Is there any fans out there?

Hello everybody! I just resently found this forum and I have been reading your 'knifetalks' with great intress. I was just wondering if there are other 'puukko' or nordic knives fans in this group? Well, time to go to bed.

Cheers, Juha

P.S. This is my knifesite, hope you enjoy. http://valkyriacut.topcities.com/

I would be one of those I own several Scandinavian blades, even made a few; but no traditional puukkos. I find them to be excellent carving and gardening knives and good general utility knives - as long as you don't scrape with them. Also, I really like how fast you can touch up an edge on them. I always make my handles a bit different than the traditional shapes, I like to leave a little bump on the bottom to serve as a guard - both to orient the blade without looking and in case of a slip. I once took off the corner of my thumb knuckle right to the bone and didn't even feel it, I hate to think what would happen if my fingers were to slide down across the edge.

Very nice site Juha. Thanks for sharing the information and pictures. I don't have a good source of raw steel so have made a few knives from files and unused power hacksaw blades. These seem to work quite well if you are careful in the selection process.

My mothers side of the family is Finn, with family still in Soumi, and I have a likeness for puukkos. Dont have many, only a couple. I have one with a horses head in brass, on the butt which Ive never seen before. Either a horse or a reindeer.

Gunner

'Anyone who cannot cope with firearms is not fully human. At best he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe and not make messes in the house.' With appologies to RAH..

Lovely site ..... lovely knives ... especially the handles had to have a laugh at this though; 'Safety is always in my mind when making something' and then a look at the workshop pics ..... uhhh ummm ..... I suppose you keep the pushbike next to the forge for quick get aways in case of an accident? ... gotta think of safety ..

Yeah, Puukko is made for woodcarving, eating, (fighting), skinning... just about anything you can think of. When early Finns builded first homes they needed just an axe and a puukko. Well the first building was always the Sauna. The thing with puukko is that you have to know how to use it. There are some tricks and roules to follow. Some people think that puukos are dangerous because there is no guard. This is not true when you know how to use your puukko with little bit of common sence. But anyway, if you do nothing, nothing happens. (and when you cut your self few times you start using your head with the puukko)

Out houses here?

Take a breath, then tell us about that.

Alvin in AZ (hadn't got a chance to look at any websites lately)

Thank you for your kind words. Like it says in the text under the picture it was my old workshop. I'm getting a new better one and there everything shold be in it's place. It's always like that, 'do as I tell you to do, not how I do it...'

LOL!!

Huuh pooff huuh pooh... hehe...Where should I start, this is so 'Hot' subject for me since I have seen so many bad examples of bad puukkohanding.

Someone said: 'All this is already said million times but it needs to be said again and again...'

1: Keep your puukko always sharp and clean. 2: Use and handle your puukko properly. 3. Keep and carry your puukko in right way.

Dull puukko (and knife too) is the second most dangerous thing in the world. (What is the most dangerous thing? (unloaded weapon)). You need only little force to use sharp puukko and if the 'shit hits the fan' the cut is clean, (hopefully) not so deep and will heal faster.

Since many of us eat or use the Puukko or Knife for eating it should be always clean. Specially the joint between the blade and handle. Sheat is the worst place to let bacteria settled.

Remembre the reason why you are useing your puukko. Learn technics for each work (woodcarving, skinning,ext.ext.) and the right ways to grip the handle.

Take the puukko out of it's sheat with two hands. Do not pull the puukko strait out from the sheat, but twist it a bit. This way puukko comes out nice and safely from often tight sheat.

Same thing when putting the puukko away. Look when you put it in. The sheat ('tuppi' does not like if one cut's it. Often there is only one way to sheat the blade and this has to be respected. Blade saying 'Hi'! from 'guted' sheat is a sad sight...

Puukko is not a chissel, machette of axe, so do not use it in that way. It's not a screwdriver or bottle/can opener. Do not try to break or cut frozen food, bones, ice and such. The blade will suffer damages and you waste time honing.

Do not toy with puukko, if it falls do not try to catch it. No running with puukko in your hand. If you like your puukko do not throw it. It will brake sooner or later.

When not using the puukko keep it in it's sheat well oiled sharp and clean.

If you have to 'stab' with puukko, remember to put your thumb in the end of the handle as a stopper. There is no guard to stop your fingers slide to the blade. If you use puukko or any knife, you will cut yourself sooner or later. Learn from your mistake and remember, it becomes stupid mistake only if you do it twice...

I know that you guys already know all this s**t but if there is someone out there who doesn't... Well, I hope I didn't waste my breath. I just love Puukkos and making them and talking about them.

Cheers,

I have one like that. They are not all that uncommon. Have seen them advertised in recent years. I believe the style was the preferred hunting knife of Russia's last Czar. Have seen the head referred to as horse or reindeer. Not sure which is correct.

brianWE If you want to win an argument, it is best to stick to the truth. Or provable untruths.

It's gotta be able to handle that hasn't it? :/ Are you sharpening at such acute edge angles that it can't open a can or pull off a bottle cap? If so, it's just a skinning/meat cutting knife.

I like that one.

More about the un-guarded handle, that thumb idea was good, anymore?

Alvin in AZ