Puukko

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doglegg
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Re: Puukko

Post by doglegg »

kootenay joe wrote:Tony perhaps you could post a few pictures of puukko work in progress ? And pictures of finished Puukko for sure .
kj
I second the motion. ::tu::
kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is an old puukko style knife with carved wood handle and scabbard. The blade looks Finnish to me but carved wood for handle or sheath is unusual.
The sheath (scabbard) is made from 2 pieces of wood, carved very thin at the top edge and then thicker below where it holds the blade. Metal tip on sheath is missing.
Anyone familiar with this style ?
kj
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Doc B
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Re: Puukko

Post by Doc B »

kootenay joe wrote:Here is an old puukko style knife with carved wood handle and scabbard. The blade looks Finnish to me but carved wood for handle or sheath is unusual.
The sheath (scabbard) is made from 2 pieces of wood, carved very thin at the top edge and then thicker below where it holds the blade. Metal tip on sheath is missing.
Anyone familiar with this style ?
kj
I'm not familiar with that type of knife...but that is one very cool looking one! What is the overall length on that?
Heretical Refurb / Mods of cheap old folders, since late 2018
kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

OAL is 7" which is a common size for a Finnish puukko
kj
doglegg
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Re: Puukko

Post by doglegg »

Roland, that is a beauty. ::tu::
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tongueriver
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Re: Puukko

Post by tongueriver »

I am in love (again)
Bulgarian KnifeMaker Todor Hristov.
Steel - N690 58-60 HRC.
OAL - 240 mm (~9,45").
Blade - 120Х21Х4mm (~4,72x0.83x0.16") rhombic grind.
Blade finish - p 800.
Handle – Stabilized alder burl and brass.
Leather sheath with wooden inlay.
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kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

What a fine knife ! The puukko is simple in design, all knife, nothing extra. Use one and be amazed at how it cuts and how the blade is always in the right position, ready to cut. Once you have used a puukko all other fixed blades you have ever used seem 'lesser'. Puukkos are in a league of their own and this one Calvin is a BEAUTY.
Are you planning to use it ?
kj
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tongueriver
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Re: Puukko

Post by tongueriver »

kootenay joe wrote: Are you planning to use it ?
kj
I haven't decided on that, Roland; it does need a light honing to be usable; I agree on your thoughts regarding these puukos. They are all knife and nothing more. I have two from Boris Krylov that he handles from imported blades and I am definitely using one of those. This one is so pretty I will probably not use it.
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Re: Puukko

Post by jmh58 »

It is Really NICE Cal !! But.. Ya gotta give some edc time!! ::nod:: ::tu::
John :)
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Eustace
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Re: Puukko

Post by Eustace »

I'm really glad to see two well-known Bulgarian knive makers. Toshko (Todor Hristov) know him personally - he quenches some of my blades.
The world is small place :D
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Eustace who is the other Bulgarian knife maker, Danijel ? or he might be in Croatia ? Like most North Americans i do not know the geography of what we usually refer to as "Eastern Europe".
kj
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Eustace
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Re: Puukko

Post by Eustace »

kootenay joe wrote:Eustace who is the other Bulgarian knife maker, Danijel ? or he might be in Croatia ? Like most North Americans i do not know the geography of what we usually refer to as "Eastern Europe".
kj
Sorry for the delayed response, kj. Here he is, Жельо Тенев / Jelio Tenev:

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=27422&start=225#p670592

http://knivesbg.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... &start=870
kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is a traditional style puukko, forged by Finnish smith Martti Malinen. He carries on the long Finnish tradition of being the local 'smith' for the village & area he lives in. And once they get known people from further away request knives. In North America most fixed blades come from factories. Custom knife makers are a recent arrival here (last ~ 60 years). In Finland there are factory made knives going back to about 1900 but many fixed blades have always come from the many 'small time' local smiths.
Birch bark makes the most comfortable handle of all and it last over 100 years with no treatment of any sort ever needed. The comfort of this knife in hand is sublime.
Blade is made from 52100 steel and Martti says he shapes and tapers the blade by forging and only uses a belt 'grinder' to get the finished surface.
This knife is sharp, sharper than of the incredibly sharp customs i have or had, from makers famous for sharpness.
Incredibly fine knife, and not expensive really, about the same as a Bark River.
kj
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tongueriver
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Re: Puukko

Post by tongueriver »

Roland, I like that knife very much. I still don't have an example in birch bark, but some day...
kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Calvin i see this guy as the real deal for traditional puukkos and a master craftsman as well. For about $200 you will be thrilled. We communicated in English by email. Many Finnish smiths are not English speakers so this is a help. PM me if you would like his email address.
Here is his website: http://hanhiniitty.fi/sepan-paja/
If you email Martti he will send you pictures of the puukkos he makes.
kj
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Re: Puukko

Post by jmh58 »

