Helle Gro

Helle knives are top quality and they set the standard when it comes to utility blades. However, that quality usually comes at a hefty price, often putting their products out of reach for some people, but the Helle Gro goes a long way to addressing that issue without compromising on quality.

Details

The Gro is a medium-sized tool with a nice and chunky, long birch wood handle, which has been shaped to give a very secure hold, despite being completely smooth. The lack of any sort of chequering does not compromise the grip but does make the handle much easier to clean and maintain. The finger guard is a little less substantial than on most Helle knives, however, the handle is shaped with an ample ‘belly’ in the middle, to prevent your hand from slipping forward easily. Even with wet hands, the belly of the handle remains in the middle of your palm and does not try to slide back as you apply force through the blade. This demonstrates just how effective the design of the handle is at providing a good hold.

The 93mm long, 3mm thick, Sandvik 12C27 steel, drop point blade is supplied razor sharp and is finished to a superb standard like all Helle blades, plus is secured in the handle with a stick tang construction. With a good thickness in the blade, it’s heavy enough to tackle most jobs and there is little or no flex in the knife under normal use.

A quality leather sheath is supplied with the Gro. It has been left in its natural colour, with an embossed pattern resembling the rings in a tree on the front. It also features a clever notch that engages and holds the knife securely. If there has been any compromise with this product, to achieve the lower price, then it might be here that they have stepped down the quality slightly. The leather is a bit thinner and not as well finished as on more expensive Helle sheaths, but it remains far better than the leatherwork you get from many other manufacturers. The stitching is still of great quality and the fit to the knife is very good. Being left plain, you can stain the leather whatever colour you want.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a really nice knife. It’s very practical, with a great handle design and a super-sharp edge. The shape allows you to do fairly intricate work, like jointing a bird, or heavier campsite jobs with ease. It also proved to be a really good kitchen knife for general chopping and peeling and you can use it for an extended period without it becoming uncomfortable. The plain design of the handle allows you to keep it very clean and it requires minimal maintenance.

Offering a knife of this quality at a more affordable price is a clever move by Helle and it will allow more people to experience the benefits of owning and using a top-end knife, without spending a fortune.