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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2009 18:41:51 GMT
Some of the finest Finnish knives. I saved the best for last, Puukko by smith JT. Pälikkö. Poetry in steel. Large picture so I post a link. www.kp-art.fi/jt/yksilolliset/img/Luunahkakahvaveitsi08.jpgPuukkos are usually guite simple, wokmanlike tools used for variety of tasks in my finland. I own several, my current favorite being a semi-custom job by Roselli, a simple tool, but well made. I will post a picture later of my small and humble collection.
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Post by randomnobody on Aug 5, 2009 19:05:31 GMT
These knives have had my interest for quite a while, but I've never seen one that particularly "struck" me. That is, until that last one. Now THAT'S a knife. Might need to look into that deeper...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2009 7:39:51 GMT
Nifty little things, puukkos. Are they carried around a lot, or mostly left at home?
M.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2009 8:38:15 GMT
Those roselli knives are available through one of the Australia knife groups, I've been considering either their chef's knife or their little cook knife, good to know they are decent quality
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2009 12:04:36 GMT
here is a link to the english version of JT. Pälikkö's site. Poetry in steel, indeed! www.kp-art.fi/jt/index_eng.htmlI have been drooling over these for some time. Click down the left side of his website for the galleries: Yes Please!! I have a couple of much less expensive Puukko from my trips to Finland and I use them all the time - camping, around the workbench, backyard cookouts. 8" overall, 3.5" carbon steel blade with rough hammer marks left in, curlybirch/reindeer antler handle with brass bolster(? plate between handle and blade). The sheath has a hard plastic insert that shields the blade from the leather, and makes it stiff. 7" overall, 3" stainless blade (not sure what composition but it holds an amazing edge), curly birch handle, peened over a brass buttcap These are both JM Marttiini knives - probably the largest producer of finnish puukko which range in quality from complete tourist schlock to some very well made knives. They make traditional wood/steel/leather knives as well as very modern material (plastics) knives. They are more known for production blades not art blades. In the US, I think they are best known for their filleting knives - you can buy them in most sporting good stores, probably Target and Walmart, etc. www.marttiini.fi/puukot/shop/english/default.htmI started going to Finland in the 1980s. Back then, it was extremely common to see men with knives hanging from their belts - granted less so in downtown Helsinki. I think some newer laws have been passed limiting knife carrying in urban areas? Paappa would know much more than me on that. It is still pretty common in more rural areas - and the feeling you get coming from these guys is pure function, not decoration. My guess is that if there are laws, law enforcement outside of the bigger cities is mostly looking the other way. These knives are so much a part of finnish culture, and they are so practical, it would be a little like trying to tell Americans we can't use Craftsman tools in public (if Craftsman had been around for a couple of hundred years). Heck, they are part of the national costume (usually the fancier ones in the sheaths that curve at the tip, like Paappa's first one). Most workingman's coveralls have a place to attach a knife and the standard is a 4-6" fixed blade in a sheath of some kind.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2009 13:34:21 GMT
Yeah, it's illegal to carry knives around in public places here. Unless you got a good reason, anyway. (Like work etc.)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2009 9:20:56 GMT
Yeah, it's illegal to carry knives around in public places here. Unless you got a good reason, anyway. (Like work etc.) I agree. You have to have a very good reason to carry a puukko or any other knife. Of course, police will not check your bag if they dont have reason for that and you can carry a knife, if it is not readily available. I have forgot to take some pictures. Anyway about Roselli knifes: I had long thought that the handle of Roselli Hunter and a "Leuku" blade from the same manufacturer would make a nice camping knife. Just about a month ago I visited the old market hall in Helsinki and behold: in the window of a knife and kitchenware shop there was a knife like that. The owner told me that he had the same idea and had ordered such knives from Roselli to sell in his shop. I bought one and it is every bit as good as I thought. Keeps an shaving sharp edge, will hold up in rough use and besides looks good, a non-military looking hunting/camping knife.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2009 15:55:52 GMT
Those are interesting looking knives...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2009 17:56:29 GMT
All right, here are my Puukkos. All have been used, some more some less. Top left is a woodjewel. www.woodjewel.com/eng/products.php?g1=7270e5 Middle left is my Kullervopuukko and bottom left is the Roselli I wrote about. Middle from right is a Leuku-knife by Laiti, a saame smith. Saame are the indigenous people living in northern scandinavia. I bought that one 20 years ago during the honeymoon. How time flies ;D The black one on the right is finnish ranger knife. They are all good, functional tools. The leuku is made to hack wood, a reindeer herders knife. The smaller ones are good for whittling and slicing. Roselli and the Ranger knife are both good all-round knives. I have bought two Roselli hunters as gifts to friends who are both hunters, as skinning knives. They have been very pleased with them. One of these knives went to an old guy who has killed over 90 Moose during his lifetime and he said that it was the best skinning knife he has had.
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