Helko Werk Sharpening & Maintenance Compact Axe File

• The Helko Werk Dual Sided Axe File has been designed specifically to bring an axe blade to a general purpose mid-level sharpness. At this stage the axe may either be used as is for general work, or further honed with more precise tools, such as our Axe Sharpening Stone, to achieve a fine or razor edge.
• If properly cared for, a Helko Werk axe will last a lifetime. When it comes time to resharpen the blade, always use quality sharpening implements as they are the surest and most effective means of achieving a perfect edge.
• Sharpening frequency will depend on how often you use your axe, what type of wood you are chopping, weather conditions during use, and any maintenance routines you regularly employ.

The Story of Helko Werk

Helko Werk began in the village of Cronenberg, Germany, now part of the city of Wuppertal. It was there, in 1844, that August Helsper founded the August Helsper Werkzeugfabrik (the Helsper Tool Factory) and began producing axes for the region. The factory was built alongside the Nollenhammerbach creek in Gelpetal, a small forest valley that bisected the town. This creek ran the factory’s waterwheel, providing the power that drove the forge hammers and grinding wheels. The factory remained at this location for more than sixty years, and as the operation became more firmly established, the product line grew to encompass other forestry and farming tools, even including hoes and planters for coffee and banana plantations.

In 1909, the Helsper family relocated the factory three kilometers away, where it has remained ever since. This new site was situated near a local railway station, allowing for the direct shipment of steel from the Ruhr-Factories, now ThyssenKrupp AG. The Helsper Tool Factory increased its export of axes beyond the borders of Europe during the early twentieth century, and by the 1930s was regularly shipping axes to countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.

It was also around this time that the Helsper family formed a partnership with the Kotthaus family, setting the stage for exponential growth throughout the remainder of the twentieth century and giving the company its current name: Helko (an amalgam of Helsper and Kotthaus).

Today, Helko Werk is widely recognized as a producer of premium world-class handmade axes. It is one of the oldest axe manufacturers still operating in Europe.