Puukko

[jmh58]

Very KOOL KJ !!!
John

[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

[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

[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

[Quick Steel]

By Thomas Lofgren.

[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

[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.

[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

[Old Folder]

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)

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.

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.

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.


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.

[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

[tongueriver]

Great posts; I hope to contribute when I am doing better; still recovering from surgery.

[Quick Steel]

Dan, thank you for an interesting collection and informative post.

[kootenay joe]

Dan, thank you for an interesting collection and informative post.

Me Too, Thanks Dan.
There is much that could be learned about puukkos and the regional variation within Finland but this knowledge seems hard to come by.
When we each post the bit we know, eventually there will be some helpful Puukko facts in this thread.
kj

[Old Folder]

Great posts; I hope to contribute when I am doing better; still recovering from surgery.

Dan, thank you for an interesting collection and informative post.

Dan, thank you for an interesting collection and informative post.

Me Too, Thanks Dan.
There is much that could be learned about puukkos and the regional variation within Finland but this knowledge seems hard to come by.
When we each post the bit we know, eventually there will be some helpful Puukko facts in this thread.
kj

Thank you Gentlemen.
Such great and vast history in these knives.
Hope you have a speedy recovery tongueriver.

[tongueriver]

Norwegian toten, a particular type from a specific area, apparently.

[tongueriver]

Todor Hristov

[tongueriver]

Jelio

[tongueriver]

Kustaa Lammi blade built up by Boris Krylov

[Quick Steel]

tongueriver, Have you had occasion to use one or another Puuko in the field? If so, I'd like to learn your impression of them, perhaps in comparison with similar American fixed blade knives.

[tongueriver]

I have not used them. I made my own puukko in a forging class in June and used it for field dressing, skinning and partly disjointing 4 medium game animals (deer and pronghorns) this year. But it is not a professionally made knife. I guess it is a 'custom', however!!!

[kootenay joe]

Calvin, these all look absolutely first rate. I really like the Todor H. knife, absolutely clean essential knife, clean lines simple design perfectly executed. I bet it is very sharp and would remain so even after many cuts, many years. I hope you get to use it for field dressing.
Here are 2 knives made by "OK", Olavi Kempainen whose father (grandfather ?) designed the original Tommi puukko. Olavi's knives are said to be the best of all puukkos. I think he stopped making knives when in his late 80's about 2000.
Both knives are 8 1/2" OAL. I failed to take a picture of the side marked "OK".
kj

[tongueriver]

Wonderful knives, Roland!

[kootenay joe]

And here are 2 very inexpensive puukkos. One came from ebay (dark sheath) and the other i bought for $30 from "Scandicraft" an online knife dealer in Finland. Both are 'custom' made, i.e. made by a 'Smith' in his own shop rather than being factory production.
Even these very inexpensive puukkos are amazing at edge holding. I am surprised that the Finnish puukko has not caught on in North America as a fixed blade EDC. If you try one expect it to be your life long companion. You won't want to swap it out for any other small fixed blade.
kj

[kootenay joe]

Here is a Tommi puukko made by Olavi Kemppainen who along with his brother Alpo is a fifth generation "Tommi" puukko smiths. It was their great, great, great grandfather who designed and forged the first Tommi puukko. Since then each generation of sons have become knife "Smiths" and have worked in the same shop with the same tools. The heat treatment they use is a guarded secret and the resulting blades are thought to be the Best of All Finnish puukkos.
A Tommi design has the thickest part of the blade about 1/4 the way down from the spine and it tapers somewhat to the spine above and both sides taper down to create the edge. There is no edge grind. The handle is longer than the blade and is oval in cross section and there is no guard.
This knife has an OAL of 8 1/4", with a 3 3/4" blade, and a 4 1/2" handle.
kj