Hunting puukko?

O

OzarkCDN

Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
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Hey all - been drooling over ragweedforge website for a puukko to use for hunting (skinning and breaking down deer)... and need to give Santa a suggestion for Christmas! :)

I would like a design that has a bit of a indent for the finger, and have broken it down to a few choices, but open to suggestions... and trying to keep it under $100.

Jarvenpaa - Aito puukko (no finger indent, but beauuuuutiful...)
Lapin puukko - Hunting or Skinning or Outdoor knife 90
Ahti - Vaara or Leuku 90

I'm looking for a Finnish maker as my Finn blood demands it

Gracias!
 
OzarkCDN said:
I'm looking for a Finnish maker as my Finn blood demands it

Gracias!
Click to expand...

So I should not suggest the Helle Harmoni?

Not the laminated steel.
The comfortable handle in two types of wood, the indent for the front finger and the hook at the back of the handle for pull cuts?
Very light in the hand.

Okay, I will not suggest it.
 
OzarkCDN, whatever you decide to buy, I suggest you also check out
the custom sheaths made by JRE (Google "JRE-Mora Sheaths"). They look mighty sweet.

-- Mark
 
@DITCH - they look great, but I saw that RichS said they were a reseller, so I was looking to go to the 'source', but their wild finn puukko would also be high on my list!

@mnblade - that's a good idea... that's actually what lead me to this search. Years ago, my horse head puukko fell out of the sheath out in the woods :-(

Any comments about the lines I mentioned above?
 
I was very disappointed in my Lapin Hunter. Way too much money for what you get in terms of the blade. It is thick, rather clumsily executed, a sloppy secondary bevel on what should be a Scandi...scandalously bad sheath...it actually smelled bad and I swear the sloppy seam must have been glue with pitch or something...horrible. I must say, in contrast, I loved the handle shape. A real shame.

I have the Roselli Hunter. Beautiful blade, full-fledge very slightly convex scandi (very slightly) with a tiny micro bevel. Razor sharp. The sheat is not what I would call sturdy but it is made of decent enough leather. The UHC model is made of some sort of super carbon steel and is hardened to about 66. I guess that thing holds a killer edge if you can sharpen it.

I love Helle blades but hate their handles. If I could graft a Helle blade on the Lapin handle I'd really ahve something.
 
You might have a look at the Roselli erapukko... it's designed for cold weather use. That big handle is great when wearing gloves. I've used mine for field dressing and skinning moose. And it is Finnish (although the steel is from Krup). The sheath sucks, though, so I made a better one of thicker leather (kept the plastic insert, however).
 
Järvenpää's Aito is pretty much as traditional as you can get. Some purist say no for finger dents and definate now for the finger guards. I can say that stacked leather or stacked birch bark gives good friction in all weathers and conditions.
 
HoosierQ said:
I love Helle blades but hate their handles. If I could graft a Helle blade on the Lapin handle I'd really ahve something.
Click to expand...

I just ordered a Helle Viking blade ($18.50) and a bunch of Birch Bark for $10....
 
Yes Alberta Ed...that is the model I am recommending too.

Coyja. Glad you said that. I am going to do that in some form or fashion. I think I can do a better job than Helle does on the handle. Let me be clear, I love those laminated blades. I am sure they have some models that have nice handles but I hit two pretty sad ones. The Besseggen was a little small and there were so many flaws (holes OK) in the birch handle, I was kind of afraid it would break under pressure. Blade was great but it came with a horrible burr that I had to really work off...but afterwards it was amazing. The Ny Fjording was just a disgrace in terms of design. But again the blade was great.
 
Well, I'll be the dissenting voice (in this one regard) and say that I find the handle of the Helle Fjellkniven to be very comfortable and ergonomic.

However, I do agree with most others in that the leather sheathes that accompany most of these knives could be much better.

My small group of Scandinavian knives can be seen here if they may help in terms of providing ideas...
 
Blues.

I don't want to be a Helle Basher at all. I have not tried the Fjellkniven. I think perhaps I just had a run of bad luck with my model choices. One of my issues is size. I'm a big guy 6'7" with big hands. The Roselli Hunter (or Errapuukko) has just a huge handle. Those Finnish knives are all made for using with mittens.

One of my next purchases I am planning is the Iasakki Jarvenpaa two puukko set...a 3-incher and a 5-incher in one sheath. Big handles...I hope.

Probably what I have been bitten by in the Helle arena is the fact that I order them online...never seen one in a store...so I can't try them on for fit.

QB
 
HoosierQ said:
Blues.

I don't want to be a Helle Basher at all. I have not tried the Fjellkniven.

QB
Click to expand...

I didn't think you were, QB. You were giving an honest assessment based upon your experience as I have tried to do. Admittedly, my hands are only medium/large so that would account for a difference. Though I love my Roselli the Fjellkniven fits my hand a bit better and now it's easier for others to understand why. :thumbup:
 
I`ve used the Aito , and I like it. If you got the one with the birch bark handle, you could carve your own finger groove in it.
 
Ozark

This fellow is just mad for his new Ahti...loves it. I like what I see online but have not gotten my hands on one. I just looked and the model he got is no longer offered on the site he notes. I have heard really good things about Ahti.

I also hear great things about Kellam. I had one ordered but it went out of stock on me so I got an ESEE with which I am very happy. Kellam is on the short list and after reading this below, maybe Ahti too.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=797746
 
When I used to live in Florida I would visit the Kellam knife shop. They are really fine folks and will be glad to help you out. I would recommend you give them a call. Go to their website get the phone number. Many times they have knives available that are not on the website and may have just received them. They are very accommodating.
 
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