Can you give me the dimentions of a Hackman Finland/Tapio Wirkkala handle?

scotchleaf

scotchleaf

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Oct 23, 2006
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I'm trying to make a puukko in the Hackman style (for my own use) Does anyone know the length, height (at the guard and at the pommel/butt) and width (at the guard and at the pommel/butt) of the handles?

If possible, please list the blade length since they had 3.5 inch and 4 inch blade models.

MinHackmanFinlandTapioWirkkanenPuukkoformgiven1960-61bild4.jpg
 
Thanks! I don't want to start cutting the handle to that shape until I know I can fit it. Don't know what I'll do about the bolster area.
 
Now that I found mine I can answer !
Handle - 4.5", blade - 4.0".Blade at bolster - 7/8", thickness 1/8 "
Handle at butt 7/8"x1.125", handle at blade .937 " x 5/8"
Note the unusual handle shape [ very comfortable and efficient ]. Mine was used as my main hunting knife so I know it works ! It did get awards for design also.
I think the steel was 440C .Maybe a more advanced steel would be better such as S35VN.
The shape tapers down with the same profile . Bolster area ? I'd leave it as is .
This reminds me of a challenge when I had to butcher a deer with the only thing available - an old , small , rickety folding card table - with none of those there having brains or experience to help !

I have no idea of the shape of the tang but the knife has very good balance ,
 
I had one of the 4" blade Hackman puukkos back in the late 70's/early 80's. It is one of the most beautiful industrial objects I've ever seen. I later gifted it to a friend who wanted it very much. Later on, I made ebony scales and put them on a M390 Mule Team as a gift for my dad. I copied the cross sectional shape of Wirkkalla's handle design. This came full circle because the puukko was originally a gift from my dad. Very nice in the hand.
 
Hi Bill: how did you make the handle? I'm wondering how to keep a nice straight line in the middle of both sides of the handle.
 
scotchleaf said:
Hi Bill: how did you make the handle? I'm wondering how to keep a nice straight line in the middle of both sides of the handle.
Click to expand...

I resawed the ebony at a bevel to get the tapered slabs, then removed the bandsaw marks by sanding, moving the wood over a full sheet spray glued to a flat surface. Then I drilled for the brass 3/16" pins using the blade as a guide (taped together). Then I stuck the scales one at a time to a micarta pattern and routed them on the router table with a bearing over bit.

Following that I created the radius with a round over bit by inverting the jig and affixing a spacer on the wide control surface so the scale hung in the air over the router table and the bearing guided off the template. The tape kept it attached and the pins resisted lateral forces during machining. I had to flip the whole setup for the other scale because handedness. In all cases the tang side of the scale is taped to the template.

After routing, I beveled the front of the scales and finish sanded the fronts. Then the pins and scales were masked off and epoxied to the tang and clamped overnight after removing squeeze-out. Then the pins were cut flush and everything finish sanded to 600, then four coats of Danish oil were applied and wiped off, one per day.

Edited to add: The roundover bit was 1/2" radius, I believe. All edges have same radius but the bottom is, of course, narrower than the top (spine side). There is an arris everywhere at the perimeter of the slab sides because they are everywhere thinner than 1/2".
 
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