Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What kind of knives do Helle make?
We make Scandinavian knives for the outdoors. Ever since 1932, Helle’s goal has been to make beautiful and functional tools that you can wear with pride and that will serve you right when needed.

What knife is best for me?
Each knife is unique in its own way. The size and shape of the handle together with the size and shape of the blade comes together as a working tool to fit your use. Start with the size to fit your hand and then the size of the blade. It is always best if you can visit a store that carry the knives, so that you can feel the grip and pick the knife that fits you best.

How do I pick the best handle for me?
The size of the handle is in many ways more important than the size of the blade. If you can’t go to a store to check feel the size firsthand. Measure your palm with and imagine that it needs to fit the size of the handle length.

What kind of materials do you use?
At Helle we are proud of our knowledge and use of natural, sustainable materials: steel, wood and leather are the mainstay of most of our knives. We also use other materials when we feel adds to the function or capabilities of the knife.

What steel do you use in your knives?
We use a number of different steel qualities. We have two versions of proprietary steels that are triple laminated. One with a stainless core and one with a carbon core. We also make knives with single-layer steel, mainly from Sandvik. Check the specifications of each knife to know its exact steel.

Can I use my Helle knife with a fire steel?
Yes and No. It depends on the steel in the knife. The outer layers of the laminate steels are not sufficiently hard to work as a striker. All knives made with Sandvik 12C27 and 14C28N blades are hard enough to work with a fire steel, and most of our models have a 90 degree spine or are easy to shape to a 90 degree.

Can I use my Helle knife for batoning?
We prefer that you do not. Especially if the knife has a stick tang construction. Done right batoning can be done with most of our blades, but even with small mistakes it is easy to chip the edge, crack the handle or even break the blade. Either way it is important to know the limits of your knife and the fact that we don’t replace knives broken by batoning through our lifetime warranty.

Can a laminated steel blade be used with a fire steel in a survival situation?
Yes, in a survival situation, if a life or death is depending on a fire our suggestion is to use the edge of the knife towards the fire steel. It will dull the knife and may affect the knifes long term properties. If you are unwilling to use the knife this way, it is probably not a survival situation.

How do I sharpen my Helle knife?
We have developed a set of sharpening stones with the right grit size to work both at home and in the wild. Please read the section regarding maintenance for instructions.

What are the benefits of the laminated steel?
The combination of different steel qualities offers the best of two worlds. Durability and sharpness. The surface steel allows us to use a high-quality core that offer a unique sharpness. The surface steel makes the knife more durable as it protects the core steel and means that the knife is not brittle and will not break as easily.

What Steel do you use in your laminated steel?
The laminate steel used in our knives has been continuously developed by Helle in cooperation with close partners since the 1960s. It is now made proprietary for Helle and we have given it the name H3LS for the stainless version and H3LC for the carbon version.

Can my stainless-steel knife rust?
All knives can be affected by the environment they are used in and what substances they encounter. Our stainless steels are highly corrosion resistant though. Treated right your Helle knife will be a long-term companion.

What grind angle do you have on the Scandi grind knives?
The basic grinding angle on our Helle Scandi Grinds are 22,5 degrees. There are slight variations between models though.

What grind angle do you have on the Fishing knives?
The grind angle on our Helle Fishing knifes are 22,5°

Where are Helle knives produced?
All Helle knives are made in our small factory in Holmedal on the West Coast of Norway as they have been since 1932. Read more about where and how we do this.

My handle is not totally symmetrical. Why is that?
All Helle knives are crafted. Sanded to their final shape by hand and polished to the final finish by hand. This means that no two Helle knives look the same, and that there might be small variations in symmetry. We see this as part of the beauty and individuality of a hand-crafter knife.

I have a chip in the blade. What do I do?
Depending on the size of the chip, your skillset and what tools you have available the answer differ. A small chip can easily be taken care off by yourself with a course sharpening stone and then move to a finer once the chip is removed. If the chip is bigger our recommendation is to send the knife to a professional knife sharpener who is used to working with scandi grinds.

What is a scandi grind?
Scandi grind is easiest described as a one angle shaped edge.

My laminate steel blade is bent, how do I get it fixed?
It can easily be fixed. Tape the blade up to both protect it from scratches and protect yourself during the process. Place the knife in a vice or something that can work as such. It can be books together with a clamp and a table. Then simple apply soft pressure bending the knife straight again. Always remember that you are working with a sharp object.

Can I order knives with our company logo or a personal name?
Yes, please contact us at post@helle.no

What is a full tang knife?
Full thang is when the blade is the equal length of the handle and visible to the eye on both spine and finger side.

What is half-full tang?
Some of our knives have a full-length tang that is only visible on the spine side of the handle. Wood covers the blade towards the finger. This is especially good in bitter cold climates experienced in the Scandinavian outdoors.

What is a stick tang knife?
A stick tang knife is connected with the handle with a thinner steel piece going all the way to the end of the handle where it is locked in position. At Helle we use a brass-butt that is riveted in position by hand.

My sheath is broken, can I buy a new one?
We offer sheaths as spare parts in our online store. You can also ask your local store to order a new sheath for you.

Where can I buy Helle knives?
Helle knives are available in many high-quality stores around the world. Please contact our distributor in your country to find out which store carries our knives close to where you live.

Can I buy a knife directly from Helle?
Yes, we sell knives in our online stores and ship within Norway, the European Union and the United States. We do however suggest that you purchase your knife at the local dealer to support local businesses. We make individual knives, so the best way to find the right fit for you is to see, touch and feel them.

Does Helle sell accessory products and merchandise?
Yes, we do! You can buy all our accessory products and merchandise here. Selected stores also carry them – ask your local Helle dealer to order.

What is Helle’s warranty policy?
Our knives have a lifetime warranty against production and material errors. If you want to process a warranty claim, please contact the retailer that you bought the knife from. More information regarding how to precede with a warranty claim can be found here.