Ulu, anyone?

[oetzi]

I found these
http://www.theulufactory.com/default.asp
and the european distributor
http://www.s115605827.einsundeinssh...nid=15477d0c1575bbc/shopdata/index.shopscript
(click on "Produktuebersicht" on the left.
Quite cheap, but unfortunately made from 420SS, yeuch.
thought it would be worth mentioning.

 

[big_swede]

What practical use does an ulu have? The ulu was mainly used by the women(!), what pros does this design offer over a conventional knife? And further more the original ulus were chisel sharpened (I don't know if this is the correct word, the had only one bevel at one side) which limits it's use in wilderness living even more then the akward shape.

Maybe for a hunting trip, but I find ordinary butchers knives a lot better, and yes, I have used an ulu (for skinning), went back to the sameknife after a half hour or so. Although I found it excellent at chopping herbs.

 

[michiel]

I diasagree.

A GOOD ulu will amaze you in the kitchen. I think Schwert will agree. I don't really like these ulu's nor do I like the Roselli Ulu.

The best one I've handled was made by an alaskan or canadian (I don't recal) maker. They are made from saw blades. 2 mm thick with a convex edge and RAZORSHARP.
I think Schwert has one of his.

Michiel

 

[michiel]

This is the one I'm talking about:

 

[Schwert]

Ah yes the ulu. A highly underrated tool. I have essentially abandoned all my kitchen knives except for a long thin slicer and a couple of paring knives after adding a fine Maynard Linder 8" Fish River ulu to my knife drawer.

The little ulu in the image above is my large sewing ulu and it too is near perfect for all sorts of leather and repair projects.

The Roselli is not an ulu at all, the Ulu Factory stuff is OK but more a tourist item than an actual using tool.

Maynard Linder's work....or handmaking your own from hand saw steel is they way to go.

I would guess that just about anyone who had a quality and large enough ulu in the kitchen....and used it for one week exclusively would also abandon most of their other kitchen knives. They really are just ideal for far far far more then mincing.

 

[Schwert]

Also the various ulu patterns are sharpened differently....some are chisel ground others are sharpened on both sides. The various patterns and sharpening methods were specific to the areas and usages.

I have a chisel ground ulu from a First Nations maker with walrus ivory handle that, while nearly the same size as the Linder Fish River, handles completely differently. I think it would serve best as a fleshing tool....I do not prefer it in the kitchen.

 

[Schwert]

At the risk of tooting my own horn....take a look at my ulu article for more info and pictures of these find tools....

http://outdoors-magazine.com/spip.php?article265

 

[big_swede]

I've worked extensively in resturant kitchens so I know my way around good kitchen knives, and there is no way I would switch the ordinary knives for any ulu. Maybe, by some makes, the ulu is a good tool in the kitchen, but for applications in the wild? No thanks!

 

[big_swede]

Nice write-up by the way Schwert.

 

[Schwert]

I've worked extensively in resturant kitchens so I know my way around good kitchen knives, and there is no way I would switch the ordinary knives for any ulu. Maybe, by some makes, the ulu is a good tool in the kitchen, but for applications in the wild? No thanks!

Since the designs were all developed for use in the wild I have to, on principle, disagree. However, I do get your drift....standard knife patterns for the variety of field uses are much better in my hands. However if I was processing thousands of salmon, fleshing seals, slicing meats for drying or preping caribou skins I think an ulu has a great number of advantages. For me, kitchen tasks that generally called for a chef's knife have been completely supplanted by the Fish River ulu. I find it much faster and easier to use on vegetables, herbs, cheeses, meats and dough. I do find that only my Fish River pattern offers the range of holds and cutting motions that satisfy all my kitchen uses though. My Bristol Bay design is vastly more limited in applications....so in other words, you have to find an ulu that fits your style. All the through handle designs have not worked for me.

 

[Schwert]

Also the smaller sewing ulus are superb for leather work...no surprise as they are essentially a Native head knife, but once you start cutting leather with an ulu you will never go back to a straight knife.

