Finnish Puukko Knives

[lrs]

This came up on another thread, interesting knives.
I've been looking at some on the internet.
Is there something that is an identifying characteristic of these knives?
Some are labeled as Finnish Puukko, but who's to say it might be some other type knife.

[jager]

I have a Puukku knife I purchased from "Cloudberry"  company in Colorado (they are also on the internet). Their web site gives a history of each of the various models of the Puukku that are made in Finland. Mine has a 3" blade that is really easy to work with, whether "gutting", skinning, or boning. The blade sharpens easily and holds a "razor Sharpe" edge longer than my Boker, or Gerber. The handles are pretty "Plain Jane", but most models are full sized and very functional. The sheaths appear to be hand made and well fitting. I think they are good values for the money and the company that sells them is "first rate" regarding service and delivery.

[hazmt]

There are several variations of this knife found throughout the Scandinavian countries. I think the Puukko is primarily identified by the shape (no cross-guard, etc). I have a 1941-dated piece that I use regularly as my primary skinner. It has wonderful steel and was signed in the fuller by the maker. I liked it so much, that I purchased another similar to it that was made in Norway. I'm going from memory, but I think this knife was purchased from Smokey Mountain a few years ago.

I first gained an appreciation for the Finnish Puukko because of my interest in Finnish Military weapons. The Puukko is one reason why Finnish bayonets are so scarce. Finnish soldiers would defer to the Puukko for close combat. These are right of passage weapons that are associated with maturing into manhood. So every soldier would carry one. These are great blades that have history and are useful!

Nothing like killing a nice deer with a Finnish Mosin-Nagant, then processing the meat with a Finnish Puukko!

Best regards!

Haz

[cbl51]

One thng to keep in mind when sharpening a puuko; keep the whole flat bevel on the stone. The type of blade grind on a scandinvian knife is the blade flat goes all the way to the edge. It's actually a flat grind from the start of the flat to the edge. There is no secondary angle. It makes sharpening the blade actually easier, because you don't have to guess at the angle. Just laay the blade on the stone, and make sure the flat bevel in back of the edge is flat on the stone, and go.

The scandinavian type of grind gets really wicked sharp, and is a strong edge as well.

On the Finn's and the puuko as a weapon; In the winter war with Russia in 1939, the Finn's defeated the Russiaan army in a very bloody winter fight. The russians had a million casualties, the Finn's 250 thousand. Some finns krept into the soviet camps at night, and slit throats with the puuko's. After one winter, 1939 to spring 1940, the Russians gave up trying to take Finland, and went home.

Don't mess with a Finn who has a rifle and a puuko.

[Joel]

Many of the Finnish knives do have a secondary bevel.  The Finns worked their knives more strenously than other Scandinavians, and the weak Scandi grind often didn't work for them.  Easy to tell if it has one or not.  If it does it'll look like what we call an "edge"....although you can be more PC and refer to it as a "micro bevel".

[deernhog]

I noticed the handles are more over sized and the blades shorter but wide. These knives are each a unique work of art but simplistic. They make thier sheaths different than others but they will last forever. I use the paraffin dipping on alot of my sheaths to harden them up.

[mirage1988]

To add to the Finnish-Russian war story, I have been told by my mother that the finns would ski into the russians camps at night when they were sleeping and cut everyones throat except one man. He would be left alive so he would go back and tell the rest of the russians about it. Her dad died in that war.

I have two Puukos- best knives I own. My mom is going back to Finland next week to visit her family, I think I will have her see if she can find some for cheap.

[deernhog]

I just bought a Helle triple lam carbon blade from Jantz  2 5/8" for my next project. It will be made to look like a Finn Puuko at the best of my ability anyway. I plan on it having a wood handle with a moose ,deer or elk horn spacer with color contrast spacers with a solid brass or stainless steel. No hollow cap. I need some more sources to get a design from. This blade is a lot more beefy than they look. 

[Joel]

Just google on Finnish Puuko knives, and you'll get plenty of design ideas.  For a quick look, go to the Kellam Knives site http://www.kellamknives.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6

[udtjim]

When I get a Scandi, regardless of Brand, I make it into a real scandi grind with either a stone or sandpaper, depending on how much work they need. I have also just convexed some of the older ones. If you kinda flatten out the grind on the Mora's it will really help the edge retention by getting rid of the very surface area that is sometimes kind of poor steel. I really like the Helle's.