HELLE Knives - GT -Triple Laminated Stainless Steel, Outdoor Camping Knife, Stick Tang Fixed Blade with Sheath, Curly Birch Handle, Made in Norway

This is my second Helle knife. I purchased a camp knife of theirs a few years back that I use while backpacking in the Sierra Nevada. Love that knife. Use it all the time. Haven't had to sharpen it once in over 2 years. This model has a very sturdy guard and the handle indexes very well. The wood is gorgeous. The curve of the blade is good for all types of uses. I've used it mostly for cutting rope. It's very sharp. Also, this knife came with an extremely high quality leather sheath. Fits perfectly and looks great.

Fit an finish on this Helle Gt is fantastic. The handle is beautiful and feels great in hand. But the blade is so nice. Polished so that you can see your reflection in it. This is hands down the sharpest out of the box knife I have ever purchased. I have a Helle filet knife and a folder, but this was just a tad sharper. When showing the knife to other knife guys who are hunters, I always tell them ‘be careful, it’s really sharp....’. One of the most experienced guys I know, who has been making and sharpening knives right into his 70’s, promptly cut himself.....beautifully made knife. Recommended

This is the SHARPEST knife out of the box that I've ever received. And that is saying something. If you're into knives then you'll recognize the following: ESEE Laser Strike, ESEE 4, ESEE Izula, Mora Bushcraft Force (2nd best out of the box, also get it from Amazon), Bark River Aurora, Bark River Bravo Necker II, Cold Steel Secret Edge and more. This is also one of the most beautiful blades I own. In fact, I actually got it as a birthday gift and was planning on just having it a collectors piece, but I've taken it out on a few backpacking trips and used it for wood working as well. PROS: - Wicked sharp and it keeps its edge after all but the worst abuse - think batoning, which I don't recommend with this kind of knife unless it's a genuine survival situation (see comments on tang below) - Scandi grind - the edge is ideal for wood work, camp chores and slicing, especially cleaning game, etc. It's not a beater's edge so I wouldn't chop heavily or, again, baton with it. - Hand made - no doubt about it this is lovingly assembled by the Helle family in Norway. The wood handle near the finger guard and the cap on the tang at the pommel al show sings of hammering and individual fine tuning - Hefty for a Helle. This is a nice, semi-thick blade with a deep belly swoop which I particularly admire - High shine finish. It's like a mirror - Super light weight in carry and in hand - Great and simple leather dangler sheath which I love for woods use CONS: - Blade edge can take micro rolls and chips when used hard on harder woods like oak and hickory - or harder - especially when the wood is dry. Edge is easily fixed on water stones and followed with black and white compound on wood backed leather strop - Blade is very forward heavy. All of the weight is in the blade. This isn't necessarily back, but the balance is not on the index finger. Depending on use this can be good or bad. For hunting, maybe this is good. For wood work, many, myself included, prefer more balance in the handle. - Semi full tang. The tang DOES run the length of the blade, but is a slender rod through the handle making it less durable under high impact use than say an ESSE, Bark River, Becker, etc. This knife is designed for cutting, not chopping. Just keep that in mind. - Handle is a natural material which is excellent, but it's not incredibly comfortable for long use. Bark River has the most ergonomic grips I've tried. This is ok and isn't necessarily uncomfortable, but I personally prefer other grips - No kydex sheath. This is not a con unless you desire this trait. For use in wet weather, etc., many prefer a plastic sheath for fast drying etc. Of course, it's odd and, dare I say, insulting to put a traditional scandi blade in a modernized sheath. I only mention it in case you're looking for that. Helle knives are an outstanding choice for sharpness, craftsmanship and heritage. They are clean, elegant and function. This GT is one of my favorite designs, again because of it's more aggressive look due to the belly line and guard. It's a great option as a wilderness knife if you want something in this blade size and especially if you pair it with a heavy duty worker if you plan on serious chopping. Is it a true survival knife (some always want to know)? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what you are looking for and that, interestingly enough, is often different from person to person. I am a 2-3 knife carrier in the backcountry. I like a good necker for quick access and basic work. A 4-5" utility blade for carving, cutting, wood work and the like and then a 6-7" beater for chopping and battening - think fire and shelter prep. If I could only have ONE knife, I'd go with the 4-5" utility because I have it as a category overlap so to speak. However, even for day hikes and short walks away from camp, I always have my necker on and my utility in my quick bag, so I'm covered. Back to the "survival" question then: can this knife work in that middle category? Absolutely, especially if, again, chopping is limited. If you want a true Helle survival style knife look at the Temagami, that was it's design purpose, though it has a shorter blade, it's got a more robust tang, etc. Nutshell: This is my go-to choice in my collection for slicing and wood working. I don't and wont abuse it unless it's ABSOLUTELY essential. It is NOT my favorite overall knife because of handle comfort, forward weight and perceived durability, but I love it nonetheless. For the back country my PERSONAL choice is currently my BRKT Aurora because of it's edge strength, sharpness, heft, thickness and ergonomics. I can do more with that knife than almost any other blade. Love my ESSEs too, but the coating makes them impractical with fire steals, etc. That knife is also double the cost of this one. Bottom Line: If you are looking at Helle and want a larger, beautiful show piece or excellent cutter knife that you don't plan on abusing to death unless it's the last resort, then you'll love the Helle GT. I'll try to add some photos soon...