Very KOOL KJ !!! ::tu:: ::nod::
John :D
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Make sure some of them are Dirt!!!
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Here are 4 traditional puukko style knives i just bought on ebay. I don't have them yet so these are the seller's pictures. Both have been used but blades are in excellent condition with original sharp pointy tip present. Tip often gets rounded off by sharpening. One is not marked as to maker and sheath although correct in style is made of rawhide which is not traditional for Finland or Scandinavian knives. OAL 8.5", handle is 4.5" and blade 4". The other is an old Swedish "Frost" brand with a checkered handle. Length was not specified but i think size is similar to the first knife. Seller says this knife feels "heavy". Might be checkered bone ? Frost was not known for fancy knives. They made good quality knives for working people to use, so this one is unusual.
I really like this style of a barrel shaped handle that is a bit longer than the blade, no guard, and with a narrow straight blade with a sharp pointy tip.
Comments are welcome.
kj
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kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

For comparison here is a knife made about 10 ? years ago by Pasi Jaakonaho, one of 7 Finnish knife smiths with the title of "Master Smith".
The pattern is similar to the 2 knives shown in above post.
kj
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is one of the 2 puukkos i posted above. 8 1/4" OAL with handle slightly longer than blade which is rhomboid in cross section makes this a true traditional style puukko. The shaeth design is also traditional except that it is made of rawhide which is not seen with vintage puukkos.
There is one traditional style Swedish 'smith' who has used rawhide for a few of his knives, Thomas Lofgren. If anyone has the google-foo needed to find an email address for Mr. Lofgren i would like to ask him if he made this knife and sheath. It is a very well made very sharp knife.
kj
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Quick Steel
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Re: Puukko

Post by Quick Steel »

By Thomas Lofgren.

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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Thomas is in Sweden and he makes quite a range of mostly 'fancy' knives, like yours. How do you like the in hand feel of this one ? And is the edge very sharp ? Do you think it could be a good user as well as a good looker ? I have wondered about this which in part is why i have never bought one of his knives. Gary, maybe you could go camping with this knife and then report back ? It would be a contribution to our knife knowledge ! :)
kj
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Quick Steel
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Re: Puukko

Post by Quick Steel »

I met Lofgren in LA about 9 years ago which is when I acquired this knife. The hand feel is okay for my mid-sized hand. As for blade sharpness, I'd describe it as mildly sharp; perhaps a 4 or 5 on a 1-10 scale. As you recognize, it is more a work of art than a practical using knife. No campfires for this one. Looking pretty is what she does best.
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

Thanks Gary. This answers what i have wondered about; i.e. his knives are aimed more toward collectors than guys going on bush adventures.
kj
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Old Folder
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Re: Puukko

Post by Old Folder »

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No Puukko posts for many moons, thought I would wake it up.
I found my first Puukko knife at a monthly swap meet in Burbank Ca. in May 1993, I paid $15.00. After arriving home, I did a little research on it through Bernard Levine's third edition book. The results were very interesting but I wanted to acquire more information and knowledge. However, there was no internet at this time. So I went to the local Library, with the assistance of the staff I was given the address of "The Norwegian Forestry Museum" in Norway.
I sent a picture and a drawing of my knife to the Museum in Norway on 07/10/1993. (Pictured below)

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A few weeks later in late July 1993 I received a package in the mail from Mr. Magne Rugsveen, The Norwegian Forestry Museum Curator containing two magazines and a very descriptive response from my letter. His letter in posted below on two pages.

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As the years went by I have obtained other Puukko's knives and a Burl handled Swedish barrel knife.
The internet auction sites have hundreds of Puukko's for sale, however I prefer to discover them at swap meets and flea markets. The fun is in the hunt.
Because of their acceptance worldwide they have been copied in both style and detail in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Below is my current collection.


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Knife Magazine AKA "Knife World" has written two articles in the past pertaining to Finnish / Norwegian Knives.
(1) April 1993: "Norwegian Knives" by Eiler R. Cook.
(2) February 1994: "The Puukko" by Carl Levitan.
Being a member of Knife Magazine for many years I am fortunate to have the original issues. If you are a member of Knife Magazine you can view them online through their website. I believe that have all their past magazines online now. ::groove::


The below leather sheath is decorated with "Reindeer Fur" You may have a similar sheath with four (4) protruding points located at the lower end of the sheath. The four points signify the four directions of the wind- North, South, East, West and is common on many Puukko sheaths.
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It's always important to know what you don't know.
Dan
kootenay joe
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Re: Puukko

Post by kootenay joe »

The knife with the sheath with horn inserts looks like an older Brusletto which is Norwegian.
"Puukko" is the Finnish word for "knife". There are a few styles of a puukko blade the most well known being the "Tommi".
Knives from Norway and Sweden might be similar to Finnish knives but they are not considered to be true puukkos.
Finland has a very long history of knife making. Even to this day every region has a few local "Smiths" who forge knives in the traditional manner that has been passed along for about 1,000 years. A true puukko is always a forged blade with a little grinding to create the finished edge.
kj
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