other in Europe. Hats off to my relatives for finding a brand I did not know existed. Does anyone else have any Helle knives and would care to comment? I would love to hear more about the brand.
 
I know they make the Temagami, which was designed by Les Stroud. They look very nice, but I don't love the value proposition on most of their blades. Heck of a nice gift, though.
 
All I know is they're cheap as hell, give you $10 for it shipped :p. Really though, they make nice knives, enjoy it.
 
I have a Helle Dokka folder and a Helle Viking. The Dokka is a very stout scandi folder with good craftmanship. Classic nail opener with a lockback.

Helle is one of the more pricey Scandi brands. As far as value proposition, that is pretty much true of any brand. Is a Sebenza really worth $450? Or a Benchmade griptilian with plastic scales and liners worth $100? Value is in the eye of the beholder.

You can get a Mora for $10 and it will cut just as good, if not better than the Helle Dokka or Viking. I actually prefer my Moras for wood cutting. But there is more than utility in play. You get a Helle for the same reason you would get a Sebenza or any other pricey option--build, fit and finish, aesthetics etc that goes beyond just cutting utility. A Mora cuts great and last pretty long, but lets face it, most of them are ugly as sin and feel cheap. If you enjoy Scandi knives, you will eventually be looking for more aesthetic options to add to the quiver. If you don't care about aesthetics or build and just use Scandi blades for utility, don't waste your money and stick with the tried and true Mora brand. The products from Helle and others really don't cut any better.
 
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BubbaGump said:
I have a Helle Dokka folder and a Helle Viking. The Dokka is a very stout scandi folder with good craftmanship. Classic nail opener with a lockback.

Helle is one of the more pricey Scandi brands. As far as value proposition, that is pretty much true of any brand. Is a Sebenza really worth $450? Or a Benchmade griptilian with plastic scales and liners worth $100? Value is in the eye of the beholder.

You can get a Mora for $10 and it will cut just as good, if not better than the Helle Dokka or Viking. I actually prefer my Moras for wood cutting. But there is more than utility in play. You get a Helle for the same reason you would get a Sebenza or any other pricey option--build, fit and finish, aesthetics etc that goes beyond just cutting utility. A Mora cuts great and last pretty long, but lets face it, most of them are ugly as sin and feel cheap. If you enjoy Scandi knives, you will eventually be looking for more aesthetic options to add to the quiver.
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Yeah, I'm pretty much all about function over form and I've never been big on the Scandi grind, so I tend to stay away from brands like Helle. They do make a beautiful product, just not my thing.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Yeah, I'm pretty much all about function over form and I've never been big on the Scandi grind, so I tend to stay away from brands like Helle. They do make a beautiful product, just not my thing.
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I really don't use the Helle's for any wood work. They are pretty much items I added to the collection. After using them, I realized they don't really have any performance advantage over a Mora. And that mirror polish on the blade and Wood handles are too nice to scratch up. Same for the Viking. It has a patina-like finish and a rustic stock. It is modeled after an old Norse blade found a while back in Scandinavia. The wood on the Helle models is very nicely done. And they put a mirror polish on the blades that is like water.
 
I've handled the Dokka in store and loved it. Fit and finish was excellent and it felt great in hand. I just have a hard time paying that much for a folding sheath knife. I will say that's more of a preference thing for me though. If I have to carry a sheath for a knife it might as well be a fixed blade.
 
Finland, Sweden and Norway are all places with a long history of making and using knives. "Bushcraft" including outdoor survival is a mandatory program in Finnish schools (even elementary). This is to show how interested these countries are in knives which explains why they all have a long history of making great knives, esp. Finland where many are customs.
Helle makes Great knives, ones you can depend on for your life, based on my experience with their fixed blades. The steel and heat treatment allows for a super sharp edge and excellent edge holding.
Look into Finnish Puukkos and you will discover knives that cut better than many have ever experienced. I know Helle is in Norway and their knives are Great ! but i think Finland is tops for knives.
kj
 
Have a Helle Harding.. Light carry, super finish, GREAT knife.. Cuts like a laser.. I have MANY fixed blades but this is one of my most favorites!!! John
 
I have a Helle fixed blade. It's a beautiful and I believe well made. But I've never used mine and it has become a safe queen . . .
 
Helle has a very diverse offering and a long established renoun for quality craftmanship. It's a genuine homecrafting company. When I searched for a leukku, I ended up with a Helle... not the most traditional (although...) but definitely the best finished one. I still love this knife for its uber-clean finish and the everlasting performance. They maybe pricier than other alternatives but you definitely get what you pay for. Another advantage : they don't do all their knives in scandi grind...
 
I have their Viking and Nying. I got the Nying years ago, and when I first began using it, it worried me, it was so sharp. But the stubby little guy has a secure grip and is designed to be easy to control, even with wet hands.

The Viking is a classic. It is a strong blade with a simple handle that works in any grip. Sure, the Mora looks a lot like it, but cannot hold up under life in the northern forests snd waters.
 
Here it is ! Sorry for the "artistic" picture (taken from another thread), but it shows quite well how cleanly finished the Helle is compared to, let's say, a Stromeng. And the blade is 12C27, an excellent steel which also resists rust like a champ.

 
Nice knives. Practical. Good design. Not super heavy duty (their laminated blades will bend, but not break) but then they're made for cutting, not batonning. Wooden handles are comfortable in the cold. I liked their old high carbon laminated blades (420J on the outside), which sadly don't seem to be offered any more. You won't have any problem with Sandvik steel blades, though.
 
Since our chain, outdoor store started carrying Helle knives I've handled the Sylvsteinen, (simply beautiful) the Gaupe, Harding and the Eggen. Really like the looks, F&F, blade geometry, materials, etc. That being said I haven't purchased one or all of them because the handles all seem just a tad short for me. When holding them in a hammer grip I find the swell at the bottom the grip is digging into my palm. I'm thinking that the Temagami, BraKar or the Alden might be a better fit as they have longer handles. Unfortunately my store doesn't carry those models and I'd really like to handle one to make sure.

Other than not yet finding the right model to fit my hand I think these look like great knives and can't wait to find the right one and bring it home.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
I got a Helle Skala for Christmas. It seems like a really well built folding knife. This particular knife has Cocabolo handles and a blade similar to those found on Mora knives, which I suspect has to do with the fact that Norway (where it is from) and Sweden are near each other in Europe. Hats off to my relatives for finding a brand I did not know existed. Does anyone else have any Helle knives and would care to comment? I would love to hear more about the brand.
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I have one or two Helle knives in the collection, and have given others as gifts. They aren't just for looking at though; you can find many Helle users and reviewers in The Great Outdoor area here at Bladeforums.

Insipid Moniker said:
They look very nice, but I don't love the value proposition on most of their blades. Heck of a nice gift, though.
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Helle knives are better finished and made with nicer materials than other less-expensive Scandinavian brands, justifying the price difference.
 
A couple of nice videos about their making.
[video=youtube;1cuYnbWmEMY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cuYnbWmEMY[/video]
[video=youtube;hadgpin6LSU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hadgpin6LSU[/video]
 
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