Home » Camping Helle Mandra Knife – Made with the Help of Survivorman Les Stroud Helle Mandra Knife – Made with the Help of Survivorman Les Stroud

Made in Norway, the Helle Mandra Knife was designed and developed with the help of legendary ‘Survivorman’, Les Stroud.

Helle Mandra Knife

Total Weight: 70 g

Blade Material: Triple Laminated Stainless Steel

Blade Thickness: 2.6 mm

Blade Length: 69 mm

Handle Material: Curly Birch and Vulcan Fibre

Handle Length: 80 mm

One of these pocket sharpeners would be perfect for this blade.

This knife project first started when the Helle team traveled to Romania to meet Les before the filming of his Romanian episode. An early prototype of the Mandra was used in the episode so that Les could give some honest feedback on the performance and handling. Once Les returned from his solo mission into the woods, some slight adjustments were made to the shape of the knife on location – which were then refined and integrated into the finished design.

Anders Haglund, Helle’s head of international marketing, notes that “We are extremely proud to present a brand new Les Stroud knife. In fact; the word Mândra literally means proud, and the new knife is named for the hilly peak where Les was found by the Salvamont rescue party during filming Survivorman in Romania”.

Les stroud also commented, “Put to the test during my intense filming of Survivorman and inspired by the raw and breathtaking nature of Romania, I now have the pleasure of unveiling my latest knife collaboration with Anders Haglund and Helle knives; The Mândra.”

The knife costs less than $200 and comes with a leather sheath that is designed to be worn around your neck – but can also be worn on your belt, in your boot, or in your pocket. The full tang blade is made from triple laminated steel and has a birch wood handle, held in place by two hollow pins.

Small blades are great for everyday carry, bushcraft tasks and fast access. In situations where you are already carrying an axe, you don’t necessarily need a large knife and can often get by just fine with a neck knife like this. When compared to the knives Bear Grylls has created in partnership with Gerber, I know which one I would choose.

If you are drawn to the minimalist design of Helle knives then check out some of their other designs here. To learn more about the history of the Helle Brothers, check out their website here.

Personally, I think the Helle Mândra knife looks great and I can’t wait to get my hands on one for testing.

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