Looking to try a puukko

LukeTheSpook said:
I'm not discounting moras at all. I just wanted to anticipate the 150 posts that would say "just get a mora, they're cheap",,

You're right about the traditional nessmuk system however I may go with hatchet, 5.25" robust fixed blade and a puukko. I feel like I'll end up only using the hatchet and the puukko
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Given that you will carry a hatchet, do you plan to split wood with your knife?

On winter XC trips, I often carry an Emberlit wood stove and when I do, I carry a fixed blade to split wet wood to feed it. I prefer a longer 5" blade for that, but can live with the 4" Mora too. Which is to say, if you're planning on splitting wood with your knife, you face a trade off between features good for battoning (longer, beefier) and features that make a knife more versatile for tasks like food and wood working (4", thinner blade). I think your on the right track thinking about the hatchet + 1 knife.

The reason to get a Mora - in particular, the Companion - is that it is a very, very good knife no matter what the cost. Mora uses very good quality fine carbide steel (either carbon or 12C27) and does a great job with their heat treat (Rc in the 57 range). The handle on the Companion is honestly, the best and most versatile knife handle I've used period.

Above this price wise, I think you can go in 2 ways. One is to get art puukos. They are beautiful but may have softer steels than the Moras. The other is to get puukos (or another fixed blade - Bark River comes to mind) that uses modern powder steels. If you're going to be spending the money, the latter makes more sense to me from a utility standpoint, the former makes sense more from a (very legitimate) collecting standpoint.

Last bit... I personally don't use fires in the woods hardly at all. I hike almost entirely on public lands and fire are hard on them where I live. For this reason, I don't carry the weight of a hatchet. I use a hatchet/small axe only for car camping. YMMV. Not pursudaing. Just testifying.

I also carry a small Leatherman Squirt PS4 in the woods. I use it for repairs and first aid. I consider that the modern replacement to Nessmuck's folder. With modern tent, stove and clothing, the PS4 is all I need knife wise for ultra light trips.

I augment that with an larger light folder for 3 season hiking (Opinel 10) or a light fixed blade in the winter (Mora Companion).

Hope this helps.
 
Any blade can be tempered low, even a very high C content steel, if tempered at a high T can be made soft. Same goes the other way round: you can make 5160 spring steel as hard as 64 HRC tempering it at low T.

Currently hand forged puukkos are unlikely to be tempered lower of 58 HRC. Just as an example, the two I've shown goes to 62 (52100) and 60 HRC (K510).
 
I'm going to recommend the EnZo Nordic as a good option for a user. It's a good mix between modern and classic and not something I would consider a collectors item or too nice to be put to heavy use.

A hatchet and medium - small fixed blade is a good combination. If you are carrying the hatchet then there is no need for a large and heavy fixed blade. I am curious since I'm an axe fan GS hatchet = Girl Scouts hatchet? That would certainly be more interesting than the standard Gransfors Bruks everyone seems to sport these days.

And the last thing I can say is judging from your OP you've never used a Mora? If so you should fix that, less than $15 is a small price to pay to see what all the hype is about. The Classic #1 has been my Puukko of choice for near 6 years now.

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LukeTheSpook said:
I'm not discounting moras at all. I just wanted to anticipate the 150 posts that would say "just get a mora, they're cheap",,

You're right about the traditional nessmuk system however I may go with hatchet, 5.25" robust fixed blade and a puukko. I feel like I'll end up only using the hatchet and the puukko
Click to expand...

Why would you need a 5.25 robust fixed blade? Doesn't have the chopping power of a hatchet or the fine utility of a puukko. You're better off replacing the hatchet and the 5inch blade with a 10 inch chopper in that case.
 
Customs are the way to go. And if money is no object, get something from Tapio Syrjala...

https://www.facebook.com/TSKnives

Hand-forged and abuse-tested, his stuff is of impeccable quality and both looks great in a collection and cuts like a laser. I almost ordered one from him but Lamnia has some of his stuff in stock, and I went with one of those.

Other great makers with stuff you can buy on Lamnia include Mauno Keränen, Mikko Inkeroinen, and Veikko Hakkarainen.
 
Right now this is the puukko I will take along on going on hikes that require a fixed blade. Nor strictly a traditional puukko though. Enzo Elver.

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After using the hatchet all day Monday I'm come to agree with those of you that say it should take the place of the large fixed blade. I think I'm also going to at least try out the mora route this weekend. I've cancelled my order for the gransfor Bruk and tomorrow I'll be receiving a Helko Camp axe. After an overnight trip with a mora I'll decide if I need a more expensive (cooler) puukko.
 
If you are wanting the best of Puukko's look at Pekka, Pasi Hurttila, Joonas, and Tapio Syrjälä. Joonas is no longer making knives, but they can at times be found on the secondary market, but it will cost you.
 
Good luck, and let us know how you like the Mora. Some good ones mentioned above, do not forget Kellam or Helle knives.
 
LukeTheSpook said:
After using the hatchet all day Monday I'm come to agree with those of you that say it should take the place of the large fixed blade. I think I'm also going to at least try out the mora route this weekend. I've cancelled my order for the gransfor Bruk and tomorrow I'll be receiving a Helko Camp axe. After an overnight trip with a mora I'll decide if I need a more expensive (cooler) puukko.
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Luke,

I think you are heading in a good direction. I think the Mora can do two things for you in the next little bit.

First, it can give you experience with a scandi grind knife. It's not everybody's cup of tea. It's an odd knife to sharpen in that it's different. You can experiment with it and your other knife and draw your own conclusions about grind (hollow, flat, scandi) and blade thickness based on your own needs and your own local area.

Second, and provided you end up liking a scandi grind knife, you can take your time and hunt for a more stunning knife. The Mora is insanely capable and functional but (and say this as a Mora fan-boy) it's not the sort of knife you pull out and a friend says, "Now that is a stunning looking knife." Useful? Yes. Functional? Very. Comfortable and capable? Yes and yes. Beautiful? Not so much.
 
LukeTheSpook said:
I feel like I'll end up only using the hatchet and the puukko
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Sounds like the traditional Finnish way. :)

If you don't care about your budget, get a custom made, hand forged puukko. Otherwise get 10 Moras for the price of it. Well, you most likely only need two, one for reserve and one for use.

A good puukko cuts and carves better, but on the other hand, Mora is good enough (as good as most factory made puukkos and cheaper) and if you lose/damage it, it's not such a big deal. Sometimes it's good if you're not afraid to abuse your tools.

IMHO puukko is not about coolness. It's a tool and the reason to get a good one is if it makes your tasks easier and more comfortable.
 
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Update: I haven't gotten a mora just yet. I've been hitting a ton of overtime. I did do an overnight backpacking trip and used the Helko camping axe. It didn't perform very well and ended up using the fixed blade for the things I wanted to use the axe for. I'm going to give it another shot next weekend. I'll grab a mora this week and really get the axe on the sharpener. I will update next weekend
 
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