Where in the heck did this come from?

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OLDE CUTLER
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Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

Sundog stopped by and dropped off a "big bag O' knives" he picked up for a good price for me to look over. This is one of the unidentified ones. I don't know what it is. Anyone care to take a "stab" at it? I cannot tell you what the brass animal head is, possibly a cat or dog? There are no tang stamp or other markings on it. The handle looks like a stacked construction, but does not look like leather. It has a 3 1/2" blade and is 7 3/8" OAL. Did not get a sheath with it.
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'
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jerryd6818
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by jerryd6818 »

I'm going with a Finnish puukko, with a horse head pommel and stacked bark handle. It was the blade shape and handle that sent me down that path.

https://www.knifeplanet.net/scandinavian-knives-guide/
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

jerryd6818 wrote:I'm going with a Finnish puukko, with a horse head pommel and stacked bark handle. It was the blade shape and handle that sent me down that path.
Wow, that is great jerry. the bottom one in your picture is a dead ringer. Thanks for the info.
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by kootenay joe »

Yep, Finnish Horsehead puukko with stacked birch bark ring handle. Looks to be in excellent condition. Is there any writing in the fuller ? With original sheath it is at least a $50 knife on ebay and more if it gets decent bidding. Yours appears to have original tip. Often the tip has been rounded off due to poor sharpening technique.
This knife will take and hold a scary sharp edge better than the vast majority of other well made knives. Very enjoyable to use as they cut with ease and a birch bark handle is as comfortable as any knife can be.
I have been collecting Finnish puukkos, vintage and currently made one, for a few years now and i find these knives most enjoyable.
Just seeing the ones posted here gets me enthused.
kj
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

kootenay joe wrote:Yep, Finnish Horsehead puukko with stacked birch bark ring handle. Looks to be in excellent condition. Is there any writing in the fuller ? With original sheath it is at least a $50 knife on ebay and more if it gets decent bidding. Yours appears to have original tip. Often the tip has been rounded off due to poor sharpening technique.
This knife will take and hold a scary sharp edge better than the vast majority of other well made knives. Very enjoyable to use as they cut with ease and a birch bark handle is as comfortable as any knife can be.
I have been collecting Finnish puukkos, vintage and currently made one, for a few years now and i find these knives most enjoyable.
Just seeing the ones posted here gets me enthused.
kj
I looked it over good with the loupe under good light and did not see anything. Sundog did not get a sheath with it. In some online pictures the sheath looks like leather with brass accoutrements?
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by deo-pa »

In some online pictures the sheath looks like leather with brass accoutrements?
Yes. Also many of the dress puukko sheaths worn with traditional national costumes in Scandinavian countries are trimmed in silver.

If you want to make a sheath for your puukko there are YouTube videos on how to do so. Including one on how to make a sheath "with no leather working tools or skills." http://stvn.eu/making-puukko-sheath-no- ... ls-skills/ That's my speed.

Dennis
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by zzyzzogeton »

I agree that knives of this style with birch bark handles are "real Finnish puukos", but keep in mind that not all knives in this style were made in Finland (or any Scandinavian country for that matter). Just because it looks like a Finnish puuko, it may not be a Finnish Finnish puuko. Many companies put out "Finnish Style Hunting" knives.

Western States Cutlery Company made knives very similar to the ones shown here for a single run in 1941. The models did not survive WW2.

They were the 48BGH, 58BGH and 68BGH - 4-5/8", 5-14" and 5-5/8" blades, respectively. Handles were made of orange, green or yellow tenite. Pommels were plastic horse heads. The sheaths for these three were leather covered wood.

A 4th horse-head pommel knife from 1941 was the model 52 Midget with an 1-1/2" blade, 3-1/4 OAL. Various tenite handles. Sheath was 2 thin layers of leather pancake style.

All 4 models are rarer than hens' teeth and the sheaths are nearly non-existent.
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Re: Where in the heck did this come from?

Post by kootenay joe »

I don't think a collector would mix up Finnish made knives with the Western States ones. The Western States ones might be worth 10x an old Finnish puukko. They are so rare you could go a lifetime of knifin' and not see one.
kj
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