Leukus. opinions / likes / dislikes?

[Fletcher Knives]

What do you guys think of leukus? Any pics and action pics would be appreciated. Who offers them in the U.S.? What should you look for when selecting one?

Thanks.
Dylan

 

[tarmix101]

What do you guys think of leukus? Any pics and action pics would be appreciated. Who offers them in the U.S.? What should you look for when selecting one?

Thanks.
Dylan

I like them. Great big game butcher, and woods knives. They are not the overtly thick blades of most larger knives made today, and have a great feel and look to them.

Look for good figure in the birch wood used. I also prefer carbon steel with forged finish. The forged finish helps reduce rust and protect the blade.

Go to www.ragweedforge.com Ragnar is one of the best out there for customer service and pricing.

Here is some info from his site:

The Leuku is the traditional camp knife of the Saami (Lapp) peoples. It combines the functions of knife and machete, and is the constant companion of this northern nomadic folk. It is used for gathering firewood, butchering reindeer and similar tasks. These are supplied with curly birch handles and nickel silver trim. They have the same flat hammer pommel as the Lappland puukkos. Again, the leather sheath takes almost the entire knife. The Leuku is about a foot long with a blade of just over 7 inches (18 cm).

 

[Elen]

What do you guys think of leukus? Any pics and action pics would be appreciated. Who offers them in the U.S.? What should you look for when selecting one?

Thanks.
Dylan

Don't buy it if it isn't carbon steel - that's how leukus are supposed to be. Thickness should be between 3 to at most 5 mm, never more. 4 mm would be good. I like leukus a lot for what they were meant for - chopping up the small trees and bushes of arctic Lapland and working with game and reindeer.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Excellent for small brush (like brambles) and an excellent cutting "big" knife (draw cuts, please). Sorta like a really excellent small machete.

I wonder what an 18" machete would be like if IIsakki, for example, made one.

 

[x39]

I wonder what an 18" machete would be like if IIsakki, for example, made one.

http://www.martiini.fi/puukot/shop/english/prod.asp?ContID=238
Martiini makes some very large leukus.

 

[King Bear]

I have the one from the Ragweed Forge link above.

He lists it as out of stock, you can email him about when more are due in.

The blade on mine is just under 7.25" (184mm) long, .128" (3.25mm) thick, forge-finished, carbon steel blade.

From the box it came shaving sharp, and it's even sharper now. This is not a knife for prying open shipping crates. I use mine for dressing and processing large game, cutting vegetation (it's great for having enough reach for harvesting cactus apples and such) and larger carving chores, such as stripping bark from a walking stick. For medium-large KNIFE chores, they are hard to beat.

 

[Boats]

I have the set below:

Even better than a leuku is a leuku paired with a puukko. This pair is probably the most versatile two knives I own.

The leuku is big enough and weighted enough to devastate branches all day long, long enough and not so pointy that one can use it as a draw knife, sharp enough and tough enough to stand in for a cleaver, and small enough to not continually be in the way or so heavy as to be annoying to carry.

And then for a few ounces more you'd have a puukko to handle food prep, fuzzing sticks, skinning, cleaning fish and whatnot.

People complain about the lack of guards. Keep your hand off of the blade has always worked for me. Draw cuts are your new best friend with Finnish style knives. My only complaint is that they are priced in Euros so our economic underperformance of late makes them expensive for what they are materials-wise.

 

[tarmix101]

I have the set below:

I've drooled over that set many.....many times. Don't need it by any means, bit I'm sure I'll end up with it some day.

Great set to throw in the truck. Maybe pair it up with a Lappland saw, and you would be more than set for an extended excursion.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Fletcher Knives]

Thanks a bunch guys. I think I'll try one of the Leukus from Ragweed. Won't be using it for any of the work day chores. Still have plenty of the hard use knives for that. This and all of the new Scandi's being purchased as of late are more to broaden my horizons as for woods knives. Speaking of which, I need to go update my Mora thread. I have to tell ya, I was really afraid that I would fall in love with the Scandis and I DID. I even made a joke about how I would find at least a few in the bunch I bought that I didn't know how I had ever lived without and I WAS RIGHT. I love these things.

 

[Return of the J.D.]

Ragnar always has great service, and seems hard to beat pricewise. Anyone know anyone who can beat him on price for a Leuku? I don't!