All About Pocket Knives

If my memory is not misleading me, I do recall that their metal sheaths were often sterling silver.

Kuusta Lammi is to Finns what Loveless is to American knife collectors, simply The Best.
Calvin how did you find this knife maker ? What an amazing opportunity.
I hope you use it, maybe on some fresh caught fishes, and then some green brush twigs in way of your tent, and then cut that old polypro rope for tying the tarp, and, and, then after a bunch of usings come back to town and tell us if it still is a good knife.
Mr. Lammi will be happy in Heaven: "Oh, look, that mortal is using a blade i made. Can't wait to talk to him. Hey Pete is he on today's list ?"
kj

That is a real beauty, ToungeRiver!

Here is one that Pasi Hurttila made for me, hand forged damascus. Pasi uses very few power tools.

Another beauty! I don't have stacked bark or damascus in puukkodom (yet).

Questions. How is it pronounced? poo ko, or poo oo ko?
And what is it? Some say "knife with a wooden handle." I see a vast number of styles or patterns, a few of which have wooden or bark handles. I see the term 'puukko' used to describe almost any kind of knife from Europe, much less Scandinavia, much less Finland.

Acccording to a recording courtesy of google, a Finn pronounces it like ....poo a cow. For myself, I'll just continue with poo ko. The Sami people developed several belt knives, the smallest being the pukko.

Here is a fantastic knife that is not a full puukko. The blade is all puukko, forged by Altti Kankaanpaa an old highly regarded Finnish smith. The handle was made by a knife maker in North Carolina. The blade is 4 1/8" and the handle a full 5" is very comfortable in hand. This long handle enables one to apply more pressure on the blade if needed. Handle is comprised of: brass, stacked leather rings, buffalo horn and "leopardwood".
This handle makes the knife heavier than a true puukko which is lighter in weight with a plain handle, oval in cross section & no guard.
The sheath can be worn as a dangler or on the belt. The snap in fit of the knife is more 'positive' than i have ever experienced. There is an audible 'click' as the knife seats itself. Although only the very end of handle is exposed, and the fit is snug, i can still extract the knife easily. The quality of this sheath is as good as any i have ever owned. It is right up there with a Bob Dozier(not the shop knives, but the ones Bob makes himself) or Burt Foster made sheath. I have never had a better sheath.
Knife maker did not charge me enough. After receiving this knife i suggested he immediately double his prices. Buyers will still be thrilled.
A big Thanks to Calvin for telling me of this knife maker who is selling on ebay.
kj

Interesting to me is how the maker gently curved the handle to meld with a lower guard. I prefer a lower guard on the appropriate fixed blade which of course the traditional puukko does not have. I think the maker's treatment of that handle/guard fixture is exceptional. And of course the entire knife is a beauty.

Thanks. How the handle works/feels in hand is also quite exceptional. It just naturally sits with palm swell centered in my hand with good balance and blade in a position to use.
There is more to a handle than good workmanship. You need some sort of talent that enables you to know how to create a natural fit; design is 'everything'.
kj

Hey Cal (tongueriver), could you re-post the pic of your Western 68BG that you posted back in 2012?

You used pukebucket back then so the pic is gone.

zzyzzogeton wrote:Hey Cal (tongueriver), could you re-post the pic of your Western 68BG that you posted back in 2012?

You used pukebucket back then so the pic is gone.

PM sent.

Here is a puukko made by Finnish smith Rauno Vainionpaa. OAL 6 7/8" with 4" handle and 2 7/8" blade. The sheath is sturdy and well formed. The snap in fit is tight, need to pull while wiggling handle in a rotating movement to extract the knife. Very secure and not a quick draw !
This knife is pure essential puukko: a small plain knife with oval handle which is longer than blade, no guard, forged blade with no secondary grind needed to form the very sharp edge. They edge hold for a long time.
Dangler sheath with a small knife like this never gets in the way making this The Perfect EDC.
kj

Roland, I like the size and the handle and the sheath. That is a perfect little carry knife.

WOW!! Yinz are showin some F.I.N.E. PUukkos!!!! John

kootenay joe wrote:Here is a puukko made by Finnish smith Rauno Vainionpaa. OAL 6 7/8" with 4" handle and 2 7/8" blade. The sheath is sturdy and well formed. The snap in fit is tight, need to pull while wiggling handle in a rotating movement to extract the knife. Very secure and not a quick draw !
This knife is pure essential puukko: a small plain knife with oval handle which is longer than blade, no guard, forged blade with no secondary grind needed to form the very sharp edge. They edge hold for a long time.
Dangler sheath with a small knife like this never gets in the way making this The Perfect EDC.
kj

That is a beaut!
Makes me want to go and build one.

Tony, do you forge your blades ? A forged blade is needed to be a puukko. You can buy blades forged by top level Finnish 'Smiths'.
Here is my other "Pure Puukko", this one was made by Pasi Jaakonaho, one of the 7 Finnish "Master" Smiths. The handle has been carved to shape and is more typical of a Finnish knife having greater girth than the RV knife. I carry this one and it can cut anything a big knife can.
The experience of holding and using a knife like this is unlike that of any other knife. It is compact yet so efficient, natural & pleasing.
kj

Can anyone ID the puuko John Wayne carried in the 1930 movie, The Big Trail, his first starring role? Since the movie came out in 1930, the knife must have been made in 1929 or earlier.

A young John Wayne, never seen a picture before.
The handle and pommel are typically Finnish. It might be typical to one area in Finland and therefore likely to have come from a knife factory in that area.
Odd that a 1930's Hollywood knife prop was not one of the many USA fixed blades. I'm sure in 1930 Finnish knives were less known or encountered than they are today and they are not often seen today.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Tony, do you forge your blades ? A forged blade is needed to be a puukko. You can buy blades forged by top level Finnish 'Smiths'.
Here is my other "Pure Puukko", this one was made by Pasi Jaakonaho, one of the 7 Finnish "Master" Smiths. The handle has been carved to shape and is more typical of a Finnish knife having greater girth than the RV knife. I carry this one and it can cut anything a big knife can.
The experience of holding and using a knife like this is unlike that of any other knife. It is compact yet so efficient, natural & pleasing.
kj

Yes sir, I do forge my own blades. It is the most fulfilling part of the process.

Tony perhaps you could post a few pictures of puukko work in progress ? And pictures of finished Puukko for sure .
kj

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.

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

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?

OAL is 7" which is a common size for a Finnish puukko
kj

Roland, that is a beauty.