Ulu's

[Joel]

I've sort of started to make these as a "side" kinda thing.  Made one for myself about a year ago and people (read men) thought they'd make good Christmas presents.  One of the more practical kitchen knife designs around when it comes to chopping this and that.  For those not familiar with the knife, Ulu means woman's knife and was used by the northern peoples ranging from Siberia, though Alaska, to Greenland.  Originally made with blades of wood, stone or  horn, when the white man showed up with steel, it quickly became the choice.   Handsaw blades are considered to make the best blades because of their toughness and flexibility and edge holding.  The blades for these came from old handsaws produced by the Disston Sawworks; near Philadelphia, PA.  At one time it was the largest, and maker of the best, saws in the world.  I find them on ebay.  The wood comes from either my woodpile(the dark red oak burl) or a friend's old rock maple tree.  Ulu's vary in design, depending on the region they're used in.  These are roughly of the Fish River design, from the area in Alaska with that name.  Having the handle directly over the blade gives both great control, and allows the use of a lot of force; since the whole arm can apply strength in a straight line to what's being cut.  Of the ones pictured here, the larger ones are of the more traditional designs, while the small, handled ones came about by me staring at all these left over bits of sawblade and wood.  When I was making these, I left them somewhat "primitive" in finish to sort of replicate the original ones being made with very basic tools.

[kyelkhunter3006]

Joel, that's some of the most striking wood I've seen in a long, long time.  Very nice work indeed.  I've looked at ulu's before, but I never could decide if I wanted one or not.

[pastorp]

Using a ulu is a aguired skill. If you ever saw a Eskimo woman process fish with one you would not doubt their efficiency. But there is a learning curve. And they feel akward to use at first.

Regards,

[mjh]

Nicely done!  I've got a tourist ulu my inlaws picked up for me while in alaska, never used it.  I've also got a Knives of Alaska ulu which I like very much and use processing deer hides and other uses.

[Hit or Miss]

Stunning!  I wish I had wood like that just laying around! 

[JeffG]

Joel, those are very, very nice!!  Great work!   

[deernhog]

Are they single bevel for the lack of a better way of saying or sharpened on both sides. I have two from Jantz supply that I put together and they are beveled on one side only. I was tld that was the way they are made. Good for chopping but a little akward on game that I tried it out on. I like the design on yours a lot better than the ones I bought.

[Joel]

Mine have the double bevel.  Actually, either is correct; it depended on what the ulu was designed to chop.  The single bevel supposedly made it easier to chop very finely, much as many Japanese cooking knives have single bevels.  Never having used that style of edge I can't comment more on it.

[Rex in OTZ]

Ive built some over the years, the first 2-3 looked ok but had problems the local Inupiat quickly pointed out, some the stuff Ive learned the hard way and will pass on as I learned.
The Ulu's edge is chisel edged like a wood chisel or wood planer blade, the main purpose of the knife is sliceing and is done in a sawing/slashing manner(more control of the cutting edge), as a woman skins she uses sweeping gracefull arc's a skinning knife cant really copy.
The blades of working Ulu's are useally as thin as one can get (ease of sliceing and weight), Ive seen one's dug up with bean can lids for blades,
The handle is fit to the person, so if your left or right handed the handle is offset a bit to fill the curled fingers of the grasping hand, the short leg the blade is closest the body the bevel is up (sun face) twards your belly, handles are shaped for comfort and control while wielding a bloody knife or  with greasy hands when cutting seal and whale.
 Copper or brass rivet heads are formed by burnisheding in place insted of impact riveted,   now days pins simply epoxied instead of riveting.
Never imerse a Ulu in water they are always wiped clean like a cast iron skillet,
Ulu are rarely used for cleaver like chopping (due to light weight) the single edge blade can skew and you could get injured instead the blade is pressed down on what your trying to cut and you use your body weight to force the blade through and since its cross section is slim it useally glides right through.
Ther is the Ulu factory in Anchorage Ak, ther products are a hazy copy of the real thing kinda like one them chinese made leatherman copys of the real deal.
Ive lived on the NW arctic coast of alaska since 1989

[Winter Hawk]

Muktuk in the photo?

-WH-

[theoldsarge]

Shame to cut up Disston saws to make them tho, woodworkers prize them as working saws.

[Joel]

They all prize them, except The ones I find are rusted, pitted, broken handles etc.  If you look closely at the blades these were in bad shape... .  Since their a PA made saw, I find a lot of them locally that have been neglected and rusted for years.  The good ones can be found on ebay and some of the woodworkers' forums and are still in good shape.  I have one. 

[Rex in OTZ]

Actually some the prettiest knots and burils and grain wood comes from old oaken pallets.

[S.E.Ak]

I like useing old saws that still have a sound handle.I leave the handle attached and cut out the shape I want leaveing it so the saw handel becomes the knife handel

[Joel]

I can picture that.  Sounds like a neat idea.

[Dand]

I bought an ulu from Dillingham man Steve Noonkesser last winter.  Its a design his wife wanted.  She's from out Nunivak way I think, grew up using ulus and knows what she likes.  He has had the blades made and hardened somewhere then mounts the handles and polishes them. I've been using it on salmon this summer and its WONDERFUL. Especially for cutting thru fish back bones like kings - zips the heads off with ease and the most control I've ever had.  I'm not too swift at filleting like the Native ladies do but with time I'd get there I know.  The steel is excellent, holds an edge but sharpens easily.  One thing, these are beveled on each side instead of the traditional single bevel.  Steve puts a unique handle on that aids for making some cuts - fits the base of my hand real well.  He uses fancy wood on the handles but I bought this to use and I love it. I've scratched up the polish job buffing off some rust - and I wash mine or the fish slime would pit it soon.


Here's a photo (top knife) and I included a crude one I made years ago out of a broken saw blade and moose antler. I never used my homebuilt much as its too small and the curve isn't the best.  I should try it fleshing beaver - wished I'd thought of that before.


Anyway the Noonkesser knife has the odd points for Steve's wife to make certain cuts. I used them for splitting fish bellies. The handle is lacewood I think.