A Grail Story Thank You, to dan55

sitflyer

sitflyer

Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
7,893
Quite a few years ago, there was a mail order company that had a catalog of tools, woodworking, measuring, just neat stuff, I think it was Brookstone company. Occasionally in their listings were some knives, and back then I would always drool over one particular knife, the Tapio Wirkkala Puukko. Me and my dad would always ponder whatever knife caught our fancy in magazines or catalogs, but for me, I was fascinated by this particular one. Then, years past, having never acquiring said knife, and my fascination faded and disappeared past even recollection of said Grail.

A few years back I found this place, and lo and behold, a post by Frank (Knarfeng) of his Tapio Wirkkala Puukko! WOW! Memories were re-kindled, a renewed spike in interest like it was yesterday, and the search began...I did come across some info, and a few auctions, but always the day late and a dollar short, or just not ready to pull the trigger yet syndrome occurred. I just decided that the knife was to be my grail, always hoped for, and never achieved. I could live with that. My interest shifted around from Buck knives, to GEC's, to fixed blades, all over the map. All over the map was probably the most fun part of my journey, learning about, and receiving/acquiring knives from different parts of the globe, and reading posts and threads so generously shared by our fine friends here on the porch, I really found an appreciation for a lot of diverse cutlery that would have been unknown to me if I hadn't found this place. Then there are the friendships and acquaintances formed as the real prize.


So there I was, really pretty content in my knife journey, having tasted many varieties, and settling on a few that became my regular rotation, so to be, and a post in a thread congratulating a member on finding their grail knife, and stating mine, led to a conversation.

dan55 had a pristine Tapio Wirkkala Puukko and decided to gift it to me! I was quite frankly, taken aback by his generous offer, and still, in amazement at this act of selfless giving. Thank You dan55, I really didn't know how to say this any better, but a dream of many years has been realized through your generosity. This knife is everything I had imagined it to be, a tool that is distilled down to perfection in form and function...the very thoughts that occurred to me when I first laid eyes on photographs in a catalog, so very long ago...


IMG_9060%20950x552_zpsee7nus7y.jpg



again, Thank You!
 
Great story. I'm sure Dan will receive back his goodwill many fold. Congratulations to you both.
 
It is indeed an awesome knife. The balance is superb.
And it is an incredible gift.
Hats off to Dan!

Here's the miscreant that rekindled the flame.
100_3128.jpg
 
knarfeng said:
It is indeed an awesome knife. The balance is superb.
And it is an incredible gift.
Hats off to Dan!

Here's the miscreant that rekindled the flame.
100_3128.jpg
Click to expand...

Frank, my heart skipped a beat when I saw you post that knife a few years back! It's funny how some things just grab our attention.
 
Great post Dan, congratulations my friend, it's a lovely knife :thumbup: Wonderful act of generosity Dan, hats off you :) :thumbup:
 
This post is full of a awesome. What a great act of kindness from Dan.

Thanks for sharing!
 
Another win for the traditional forum generosity.

It how I was hooked here too. At a friends prompting I dropped in. I asked a question about GEC.

One of the fine members here sent me a Northfield #23 to get me hooked on traditionals, and that brand in particular.

It worked!
 
Congratulations, Duane! :thumbup::thumbup: Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story. :cool:
Beaucoup kudos to Dan for his generous gift!! :D

- GT
 
What's better than a grail knife? A gifted grail knife, that's what! Congratulations to both of you!
 
I bought one of the large Wirkalla's from Brookstone in the early 70's, used it to cut up bread and sausage on field exercises in the Black Forest of Germany. I wanted a smaller version and on a trip to Finland got one at the Turku Gunshow and it was not cheap. My friends said it was the first one he had seen for sale in a couple of years, so I handed over the Euros and took it home. A few months later I was at a local gun show, talking to a friend in front of a booth that sold reproduction "Mountain Man" knives when i liked down and saw the very distinctive brass butt of a Wirkalla, under a pile of Mountain man knives. Picked it up, the sheath was a little worn, like having been in a drawer for a long time, the blade had never been sharpened. I bought it, and a small folder for less than half what I paid for that used one in Finland. You never know what might show up at your next show. Glad you got your Grail knife! John
 
Congrats on finally coming upon your Grail knife! :thumbup:

Major kudos to Dan for this incredibly thoughtful and kind act of generosity!!
 
Thanks for the kind words guys, this place is just full of amazing people, I've not found another place like it.
 
It is stories like this and a love for traditional knives that keep me logging on daily. It is so nice in the day we live to see such unselfish acts and genuine compassion for others. This subforum is like a breath of fresh air to me all because of you fine folks that post here. I truly am grateful to be a small part of it. Congratulations on receiving your Grail knife and thank you Dan for such a selfless act of caring. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
When I saw the Wirkkala puukko in the Brookstone catalog, I had no idea what a puukko was, was not a knife guy in particular (although I had bought a few interesting knives over the years, including but not limited to a few SAKs and Opinels), but the design caught my fancy, and I ordered one. Should have bought two.

For about thirty years, I threw that puukko in a motorcycle tank bag and took it with me whenever I toured, which was a lot. I used it a lot, mostly as a steak knife, and for slicing cheese, fruit and salami, but it also came in handy for roadside repairs. Sometimes I would leave it in a tank bag, on the bike, over the winter. On those occasions, I often had to scrape green stuff off the brass bolsters come spring.

A few years ago, somebody posted a pic of their Wirkkala on a gun forum I frequent. A bell went off. I dug mine out and Googled it, to find that in the intervening years, it had acquired some cachet along with a bit of collector value. It always was a beautiful knife, and still is. Mine is no longer pristine, but isn't really beat up too badly, although that might be hard to tell from the crappy cell phone pic.

mrk6.jpg


In any case, this knife is very worthy of grail status, and Dan is a very generous guy. Congratulations to you both.
 
Thanks for sharing the story about getting your Grail Knife, Duane.

And all with such a great, generous offer. What a wonderful thread. :) (My favorite kind of thread/topic in general)

It made me smile to see you get your grail knife, Duane. I got mine from you about a year ago - Queen DB Barlow.
 
@ Henry, great story about your well used and loved knife You were one of the smart ones to grab it when you saw it in the catalog. :thumbup:


@ Andi, :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top