Favorite Puukko knife?

A "puukko" is not a specific set of criteria. Its criteria are very vague and open for interpretation from the makers, like many other old time items and production. "Finka" is what Eastern Europe call the style of knife (no, not the Russian bs you see on google). People like to put a set of hard description on things, especially from America for marketing (scandi and what not), and with time it shape some people idea of the item.

Look up the "falchion" and tell me what set of criteria they need to have to be called one. As the only common description of falchion across Europe is single edge blade.

Japanese Tanto, aka "short blade", has so many blade shapes and style. It doesn't need to have that "tanto" blade shape to be called one. In Japanese , the term is considered "generic for short sword". Yet, they now are a set of criteria.

Tollekniv direct translation is "custom" or "handmade" knife. Again, very up to interpretation and not a hard set of criteria.

Too OP, give us some of your idea and usage, it would be easier to recommend. A modern military or survival puukko from Finland is very different from a more traditional one.
 
Scandi, saber and 'V' grind are "all the same thing?"


The Eldris isn't a Puukko. Neither are Helle.


I would agree with this. It's a good 'gateway' puukko, and if you decide it's a style you like after using it for a while, then you can dive into the higher-end/custom world. But an Ahti is a good user that will serve you well.
I was just using the Eldris as an example of what I meant by "mini".
 
I like a puukko to have a rhombic cross-section blade. Perhaps not a requirement to meet the definition, but a feature few other blades have.

Check posts #2 and #12 in this thread, for examples:

 
Here's what one Bladeforums contributor had to say about puukkos, a long time ago: "The puukko has developed to remarkable functional simplicity during generations of hard, straightforward use by ordinary people. It is a compromise, a multi-tool, if you like, with nothing inessential. That explains some of its characteristic features. The blade, for instance, is typically only a hand width in length, or a bit less. A longer blade would hamper its performance in whittling, etc. control is better with a shorter one (for fine work, such as countersinking a hole, the puukko is grasped by the blade and the thumb may be used as a ‘backstop’). But because it is not a ‘pure’ wood carving tool, too short won’t do. Similar explanations could be given for the relatively pointy point (remember the hole?), the (usually) straight back (with absolutely no false-edge or swedge), the wedgelike grind, the relatively thin blade, the smooth guardless handle (often called the head), made traditionally of wood, mostly birch, or of birch bark, etc.
 
One day I would like to get a 4V Malanika, but I am good with my two basic ones I bought decades ago (a Marttiini and a noname piece from a fishing gear shop).
 
A "puukko" is not a specific set of criteria. Its criteria are very vague and open for interpretation from the makers, like many other old time items and production. "Finka" is what Eastern Europe call the style of knife (no, not the Russian bs you see on google). People like to put a set of hard description on things, especially from America for marketing (scandi and what not), and with time it shape some people idea of the item.

Look up the "falchion" and tell me what set of criteria they need to have to be called one. As the only common description of falchion across Europe is single edge blade.

Japanese Tanto, aka "short blade", has so many blade shapes and style. It doesn't need to have that "tanto" blade shape to be called one. In Japanese , the term is considered "generic for short sword". Yet, they now are a set of criteria.

Tollekniv direct translation is "custom" or "handmade" knife. Again, very up to interpretation and not a hard set of criteria.

Too OP, give us some of your idea and usage, it would be easier to recommend. A modern military or survival puukko from Finland is very different from a more traditional one.
Finka is a Slavic word for a knife made in the Finnish style, nothing more.
The word falchion and its derivatives was used throughout Europe since the 14th century as a term to describe a single edge blade. Falchion is from the French fauchon. It originates from the colloquial Latin word falcionem, meaning something like to cut with a single edge scythe. It didn't refer to any single type of weapon, just a long blade with one edge. Since many European languages have Latin roots, its not surprising that the term was used throughout Europe.
The Japanese tanto has no relationship with the Americanized tanto tactical style knife. Its a long knife carried by a Samurai and bears no resemblance to any Americanized tactical blades.
The American tactical tanto style is more closer related to the unagisaki, which is a traditional Japanese eel fillet knife. There are no criteria other than its a particular style of blade with an angular edge.
Tolleknive is not a custom or handmade knife. Its a traditional Norwegian belt knife, and again the name comes from an old language. The origin is from the Norse talga knifr, which refers to a knife to work wood with.
 
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