"Ethnic"? Traditionals

Great info. I've got Polyak's "Accent Knives" page bookmarked. Definitely interested in the "Classic" design.

My last name, even though it came from Hungary, is of German origin. (German for "Thorn") Who knows, maybe I have a little knife-maker blood in me.:D

I've also got a Higonokami on it's way to me from Japan, thanks to a new friend. (Thanks Elliot.)
 
rjdankert said:
Thanks for the reply. In my post I said I didn't know anything about it, which is basically true except that the knife is from the mid 1950's. At least that's when my dad won it as a prize in a muzzle loading rifle shoot. I couldn't decipher the writing on the blade, but can now make out "Iisakki Jarvenpaa". I did a google search on "Iisakki Jarvenpaa". Got a little more information and hope to find more now that I know the maker. Thanks again. Bob
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Its Iisakki Järvenpää alright, quite old. Stacked birchbarck handle Osthrobotnian style puukko with fuller. Fuller combined stacked bark handle and usually quite extensive brass bolster and endcap are traditional Osthrobothnian puukko's features. Yours can be somewhere between end of 30's to somewhere late 50's production model (1937-1957 perhaps due detailed work and symbols). if you could get close picture of the image on handle, I could identify if its muncipality puukko (with shield of muncipality or county ) or if its Civil Guardian puukko. I suspect its near WWII era though with patriotical symbol's which were quite rare after WWII due Finlandization and you haven't seen such things after 60's till very recent years. The "whiskers" you see or Lynx ears hanging on the sheath are to make evil spirits away and protect from the evil eye. Thesedays quite rare and only production model having something similar is more expensive Järvenpää's Ilves / Lynx model.
 
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Daniel Dorn said:
I've also got a Higonokami on it's way to me from Japan, thanks to a new friend. (Thanks Elliot.)
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My pleasure. :cool:

(I'll look forward to reading your impressions once you receive it. :thumbup: )
 
Thank you for the reply

thejamppa said:
if you could get close picture of the image on handle, I could identify if its muncipality puukko (with shield of muncipality or county ) or if its Civil Guardian puukko.
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Here it is
314899_250402608327466_100000731875005_811424_7333936_n.jpg


What are muncipality and Civil Guardian puukkos?
Thanks again, Bob
 
The Friedrich Herder is a German made knife, but here in the northern part of the Netherlands it has been used by countless farmers, construction workers, woodsmen and other people who needed a simple, affordable and widely available knife. My grandfather and father used this type of knife on the farm, but also in the weekends while hunting and fishing. They're still being sold and used.

09FriedrichHerder.jpg
 
rjdankert said:
Thank you for the reply



Here it is

What are muncipality and Civil Guardian puukkos?
Thanks again, Bob
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Ok that is Finland's Coat of Arms so its neither Muncipality nor Civil Guard puukko. Both were specially made with logo's and stamps to celebrate muncipality and had usually coat of arms of that particular muncipality / county embed on the handle. Civil Guard was para-military organization in Finland in 30's and 40's similar to American National Guard. However due peace agreement with USSR it was disbanded. All civil guards had their own regional symbol's and those were usually carved into the blade or put in sheath or handle. Original ones are pretty dang rare but there's last 10 years also been reproduction of various independent smith's with high quality puukko's with civil guard symbol's and you can order them with specific regional coat of arms if you wish.

Since that its Finland's National Coat of Arms in handle, that is most likely some 40's or early 50's patriotical series which was issued during WWII or right after WWII to help rebuilding our nation after wars against USSR (1939 and 1941-1944) and then Nazi Germany (1945). It would be interesting though to hear sometimes how one of those puukko's have gone accross the Atlantic...
 
Thanks again for your detailed response. How did it get here? If this knife was not exported, I could not know.
 
Ethnic, huh? :rolleyes:
This is "my" ethnic traditional...meaning the pattern that was born in the same land where I was born. The traditional "mirto leaf" shaped (or flame shaped) Pattada folding knife:


0171pfogarizzu.jpg



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and the "antique shape" version of the same knife (the 2 in the middle):


dsc0187mod.jpg



Fausto
:cool:
 
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rjdankert said:
Thanks again for your detailed response. How did it get here? If this knife was not exported, I could not know.
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Most likely imported but that is bit bland. Another less likely possibility but still likely scennario which is supported by historical facts and time frame: It was taken cross the pond by one of the soldier's who escaped USSR's prosecution or felt that relinquishing our deep harbour in Murmansk and cities of Viipuri and Käkisalmi were too deep price for the peace with the communists. They fled into American and took new alias, like Lauri Törni a.k.a Larry Thorne and his companions are most famous example. They could have bring their puukko's into the America and as almost everyone were deeply patriotical at the times Puukko like yours could have very well being such thing.

What would have made them relinquish such thing then? After being tried for treason and pardoned in 1948 or when they fled before arrest, most men headed to nation which was iopponent to USSR: America. Most entered service in the U.S. Armed forces under new aliases in early 1950's and most likely they severed their all relations with their old country and old self. They said Thorne and his men helped Army Ranger training to be what it is today with their knowledge of cold weather and guerilla combat. Its to be noted that Ranger creed / motto is nearly identical to Finnish army motto. Puukko might have ended up in the states like that, time frame is certainly correct but everything is just guessing.

But what you have there is real piece of history. Thank you for sharing it.
 
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