There's a problem with knives like these (and I own several Helle knives). That problem is that they are just so beautiful, such works of art, that you feel guilty using them. They look like they should be on display, not chopping and cutting out in the bush, mountains, or wherever you might find yourself. But, they are made to be used and I have used mine, though, admittedly, far more delicately than I would use my other workhorse knives. That's not to suggest these knives are incapable of handling such tough work. They can take a beating and keep going good as new. But I just love these so much I tend to baby them a bit. As some of these other reviewers have already stated better than I can, these are extremely high-quality knives, very well-made, incredibly sharp and simply beautiful. I've taken mine out with me and it sailed through everything I presented it with, without so much as a blink. If you're in the market, you cannot go wrong here. Highly recommended.

Blade came with scratches and 2 small nicks in the blade

I did not have any prior experience with Helle knives. I read many reviews on the knife and all were positive; so I went for it. It is a beautiful knife with a very pretty handle. I almost did not want to use it as it looked to good right out of the box. It is the sharpest knife I have ever purchased right out of the box as well. It is also extremely light weight. One negative in other reviews was that the knife was blade heavy which to me is not really a negative. I think it balances well in my hand and the handle is very ergonomic to my hand as well. I think if you are looking for a general knife for use in the outdoors and hunting you cannot go wrong with this one and on top of its utility it is nice to look at as well. Oh yeah; it comes with a very nice leather belt sheath as well.

This is an excellent all-round use knife which will work well as a camp knife, survival knife, or just general bushcrafting. I compared this Helle GT knife to Les Stroud's version (temagami) which is quite a bit more expensive, and yet has much of the same features. The scandi grind is one of my favorites because of its ease of sharpening and does not need a special sharpener to keep the edge keen. After using the knife just a few strops on a piece of leather or cardboard and you're ready to go. If the edge gets too dull just put some fine grit sandpaper on a mousepad and strop on that followed up by the leather. If you try to use one of the sharpener devices or kits advertised for knife sharpening on this knife I guarantee you will mess up the edge. So what's not to like? Helle is a good solid brand made by hand in Norway and with the triple laminated stainless blade I suspect you'll be a happy camper with this knife. So far I am.

This Helle GT is a great overall knife. Small enough to control with ease and large enough to do some light chopping. I got this knife only minutes before leaving on a camping trip so I threw it in the car with me. That weekend I was able to chop, baton, and feather wood while teaching my son proper knife usage and the knife still shaved hair from my arm with no resistance what so ever. The triple laminated steel holds and amazing edge but the spine is no good for striking a fire steel. This is one of the finest looking knives I own, and that is saying quite a bit. My only disappointment with the knife is the sheath. The sheath is a complete embarrassment to this knife. It is made of very thin leather and has a very poor flimsy belt loop design. The sheath can make or break a knife but lucky for Helle I make custom sheaths from kydex and leather so I can make one more fitting for this fine knife.