November 2021 - 1932 – 2022. Exciting times ahead, as we enter our 90-year anniversary. In 2022, Helle plans on bringing lots of great news to the market. But why wait?
Temagami 14C28N - 10 year collaboration limited edition
The Temagami 14C28N celebrates the 10-year collaboration between Les Stroud aka Survivorman and Helle and the unveiling of the first Temagami in 2011.
The Limited Edition Temagami 14C28N comes ‐ as the name suggests ‐ with a different steel. It also has a 90-degree sharp spine right out of the box. A sharp spine can be used for many things, one is to light a fire using a ferro rod.
Specifications Temagami 14C28N
-
Wood: Curly Birch
-
Steel: 14C28N
-
Steel thickness: 3,0 mm
-
Branding on blade: Temagami 14C28N
-
Construction: Half fulltang
-
Sheath: Brown Leather
The first Temagami represented the starting point of a long and friendly relationship, a relationship that with time also allowed us to participate on adventures beyond our wildest expectations.
Background by Les Stroud
Once you endeavor to become a ‘woodsman’ or an outdoor guide of any pursuit, it is inevitable that you will begin to become comfortable with ‐ and then likely obsessed with ‐ your ‘bush knife’. This certainly was my experience. And as fate would have it, one of the first knife brands I found in my hands was Helle. Instantly I recognized the beautiful marriage of form and function so perfectly crafted by Helle knives. I used a few different models for hundreds of adventure trips and survival expeditions in the wild. I used them for cutting rope and carving traps and possibly the most important adventure job for a knife of all: spreading peanut butter on my bagel.
When, by complete chance Helle contacted me (I shall let them say why they did that), to inquire about developing a knife together I was simultaneously honored and excited. Finally, I could have my druthers and design and build a knife that would combine all of the elements of adventuring that I considered important.
They did not disappoint in that my main contact there: Anders Haglund and I spent many, many months going over blade and steel and grip and wood type and tang until at last we were ready to launch our first design: The Temagami. Thusly named after the first place I ever experienced outdoor adventure.
The Temagami pulls together the ruggedness required to be worthy of any kind of outdoor adventure with the elegance of the curly birch grips and the sizing that fits just about every hand out there, somehow perfectly. I have been fortunate enough to even visit the factory, where I was able to walk through (and participate in) every stage of making the knife from the steel to the wood to the sheath.
My TV series Survivorman was the zeitgeist of all survival TV. Without it, the others would not likely exist. My Helle knife has been there now with me for the past ten years of adventuring around the globe. And I suspect that it will be there for 40 more years of wilderness adventure and survival.
It’s easy to say in a marketing brief that your brand strives for the utmost quality and design beauty along with function. Helle actually means it.
… Les Stroud
Background by Anders Haglund / Helle
The partnership between Helle and Les started in the first part of 2010, when we reached out to Les about a collaboration idea. This was then followed by design meetings over Skype and the product was finalized when Anders Haglund, creative director at Helle visited the Les Stroud at the Survivorman headquarters in Canada.
The knife received a successful launch during a tradeshow in Toronto in February 2011.
Anders Haglund and Les Stroud during a product development meeting in Canada 2010
That same year Helle had the opportunity to help organizing Survivorman Ten Days in the Norwegian wilderness, December 2011. An adventure we will never forget and probably one of the hardest days Les experienced as Survivorman. The December weather in Norway can be quite demanding, shifting from rain in the day to well below freezing at night.
Photo by Anders Haglund, during the Survivorman 10 days in Norway
Filming took place on a small peninsula in the fjord district. For those that don’t know Norwegian topography, it is more like a 1000-meter steep mountain sticking straight out of the equally deep fjord. Windy, dark and cold, deep soft snow and no dry wood as far as the eyes can see. Only a few hours of daylight and long, cold nights. An episode that would make most people want to stay indoors. On the other hand, it also offers breathtaking views and the surrounding scenery we are so proud to present.
During the time Les visited Norway, Les also had the opportunity to stop by the factory to take part in producing a Helle Temagami knife.
A few years later, Les wanted to come back to Europe for yet another Survivorman episode. Once again, the team at Helle had the opportunity to help. This time the shoot was destined for the Carpathian Mountain range, the area well known from the Count Dracula stories.
Photo by Anders Haglund, Les Stroud and Ion Sanduloiu from Salvamonte Arges
The filming was done with in collaboration with the Salvamont Mountain rescue team, which was given limited knowledge of his plans. Les acted as a tourist who by mistake came off trail, and a search and rescue operation was initiated. The episode tells the story from two perspectives. One of a person in distress (although Les is not often in distress) and the other of a rescue team in search of a missing person.
During all these years, the Temagami knife has been the go-to for outdoorsmen and women to use around the camp. A reliable work knife that can be used for longer periods of time. With a handle so well shaped that it won’t give you hotspots in your hands, even after long sessions of carving.
The only task the Temagami was never built to perform was to use it with a ferro rod. This limited run has a sharp spine and will produce sparks like firework during a celebration.