I tend to think so.
Don't see too many sharp, hidden tang fixed blade knives anymore.
Thought I'd kick off with a splash.
After having made som kit knives, I'm thinking of learning how to make my own puukkos, only with "better" steels and stabilized wood or synthetic handles, a kind of reinterpretation.
I would still use the scandi grind, but like a 440C blade and a yellow micarta or G-10 handle, or 1095 and stabilized olive wood with a steel ferrule and and a steel end cap suitable for light hammering.
Thoughts?
I would say it depends on what you intend to be doing and what else you will be bringing. If you're bringing an axe, then a puukko is just about the best possible knife to bring along for the precise work, especially on wood. Trivially easy to sharpen on the field, extremely sharp and due to the blade geometry just plain great for woodwork.
On the other hand, if you're bringing only the knife, and nothing larger and heavier, and intend to do something that requires chopping or any such heavier use, then a puukko stops being a good choice (with the obvious exception of the Lappish leukus that are much larger). The normal size puukkos were designed for general utility, from serving as an eating utensil to very precise wood working - but not chopping, prying and batoning, for which axes were used.
As far as the steels are concerned, I don't see how 440C is any better than the high carbon steels you will find on quality puukkos. In fact, I'd call it much worse in edge retention, toughness and just about everything else except for corrosion resistance, in which a stainless steel is of course superior.
The M.95 Sissipuukko Liam Ryan posted is a very well known tool here in Finland, especially in the military. It is considered a "modern" puukko, so, not traditional but a puukko nonetheless. The sheaths for Sissipuukkos are some of the best I've ever seen anywhere. The knife itself is darn good, too. Unlike traditional puukkos, it can stand heavier use well. It's mostly hand made, too - with a forged carbon steel blade. The fit and finish on those things is typically "awful", though, since it's a military utility knife not intended in the least to be pretty, only to work - if you find a sissipuukko that doesn't have more or less uneven grinds especially in the tip (which is typically ground very unevenly to one side) or the blade set slightly off-center in the handle, count yourself lucky!
They're very inexpensive for their quality, though, at least over here. Very reliable knives, and much more agile in hand than most knives of similar blade length. A good combat and general field knife.
