Puuko Knives

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Turnip

Full Member
Sep 28, 2010
508
53
Radnorshire
Hi Mike,

welcome along, might be worth dropping an intro when you get a moment.

I use a puukko sometimes, a Malanika in 4v.
Are you after any particular info?
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Puukko translated from Finnish means knife.
So, contrary to what a lot of people think, it is not a specific design!


Most of us here have or are using the Finno Scandinavian designs of knives.

Myself, those designs are the only ones I use, except the Sami style 'Huggare'.
ITranslated to English that is something like 'chopper'.

Ask away!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Turnip

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,366
268
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
I have a few, including some that I made up from Kankaanpää blades. I still have a couple of Yrjö Puronvärsi blades waiting for me to make up into puukkot, too.

They're available in a wide variety of sizes. I like them a lot for cutting feather sticks and general use.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Janne

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,366
268
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
Weird, I got those too...
Good blades1
Brisa?

I bought the Kankaanpää blades from Brisa, years ago, along with a whole box full of masur björk blocks. I also bought some old blades made by Kusta Lammi. I think I used one of those to make up a puukko for my daughter (I'll have to look when I get back home tonight), and swapped two others with another enthusiast who had been trying for ages to get some; in return he gave me the Yrjö Puronvärsi blades. I think he got the best side of that deal.
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
I've never understood the preference for heavy bladed knives like the Woodlore and it's clones. I think it has far more to do with personality cults than practicality.

Personally I think if you want a sharp blade I think you are better off starting with something that does not resemble a crow bar. Finno Scandinavian blades tend to be around 3mm thick rather than 5-6mm so that is a good start in my opinion.

People tend to get very precious about their cutlery around here but I just want something that cuts what I need it to and that I can sharpen easily when required. Simples.
 

Keith_Beef

Native
Sep 9, 2003
1,366
268
55
Yvelines, north-west of Paris, France.
I bought the Kankaanpää blades from Brisa, years ago, along with a whole box full of masur björk blocks. I also bought some old blades made by Kusta Lammi. I think I used one of those to make up a puukko for my daughter (I'll have to look when I get back home tonight), and swapped two others with another enthusiast who had been trying for ages to get some; in return he gave me the Yrjö Puronvärsi blades. I think he got the best side of that deal.

I had a look at my daughter's puukko, and I think it must be a Lammi blade.

I thought I'd done a pretty good job of it at the time, keeping a vaguely Kauhava style with the horse-head ylähela, long alahela, and stacked birch bark handle, though I used a tuppi bought from Brisa as well.

But now, I see flaws everywhere!

horsehead-puukko01.jpg


horsehead-puukko02.jpg
 
Last edited:

Gary Elson

Full Member
Feb 27, 2007
214
201
59
Bulkington Warwickshire
I've never understood the preference for heavy bladed knives like the Woodlore and it's clones. I think it has far more to do with personality cults than practicality.

Personally I think if you want a sharp blade I think you are better off starting with something that does not resemble a crow bar. Finno Scandinavian blades tend to be around 3mm thick rather than 5-6mm so that is a good start in my opinion.

People tend to get very precious about their cutlery around here but I just want something that cuts what I need it to and that I can sharpen easily when required. Simples.

Wow Gary that’s a bit controversial
Are you suggesting that THE “bushcraft “ knife doesn’t do everything and that we should actually use the knife best suited to job in hand - sounds radical
If your right (and I suspect you might be) then I need to stop using my best Scandi ground wonder knife at the dinner table for buttering bread etc
Great comment
Gary
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wayland

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
No, Wayland, there are more like you!
Crowbar knives are a modern fad. Imo.

Todays steels are superior to what was available in my (our) youth, harder, tougher.
So we should be moving towards thinner blades!

If we want a certain angle, the height of the blade ( edge to spine) needs to be much larger on a thick blade than a thin.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
No, Wayland, there are more people like you!
Crowbar knives are a modern fad. Imo.

Todays steels are superior to what was available in my (our) youth, harder, tougher.
So we should be moving towards thinner blades!

If we want a certain angle, the height of the blade ( edge to spine) needs to be much larger on a thick blade than a thin.

Edited. Sorry, pressed the wrong button.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Anyone use these or any experience of them?
If you want a beautiful, yet fully useful knife made in where it was designed ( Nordic countries) have a look on
Karesuando knives in Sweden
https://www.karesuandokniven.com/

Slightly more simple, ( and cheaper) bit still wonderful
Marttiini knives in Finland
https://www.marttiini.fi/Products

Then we have the venerable Norwegian knife manufactures
Helle
https://helle.com/
and Øyo
https://www.oeyo.no/

Then of course we have the cheapest but 100% functional - Swedish Mora knives.
Everybody here knows them, and has great respect for them.
Best steel on the market.
 
Last edited:

Johnnyboy1971

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 24, 2010
4,155
26
52
Yorkshire
Not strictly traditional but my favorite crossover of modern and traditional.
d20885affaabf9fea2cc278fb6cf58b7.jpg


Sent from my G3121 using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Janne

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Wayland: I wouldn't blink to see you knap a "quickie" flint blade.
They sure are a delight in the kitchen for meat cutting.
Less than 2" edge is more than enough.

What surprised me is that flint is not slippery, even wet with raw meat juices.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE