Saami Knives from Lappland

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vikingdog
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Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

Here are a few knives by Saami craftsman Fredrik Prost from Kiruna Sweden. Here's a profile of him: https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/
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"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
kootenay joe
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

Super fine knives ! Thank you for posting them and for the link to "Traditional Nordic Knives" site. A lot of most helpful information there and translated to English ! thank you, most online info about Scandinavian and Finnish knives are not in English.
Are "Saami" knives only from Northern Sweden ? or other northern areas as well ?
What knife do you carry & use ?
kj
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vikingdog
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

Thanks, I started the blog about five years ago because there wasn't much information available about puukkos and leukus in English. The mostly Finnish, but some Swedish and Russian contributors all write in English so I didn't need to translate.

The Saami are found in the far north of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. I have several Nordic style knives but I use a puukko with a stacked birch handle made by Saku Honkilahti who is featured on the blog.

Here are some of mine. The top one is made of black ebonite, the one with it is stacked birch. The next one down is mammoth tooth and the bottom pictures are of a pair of vintage Rannanjärvi puukkos. It is customary for the puukkoseppä to do all the work on a puukko, forge the blade and make the handle and sheath.
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"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
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Colonel26
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by Colonel26 »

Fantastic knives Vikingdog. Thank you for sharing them.
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by knife7knut »

Those are some of the most beautiful knives I have ever seen;thanks for sharing them. I just wish the signatures on the blades were easier to read;must have been difficult putting them inside that little groove on the older ones.I haven't read the whole article as yet but will definitely do so.
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kootenay joe
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

I have 4 puukkos, Tommi style, made recently by Danijel Haramina. I also have a knife from Pasi Jaakonaho, and a Jarl from Fallkniven.
Here are pictures of these knives.
kj
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kootenay joe
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

I also have about 100 ? vintage knives from Finland, Norway & Sweden. Likely some might be quite collectible but i do not know enough about them to know. I think 2 of my Finnish knives were made by Kuusta Lammi but the signatures on Finnish knives are not readable to a non Finn.
Here are a 'couple' of older knives, nothing special, just the only picture i can find right now.
kj
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vikingdog
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

I'm glad you guys like the Nordic knives. The puukkos are simple, pure and elegant.

KJ did you see I did posts with Pasi Jaakonaho and Danijel Haramina? There are a lot of websites where you could get information from Finns. Britishblades.com is one and there are several Facebook pages devoted to puukko.
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

Quote: "KJ did you see I did posts with Pasi Jaakonaho and Danijel Haramina?"

Yes, this is why i posted the pictures of knives they made.
Thank you for starting this thread. I will take pictures of some of my vintage Finnish puukkos and post them here and will appreciate any information you can give.
kj
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vikingdog
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

I'll be very interested to see your knives. While I don't speak Finnish I have friends who may be able to help me out.

Here's one of my favorites by my friend Roman Kislitsyn also a link to a WIP showing how he does it.

https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/20 ... rving-wip/
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"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

These 2 knives are from Finland but are not Saami knives. They have stacked birch bark handles and with an OAL of ~ 10 1/2" were made for the American market or American customers. The Puukkos than Finns use rarely exceed 8". The sheaths are obviously not Finnish. Maybe these knives came from the maker without a sheath. Both knives are never used.
It is the signature in the groove that i need help with. One appears to be "K. Lammi" and the other i'm unsure but it looks similar.
Any information on these knives will be greatly appreciated.
thanks, kj
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vikingdog
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

Kustaa Lammi, Kauhava. Lammi is the maker, made in Kauhava which is the knife making center of Finland. https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/20 ... taa-lammi/
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
kootenay joe
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

Thanks. From reading the link you gave and at other web sites is see that Kustaa Lammi, 1901-2001, made knives until he was 95 (1996). His father, Juho Lammi was also a highly respected knifemaker. K.L. made & sold both completed knives and blades.
Is there any way to tell if he made these 2 knives ?
Is there a way to estimate likely age of these knives ?
If these are old knives that were made by Kustaa Lammi do they have much value ?
You can order blades marked "Kustaa Lammi" now from Lamnia, a knife business in Finland. Are these old blades made by Kustaa ? or does Lamnia have the right to use his name on blades being made by today's smiths ?
kj
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vikingdog
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by vikingdog »

That's a lot of questions. I would suggest that you post on Britishblades.com, there are a many Finnish there who might know the answers. Also, the people at Lamnia can probably answer most of those questions.
"Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." Ogden Nash

My traditional Nordic knife blog: http://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/

Mike
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Re: Saami Knives from Lappland

Post by kootenay joe »

o.k. i'll try both of those, will take me awhile but if i learn anything helpful i will post back here.
kj
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