Woodlore Knives vs Puukko knives
- Thread starter lika
- Start date
True, but I suspect Lika meant 'Woodlore style' - of which there are many examples!
Depends on the use, Woodlore style knives are general arounders (apart from food prep) and are often 3mm or 4mm thick steel.
Puukko's fit a similar role to the Woodlore style, but often rat tail tang, so although can be tasked to similar work, there is often a tenancy to not be pushed as hard.
Now for me the grind and blade thickness is more important, for the tasks at hand. It is hard to beat a high scandi grind on thin blade stock for wood carving. While a shallower scandi grind that you get on the Enzo trappers is a great beating edge, that wedges wood apart.
As I go on this journey into what I personally prefer using, I am leaning more towards high sabre grinds and convex edge, and full tang.
Puukko's fit a similar role to the Woodlore style, but often rat tail tang, so although can be tasked to similar work, there is often a tenancy to not be pushed as hard.
Now for me the grind and blade thickness is more important, for the tasks at hand. It is hard to beat a high scandi grind on thin blade stock for wood carving. While a shallower scandi grind that you get on the Enzo trappers is a great beating edge, that wedges wood apart.
As I go on this journey into what I personally prefer using, I am leaning more towards high sabre grinds and convex edge, and full tang.
In my opinion a survival knife with exposed tang is the pure nonsense.
I tend to call them SSK.
Summer Survival Knives.
I tend to call them SSK.
Summer Survival Knives.
My introduction to the tools of bushcraft involved the Woodlore-style knife, among others. Later on, I tried out the puuko style of cutting tool, with mixed success. They are more delicate and, as has been mentioned, better for finer work, such as finer carving and food preparation. The pentagon geometry of the blade is interesting and lends a different 'feel' and technique to cutting and carving; personally, I have found this a mixed blessing, working well on some puukos and less well on others.
By contrast, the Woodlore-style knife is a heavier-duty cutting tool which, for a broad range of bushcraft activities, works pretty well. That style certainly has a stronger, more robust 'feel' to it, which engenders a greater confidence in the tool's ability to perform a given task.
Ultimately, I think it depends (a) on what you are used to and (b) what you want your knife to do. Every cutting tool is a compromise of some sort, be it Woodlore-style or puuko; your happiness with the choice you make depends on your ability to accept the strengths and weaknesses of any particular design, any particular make. For me, I think I'd rate the Woodlore-style blade above the puuko but the Peltonen Sissipuuko is a very fine tool...
By contrast, the Woodlore-style knife is a heavier-duty cutting tool which, for a broad range of bushcraft activities, works pretty well. That style certainly has a stronger, more robust 'feel' to it, which engenders a greater confidence in the tool's ability to perform a given task.
Ultimately, I think it depends (a) on what you are used to and (b) what you want your knife to do. Every cutting tool is a compromise of some sort, be it Woodlore-style or puuko; your happiness with the choice you make depends on your ability to accept the strengths and weaknesses of any particular design, any particular make. For me, I think I'd rate the Woodlore-style blade above the puuko but the Peltonen Sissipuuko is a very fine tool...
@Tiley: I like your answer very much! I heard good things regarding Peltonen Sissipuukko but I also really liked the way Terrava Jaakaripuukko 110 behaved.
Instead, my Classic Beaver Knife is a reliable knife, but I can't do finer carvings with it (kuksa, piece of chess etc.)
Agreed with the above. A puuko makes a nice companion blade to something more heavy duty that you might carry in a pack - axe or maybe a leuku. Something similar to a Woodlore is just a good all round utility knife. Whilst they overlap in some usage, they’re fundamentally different. Then there’s the price difference too, a nice Marttiini puuko is about £40, whereas I think most of what you call the Woodlore style knives start from about £100.
The top knife is about an inch longer than a Woodlore, but the picture I think demonstrates the fundamental differences in design.
The top knife is about an inch longer than a Woodlore, but the picture I think demonstrates the fundamental differences in design.
I think what you expect from a tool starts with your mindset. If you have the mindset of carrying less tools that cover a broader range of uses, a jack of all trades if you like, then a woodlore style will probably suit well.
If you are more of a right tool right job mindset, and are happier carrying a broader range of tools, you'll likely go for a finer knife suited to lighter tasks and also carry something like an axe. I'm personally the latter- I enjoy using an axe and a fine knife too much!
Edit: I have small hands and sausage fingers so for me a big knife sucks
If you are more of a right tool right job mindset, and are happier carrying a broader range of tools, you'll likely go for a finer knife suited to lighter tasks and also carry something like an axe. I'm personally the latter- I enjoy using an axe and a fine knife too much!
Edit: I have small hands and sausage fingers so for me a big knife sucks
@Erbswurst, I have one, Opinel #7 in Carbon. I use it for almost daily tasks, like food, unpacking and various light daily tasks.
I'm very happy with it.
Certainly true of the stainless ones.
Going back to the OP... if you're in seriously cold conditions you'll definitely appreciate a tang fully enclosed in the handle, such as the rat tail on a puukko, over a slab scale construction.
Yes, you are right.
We can't talk here the whole thread about knives for people with small hands and sausage fingers!
Although, the Marttiini Lynx 121 might be a good solution for such people and is obviously a classical puukko.
www.marttiini.fi
We can't talk here the whole thread about knives for people with small hands and sausage fingers!
Although, the Marttiini Lynx 121 might be a good solution for such people and is obviously a classical puukko.
Lynx 121
A traditional Lynx knife especially suitable for ladies and youngsters due to its smaller size and excellent balance.