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Marttiini knives?
- Thread starter longbow50
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2004
- Messages
- 476
This article reviewed some different Scandi knives, a Marttiini was among them.
http://www.outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=67
http://www.outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=67
This thread is somewhat old, but I thought a reply might be useful for future reference and searches.
If this is a model with their regular stainless "chrome steel" blade, I would pass on it. The stainless Marttiinis are hardened to a mere 54RC and from experience, they don't hold an edge well. Factory sharpness is pretty good, but cutting a few strips from a regular copier paper sheet makes it lose aggression very noticeably. It is likely that the steel is not a high carbon variety. The blades are polished very nicely though, and many of the models would make nice presentation pieces or gifts.
Marttiini's new proprietary steel, Carbinox T508, is better. Mr. Cliff Stamp had a good experience with a billhook in Carbinox, see this thread. This material has 0,5% of carbon, making it borderline high carbon steel, and 8% of chromium, refining the structure, but not quite making it stainless by the book. Anyway, this seems to be a far better material than Marttiini's regular stainless. If the knife is going to be used, I would suggest picking up a model with a Carbinox blade.
They also make carbon steel puukkos. I have never tried one, but they are probably fine. Finnish knifemakers usually know how to make decent carbon steel blades.
I did discuss the handle issue some in the aforementioned thread. See post #9. Handles made with traditional materials (wood, bone), are good and nicely finished. The sheaths are professional work, and you will find them at least satisfactory.
Marttiini also makes a puukko comparable to the plastic handled moras. See this link for details. This product is probably not available outside finnish hardware stores though. I have seen these in two sizes, with yellow plastic handguards instead of black ones, and with not quite so polished blades as in the picture. They were also more expensive than comparable Moras, and IMO, maybe not even quite the same quality. For example, these had worse cast lines in the handles (sharp) and the edge was not as finely sharpened as the Moras usually have. They were sharp enough though. The plastic sheath is of comparable quality, maybe slightly better than the Moras'.
longbow50 said:
If this is a model with their regular stainless "chrome steel" blade, I would pass on it. The stainless Marttiinis are hardened to a mere 54RC and from experience, they don't hold an edge well. Factory sharpness is pretty good, but cutting a few strips from a regular copier paper sheet makes it lose aggression very noticeably. It is likely that the steel is not a high carbon variety. The blades are polished very nicely though, and many of the models would make nice presentation pieces or gifts.
Marttiini's new proprietary steel, Carbinox T508, is better. Mr. Cliff Stamp had a good experience with a billhook in Carbinox, see this thread. This material has 0,5% of carbon, making it borderline high carbon steel, and 8% of chromium, refining the structure, but not quite making it stainless by the book. Anyway, this seems to be a far better material than Marttiini's regular stainless. If the knife is going to be used, I would suggest picking up a model with a Carbinox blade.
They also make carbon steel puukkos. I have never tried one, but they are probably fine. Finnish knifemakers usually know how to make decent carbon steel blades.
I did discuss the handle issue some in the aforementioned thread. See post #9. Handles made with traditional materials (wood, bone), are good and nicely finished. The sheaths are professional work, and you will find them at least satisfactory.
Marttiini also makes a puukko comparable to the plastic handled moras. See this link for details. This product is probably not available outside finnish hardware stores though. I have seen these in two sizes, with yellow plastic handguards instead of black ones, and with not quite so polished blades as in the picture. They were also more expensive than comparable Moras, and IMO, maybe not even quite the same quality. For example, these had worse cast lines in the handles (sharp) and the edge was not as finely sharpened as the Moras usually have. They were sharp enough though. The plastic sheath is of comparable quality, maybe slightly better than the Moras'.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
Thanks for the fine post. I went ahead and purchased one of the little blades. It was given to a grandpa friend of mine so he could start training his 6 year old grandson on safe knife handling. It was their regular stainless I think and came sharp. The handle was small for my hand, but for a youngster or woman it would work. The sheath, well, it was adequate. A form fitting black leather that held the knife tight, but inexperienced hands will put the blade through it without a problem.
No prob. Thanks for reading.longbow50 said:
I never thought about the sheath question that way... I have never seen anyone do that. Maybe it's a difference in culture
or perhaps I just haven't seen that much at my young age 
I do think any Marttiini knife will be all right as a first knife for a child. They are good quality overall.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
Way-O said:I never thought about the sheath question that way... I have never seen anyone do that. Maybe it's a difference in culture
I do think any Marttiini knife will be all right as a first knife for a child. They are good quality overall.
Yeah, I saw a young woman put a nice slice in a very similar sheath and I've managed to put my NorthStar through the bottom of it's sheath, but that's just a danged sharp blade and a poorly made sheath.
It will make a dandy knife for the boy. When he's got some blade time under his belt, I give him another blade, probably a Mora.