 

[Mirius]

The semi circular knife has always been a saddlers tool. Interesting to see some convergent development. Now I'm going to read your article Schwert and hate you because you've put the idea in my mind for making one!

 

[big_swede]

Since the designs were all developed for use in the wild I have to, on principle, disagree. However, I do get your drift....standard knife patterns for the variety of field uses are much better in my hands. However if I was processing thousands of salmon, fleshing seals, slicing meats for drying or preping caribou skins I think an ulu has a great number of advantages. For me, kitchen tasks that generally called for a chef's knife have been completely supplanted by the Fish River ulu. I find it much faster and easier to use on vegetables, herbs, cheeses, meats and dough. I do find that only my Fish River pattern offers the range of holds and cutting motions that satisfy all my kitchen uses though. My Bristol Bay design is vastly more limited in applications....so in other words, you have to find an ulu that fits your style. All the through handle designs have not worked for me.

Yep, the ulu is probably nice if you live in the high arctic, but i don't do that anymore, hence i don't need an ulu. For carving or splitting wood I think we can both agree on that there are better alternatives. Right?

 

[Schwert]

Mirius,

I met with a friend last night and he showed me another ulu he made from a saw with a cherry wood handle. It was sewing ulu sized and very nice.

He simply cut the steel out with heavy tin snips, flattened it and then sharpened it on a belt sander, shaped the cherry handle and expoxied it together.

No heat treat required. Maynard does the same except uses a shear to cut the metal.

Simple and effective....yet I still like Maynard's work with found materials (antler, SeaCow, ivory, oosik, musk ox, copper) for the handles.

Make yourself a large one to try in the kitchen.....I am almost certain if it fits your style you will find most of your other kitchen knives redundant.

 

[Mirius]

Thanks

Now all I need is to find a saw! I've got some lurking I'm sure....

 

[wozbo]

interesting think i might have to make one of these ,what is the ideal size for general kitchen use.

 

[Schwert]

Wozbo,

I think that the answer to that question is "it depends".

I find my 8" Fish River to be nearly perfect in the kitchen. I have contimplated a 10" version however. I have only used a 6" Fish River for a couple of minutes and found it too small for kitchen use. For shop use though it had merit. My 3" large sewing ulu is very good for leather cutting on a mat, but I think Maynard's Shop ulu at around 4.5 to 5" would be better for most projects other than sewing and lacing.

I am pretty comfortable recommending an 8" Fish River as the start. Other fellows I know and respect find the large Bristol Bay and Nunivak patterns highly useful in their kitchens. I like my Bristol Bay but much prefer my Fish River.

With the Fish River I can hold the ulu in two distinct ways which I cannot do with a through-handle type ulu or one like the Savoonga type long handle. This two-hold possibility opens up rocking forward cuts, up-down chopping cuts, straight push and pull cuts (with some roll), and the sideways rapid rock for mincing that is just a wonder of efficiency (shown in the image mincing rosemary above).

So.....get an 8" Fish River Maynard's standard caribou is very nice too as it has a wet/dry grippability that is quite nice.

 

[wozbo]

Thank you schwert, ill post o photo when i do one cheers

 

[mr dazzler]

Hi Schwert
A thought as ocurred to me, can U cut wood with these ulu's? Lateral thinking here, but traditionally in the UK clog maker's use a stock knife to carve clog sole's, where one end of the blade is attached to a fixed point on a chopping block and you have effectively got a guillotine type lever to get more focussed power and control. I'm thinking with this ulu sort, does it roll back and forth with a powerful guilottine action? Can you get better focus of power and control for precision job's (eg if I made hundred's of timber framing peg's and they need identical points) Its like an axe with no handle in a sense

I just saw the nunivak one in your artcle, where did I see that blade shape before? on a Finnish axe, they just fit a ulu blade into a long handle,

 

[FGYT]

out of interest what does the 8" size refer to
blade length
point to pont
radius
diameter
or belly depth

atb

duncan